The Game Console as a Total Multimedia Solution

When I was a kid video game consoles were good for playing Super Mario Bros. and starting vicious bouts of sibling rivalry but not much else. Now cutting edge technology has elevated most consoles past the level of standalone gaming platforms and made them complete multimedia centers. According to a new Nielson study people are using their consoles not just for the latest and greatest gaming experiences but also to stream movies, watch DVDs, and network socially.

Nielsen surveyed U.S. gamers 13 and up and found those with Xbox 360s spent 46 percent of their time doing things other than playing games. Wii gamers used their consoles for gaming alternatives 31 percent of the time and PS3 users did so 49 percent of the time.

Not surprisingly the PS3 offers the most in the way of multimedia options, with an onboard Blue-ray player and access to Netflix and Hulu (News - Alert) services. Xbox offers DVD playback and streaming services. Wii is partially hamstrung by its lack of a hardware player and lets its users watch video only through streaming services which likely reflects on its lower percent of multimedia use.

It’s important to note that for the most part, console owners are playing games in higher percentages than anything else. Video games have become such a ubiquitous part of modern culture their domination of the entertainment industry could easily translate into a takeover of the average American’s entertainment center.

Chris DiMarco is a Web Editor for TMCnet. He holds a master's degree in journalism from Quinnipiac University. Prior to joining TMC (News - Alert) Chris worked with e-commerce provider Suresource as a contact center representative and development analyst. To read more of his articles, please visit his columnist page.

Edited by Chris DiMarco