adminOlder gamers are becoming a larger part of the gaming audience, yet many games and marketing campaigns still focus on younger players. As more people who grew up playing games approach retirement, the industry has an opportunity to serve an audience with years of gaming experience, changing needs and, in many cases, more time or disposable income.
Image credit: Konami
Why older gamers represent a growing market
MachineGames head Jerk Gustafsson has argued that the audience for games could keep expanding as the first generations raised with video games get older. His point is that gaming may become a lifelong pastime for people who have played since childhood, rather than an activity associated mainly with younger age groups.
Demographic change supports that possibility. In the UK, people aged 65 and over made up around 13% of the population in 1972 and 19% in 2022. The Office for National Statistics projects that share to reach 27% by 2072.
Older adults already play in substantial numbers. Ampere Analysis estimates that the UK had 6.62 million gamers aged 55 and over in 2025, with the total projected to reach 7.32 million by 2031. Across Western Europe, the number of players aged 55 and over was 51.89 million in 2025 and is forecast to rise to 56.9 million by 2031.
The UK’s population of gamers aged 55 and over is growing. Image credit: Ampere Analysis
For publishers, these figures suggest that age should not be treated as a reason to exclude players from market research. Testing with a broad range of ages can help reveal whether a game’s controls, menus and difficulty remain comfortable and understandable over time.
Joost van Dreunen, CEO of Aldora and former head of SuperData, says the industry has often concentrated on a narrow audience rather than exploring the needs of other groups. He points to the US market: spending by players aged 40 and over is projected to grow from $19 billion in 2022 to $43 billion by 2030, an increase of 132%. He argues that experienced players may continue gaming and spending even if conventional industry metrics fail to capture their habits.
Joost van Dreunen | Image credit: THIS 2023/Alexander Håkansson
Designing games that welcome returning players
Serving older gamers does not necessarily mean making games exclusively for them. It can also mean making it easier for anyone to return after a break. Xbox chief strategy officer Matthew Ball has noted that some games provide detailed guidance at the beginning but offer little help when players come back much later, after maps, abilities and systems have grown more complex.
A practical design approach is to include optional refreshers that explain controls, objectives and important systems when a player resumes a save. These reminders can help someone who has been away for weeks without forcing experienced players to repeat an entire tutorial.
Matthew Ball | Image credit: Matthew Ball/Gabor Jurina
Hardware and play style matter, too. Larry Kuperman, who retired from his role as vice president of business development at Nightdive Studios in March, believes that accessible games should work on ordinary devices, not just expensive PCs or the newest consoles. He identifies cosy, casual and retro games as categories that may suit players seeking lower hardware demands. Retro games can also reconnect players with familiar series, including Turok, Blood and Star Wars: Dark Forces.
Nightdive released a remaster of Star Wars: Dark Forces in 2024. Image credit: Nightdive Studios/Atari/LucasArts
Retro games and familiar ways to play
Andrew Byatt, CEO of Blaze Entertainment, says many of the company’s customers are returning to games after time away and want to revisit experiences they remember from earlier in life. Shorter retro games can be a convenient option for players who want to play without committing to a lengthy cinematic adventure.
Affordable, straightforward hardware may also lower the barrier to entry. Blaze’s Super Pocket handhelds are designed as entry-level devices. For developers, the broader lesson is to make games and systems easy to understand, while offering flexible sessions and clear ways to resume play.
Byatt also sees room to make gaming’s back catalogue easier to discover. Music and film services often help audiences browse older works, while games can be harder to find across different platforms and eras. Better curation could help returning players locate familiar titles as well as introduce them to newer releases.
The Super Pocket handhelds are designed as entry-level devices. Image credit: Blaze Entertainment
Marketing choices may need to reflect the audience as well. Byatt says email is an especially effective way for Blaze to reach its customers. That is a reminder for studios to understand where their intended players actually get information instead of relying on campaigns aimed primarily at younger audiences.
Comfort, pacing and lasting appeal
Cryptic Studios CEO Jack Emmert sees potential in making games for people in their 50s and beyond. He has said that fast, reflex-heavy games can become uncomfortable to play for extended periods, while slower experiences such as classic role-playing games may be a better fit for some players. Preferences will differ, so developers should avoid assuming that every older player wants the same kind of game.
Accessibility testing can help identify practical issues such as small text, complicated menus, demanding button combinations or long stretches without a pause. Options that let players adjust text size, difficulty, control settings and pacing can make a game more comfortable without changing its core experience.
Emmert also argues that the industry needs more experienced voices involved in game development. Including older designers and a wider range of players in testing can help teams notice problems they might otherwise miss.
What the opportunity means for older gamers
The audience for older gamers is growing, but reaching it requires more than nostalgia. Familiar franchises and retro releases can attract returning players, while thoughtful tutorials, comfortable controls, accessible hardware and flexible play sessions can make modern games easier to enjoy.
Studios that listen to older players and include them in testing can create better experiences for a broad audience. As more lifelong players age, treating older gamers as a lasting part of the market—not an afterthought—could benefit both players and the industry.
