Anyway, the report got me thinking about videogames and how they're almost exclusively aimed at young men. Not only does this policy cost the industry over 50% of its potential market on gender terms alone, but in a few years time, it's also going to cut out a huge audience on the age side of things too. I wonder, are forward-thinking publishers already having brain-storming sessions in order to address the challenge of the grey gamer? Wired.com ran an article this week on how the ageing population in Japan is bringing about some major cultural changes. Have Namco, Nintendo, Capcom and Konami et al caught the zeitgeist?

Despite relentlessly negative depiction in the mainstream media, video games are becoming more and more an activity that is appropriate for a broad audience rather than simply a young technology-oriented one. While people like Old Grandma Hardcore represent an older audience that seems completely content with games aimed more at younger gamers, are there other people middle aged or above who don't necessarily feel like shooting gangsters or aliens but want a bit more than another Bejeweled clone? While, as the article points out, certain Japanese publishers seem to be addressing that growing demand, it doesn't seem as though Western publishers are as concerned. Do you see yourself outgrowing the games you play now, or do you feel you already have, and if so what other types of games would you want to see?