As the world becomes increasingly digital, games are a big part of life for many people. While some are still under the impression that gaming is only for young men, a growing number of adults play games too. Gaming is more than just a fun hobby; it can be good for your mental health and help you improve cognitive skills. It can even help you become a better parent and spouse. However, not everyone is sold on the idea that gaming is a good thing and will argue with you about it. Luckily, there are plenty of scientific studies that prove video games can improve your brain function, increase your social skills and improve your mental health. In this article, we’ll take a look at some of the evidence that supports these claims and show you why gaming is actually good for you.

Unlike the stereotyped gamer of yesteryear, who was generally a young man and largely consumed game media like magazines and websites, gamers are now much more diverse. They range from people who spend 5 hours a day on Fallout 4 to those who play cookie clicker at the bus stop. And this is how marketers need to start thinking about gamers: as a broad, inclusive term that includes anyone who plays any kind of video game.

According to a study by Common Sense Advisory, gaming is the fourth most popular activity among people ages 10 to 65, trailing only watching TV, social media and sports. It’s also the second most popular pastime for people ages 35 to 49, beating out both going out and home entertainment. Gaming is also becoming more accessible with many people able to enjoy it on mobile devices, laptops and computers.

Gamers come in all shapes and sizes, with the vast majority of them being recreational (casual) gamers. This group represents a large portion of the gaming population and has low impulsivity, meaning they don’t feel compelled to play compulsively. Instead, they use gaming as a form of entertainment that complements their other hobbies and interests.

Another type of gamer is the Ultimate Gamer, which represents about 4% of gamers. These people are the apex of the gaming community and live for their games. They own every system, play all the games and invest in a lot of the latest hardware to be able to enjoy them. They spend less time in other interests and more of their free time playing games, consuming content about them and following the industry as a whole.

And finally, there are the Explorers who spend a lot of their free time exploring the game world. This can be anything from searching for the best route to get to a new area to uncovering hidden items and secrets. For this group, the joy of discovery is more important than the ability to beat a game or make progress in the story. They can also be referred to as the “lone wolf” gamers and often have little in common with other players.