Fear of failure: gender differences in older adult gamers

Abstract

In this poster, we examine gender differences in older adults playing an off-the-shelf puzzle game (Boom Blox, EA 2008). Game design research for the elderly is an under-developed area, even though one-fifth of adults over the age of sixty-five reported playing video games and those that do so play more often that their younger counterparts. Gender differences in older adult gamers are even less understood. We use quantitative and qualitative techniques to identify gender differences in older adult game players and we discuss ramifications for cognitive game design.