Aussies are an Imagination Nation
Warner Bros Interactive Entertainment have discovered that ‘game snacking’ is the new way to keep your Creativity Alive.
Sydney, Australia – 8 October 2009: Tried and proven, Aussies who game for around 30 minutes a day are more likely to use their imagination daily – thus keeping their creativity alive. These are some of the findings from a recent survey* of ‘Gaming and Creativity’, conducted by Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment, which revealed that over 85 per cent of Aussies are regular gamers.
The survey showed Australians are a social nation, and find that the best way to keep our mind active is by trying something new every day. We enjoy reading to learn (45 per cent of respondents) compared with drawing, dancing or playing music (24 per cent).
Not surprisingly, the survey also revealed that the busy lifestyles we lead combined with the constant demands from society, have made us a time poor nation and as such has forced the birth of ‘game snacking’. Nearly 50 per cent of those surveyed game regularly for under an hour each day, while 32 per cent game for under 30 mins each day – proving that we no longer have the time to sit down for hours on end playing games (with less than 2 per cent of Aussies surveyed admitting to spending over three hours a day gaming).
“The definition of a snack – or ‘snack food’ in it’s most commonly used term, is something that is typically designed to be portable, quick and satisfying. Game snacking, alike food snacking, has numerous benefits, from stimulating the brain to relieve from stress or boredom.” said Joel Graham, Manager of Public Relations APAC for Warner Bros Interactive Entertainment.
“The survey was inspired off the back of a new game that is taking the world by storm; Scribblenauts. Scribblenauts embodies this notion of game snacking and more. It’s a fantastic place to stimulate creativity and imagination – much like what you would idealise as the perfect school classroom. Thinking outside of the square is what leads to the learning and the solution of the puzzles,” he stated.
Launching in Australia on September 30, the game has already captured the attention of the world – securing no less than 37 awards from the world’s leading video games journalists. The objective of the game is to complete puzzles by conjuring up objects which are created by typing in the object’s name on the touch-screen. Armed only with a stylus, notepad and your imagination, players must help lead-character Maxwell acquire the Starite in each level.
Lateral thinking is key with players encouraged to experiment and try as many different ways as possible to solve each level – of which there are thousands upon thousands of possibilities and different combinations. There is no single correct answer for each scenario – only multiple solutions opening up the game to endless replayability.
“Aside from the game’s obvious benefits of teaching spelling, lateral thinking and problem-solving in a fun way the game also teaches players the consequence of their decisions – forcing the player to think more about the impact their here-and-now decision has on the longer term problem. For example, adding a shark to the water might solve the problem of the piranha, but if you have to cross the water what will you do with the shark? A quick fix is not always the best approach and this game encourages you to stop and consider the longer term implications of your actions,” Graham continued.
“The spelling aspect of the game provides great stimulation for the left side of the brain while your right side is free to conjure up vampires, time machines, dinosaurs or even a panda bear riding a bicycle – whatever it takes to solve the puzzle.”
Additional findings from the survey include:
- Game snackers are more creative than avid gamers or infrequent gamers: Aussies who game regularly for under 30 mins each day (coined ‘game snackers’) use their creativity more often. Nearly 90 per cent of those game snackers surveyed use their creativity daily (20 per cent of which use it every hour). This is compared with 83 per cent of avid gamers (someone who games regularly for more than an hour each day) and 79 per cent of infrequent gamers (someone who rarely plays games at all)
- Busting gaming stereotypes, the survey revealed that respondents who game regularly also have a greater social life. Over 20 per cent of those respondents game for around 30 mins each day prefer socialising with friends in their spare time over watching TV, drawing or reading.
To entertain or to train the brain, here are the reasons why we game! Brain verse Brawn: Male V’s Female
- Down time: Women prefer to spend more time socialising in their spare time (32 per cent) compared with men who prefer to play games in their spare time (40 per cent)
- Waking the imagination: Trying something new was seen equally by both men and women as one of the best ways to keep your mind active and your imagination flowing – as voted by nearly a third of respondents from both sexes
- A third of women also stated that reading books and newspapers was a great way to stimulate your mind while over a third of men preferred the idea of physical exercise through playing games and sports
- Accessing your imagination: Over 82 per cent of women use their imagination everyday – 28 per cent of which admit to using it every hour. Men came out a little less imaginative, with nearly 20 per cent ‘fessing up that they only use their imagination once in a blue moon – if at all
- Why play games? There was a clear distinction in the survey findings behind the reason that both men and women game. Over 52 per cent of women game to enable them to challenge their brain and think differently while 51 percent of men game to escape from reality
- How do you get your game on? This was echoed in the types of games that men and women prefer to play. Guys came up trumps when it came to console or computer gaming – receiving over 67 per cent of the votes, while women, who weren’t too far behind with the console and pc gaming (37 per cent) preferred to problem solve with puzzles, crosswords and board games
- Game on: Nearly 60 per cent of men game for under an hour each day compared with 41 per cent of women
- Left or right? Overall, despite women constantly wanting to stimulate the left side of the brain for through puzzles, crosswords etc. women actually rate themselves more as a right sided bunch – with over 72 per cent stating they are creative thinkers. Men on the other hand, voted themselves as more logical, with nearly 60 per cent stating they have a more systemic approach to solving problems.
About the Scribblenauts
Scribblenauts was created and developed by 5TH Cell and allows players to use their imagination to create their own unique experience, allowing the game to appeal to gamers of all levels. In Scribblenauts, players use the stylus and touch screen to help Maxwell acquire the “Starite,” the prize earned from solving the puzzle in each challenge. Entering any noun that comes to mind, players can utilize it in order to reach the goal and combine countless objects to create wildly original scenarios.
Scribblenauts recognises tens of thousands of words and every level has hundreds of objects that can be used as a solution, offering extensive replay value. Players can also create and share levels with the Level Editor via Nintendo DS Wi-Fi Connection.
Scribblenauts is rated “PG” and is now available at Australian retail stores nationwide on Nintendo DS and is Nintendo DSi compatible for a SRP of $59.95. For more information, visit www.scribblenauts.com.
For additional information, images or to interview Warner Bros. regarding the survey findings, please contact;
Howorth Howorth
Kathryn Colliton Rebecca Tannous
+ 61 2 8281 3812 +61 2 8281 3809
kathryn@howorth.com.au Rebecca@howorth.com.au
Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment
Joel Graham
+61 2 9495 3139
*This survey was conducted between July – August 2009 by Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment through Livewire’s members based of more than 2500 member, various primary and high schools and other outlets throughout Australia. Participants aged 7-79 years.