Many people know exactly how it feels when the same old game takes you back to your childhood and you want to return to it from time to time. Gamers still want to return to the games they played when they were 10 years old.
A team of researchers from Oxford and Syracuse decided to find out what is behind the nostalgia for retro games. They conducted a large-scale study based on more than 12,000 hours of gaming experience on the Nintendo Switch with 660 participants.
The average age of these players is — 31 years old, and most of them played titles on old consoles in the 90s. They most often returned to the same games they played when they were 10. Since the study looked at only one Nintendo, players chose the Nintendo 64, SNES, and Game Boy Advance the most.
These people usually already work full time, so games are often something important to them, with many personal memories associated with them. Sometimes it’s the classic «remember childhood», and sometimes it’s — a desire to recapture the feelings that the gameplay gave many years ago.
Another interesting point is that almost a third of players choose games from the era that began before they were born. Researchers called this phenomenon «historical nostalgia». That is, — is not only about memories, but also about «nostalgia for the past that you did not have».
«[A] substantial minority of players revisit consoles that were discontinued before they were born –suggesting that players are not only seeking out personal nostalgia, but also historical nostalgia», — the researchers write.
Participants also answered questions about their well-being, relationships with other players, and enjoyment of the game. Here, too, retro has its advantages: many noted that such games help to relax, recall good times, or get along better with others.
At the same time, the authors of the study say that the data obtained cannot be considered universal. They relate to Nintendo players, and this console is not for everyone. Therefore, the same Xbox or PlayStation could give a completely different picture. But one thing is for sure — they are trying to squeeze the maximum out of retro and nostalgia. This can be seen in the way many studios are re-releasing old titles or creating new games in the style of the 90s.
«We hope that our findings will inspire further research into the nature of retro gaming and its implications for identity, wellbeing, and the future of the games industry», — the authors added.
The study has not yet been peer-reviewed, but is already available in a preprint at PsyArXiv. Also, recently, the BAFTAs showed a list of games that have had the greatest impact on the gaming industry — no, it’s not Doom or Dark Souls.
Source: IFLScience