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characters in off-the-shelf chase games. The faster the participant pedals, the faster his character travels in the game.

Perhaps the granddaddy of active gaming is "Dance Dance Revolution." This dance pad craze started with teens in arcades and is now gaining huge popularity as a home-based entertainment options. When companies are changing the music and software of DDR to accommodate older players (which is now happening), you KNOW the demographics of the game are changing.

Other implications for this "maturing" of the computer video gamer have to do with its ability to attract eyeballs, especially those attached to a head of a person who might want to BUY something.

According to this research, these adult gamers are more likely to go to a shopping mall than non-gamers. Also, these "moderate" gamers - those who play video games between one and six time a week- are more likely to be "adult" gamers and they are more likely to notice in-game product placements than the "avid" (i.e. those crazy kids!) gamers.

If video gaming follows the evolution of movies and television, this huge increase in the adult gamers will offer irresistible product placement opportunities for consumer products companies within the games. So, how soon will it be before your favorite shooter game, chase game or Wii fitness game has ads for Polident and Lipitor?

Dude! It's coming and soon.

Learn more about this author, Art Young.
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