History PeripheryDemographic / VideoGames

* The decision to give ''Franchise/TombRaider'' a female protagonist was explicitly to provide the anticipated heavily male demographic some {{Fanservice}} (or, to paraphrase the developer's exact statement, an ass they'd be happy to stare at all day). However, from the very first game in 1996, ''Tomb Raider'' has had a player base that's at estimated to be at least 40% female, which was completely unimaginable for action-adventure games in the late '90s. Turns out that, despite her oversexualisation, giving girls and women a protagonist who resembled them while avoiding many common stereotypes of the time (Lara is snarky, intelligent, independent, and never once relies on a male character for rescue no matter what her situation) was a huge draw for getting them into action games. Indeed, in creating a female lead that they thought male players would find attractive but still respect enough to want to play as, the devs quite unintentionally created an extremely potent escapist character for women in their audience.

* The decision to give ''Franchise/TombRaider'' a female protagonist was explicitly to provide the anticipated heavily male demographic some {{Fanservice}} (or, to paraphrase the developer's exact statement, an ass they'd be happy to stare at all day). However, from the very first game in 1996, ''Tomb Raider'' has had a player base that's at estimated to be at least 40% female, which was completely unimaginable for action-adventure games in the late '90s. Turns out that, despite her oversexualisation, giving girls and women a protagonist who resembled them while avoiding many common stereotypes of the time (Lara is snarky, intelligent, independent, and never once relies on a male character for rescue no matter what her situation) was a huge draw for getting them into action games. Indeed, in creating a female lead that male characters would still respect enough to want to play as, the devs quite unintentionally created an extremely potent escapist character for women in their audience.

* The decision to give ''Franchise/TombRaider'' a female protagonist was explicitly to provide the anticipated heavily male demographic some {{Fanservice}} (or, to paraphrase the developer's exact statement, an ass they'd be happy to stare at all day). However, from the very first game in 1996, ''Tomb Raider'' has had a player base that's at estimated to be at least 40% female, which was completely unimaginable for action-adventure games in the late '90s. Turns out that, despite her oversexualisation, giving girls and women a protagonist who resembled them while avoiding many common stereotypes of the time (Lara is snarky, intelligent, independent, and never once relies on a male character for rescue no matter what her situation) was a huge draw for getting them into action games.

** [[DefiedTrope Defied]] by the UsefulNotes/{{Ouya}}. One of the console's selling points touted in it's Website/{{Kickstarter}} campaign was that it would be an open console, and that users would be free to tinker with its software and install unlicensed games. However, after would-be hackers expressed interest in the console for this very reason, [[DidntThinkThisThrough the Ouya people realized that the reason console manufacturers crack down on homebrew is that their primary revenue stream is licensing fees from games, which allows them to sell their consoles cheaply]]. To make matters worse, the proliferation of homebrew software is often hampered in a console's early years not only by walled-garden ecosystem, but also due to the lack of development tools targeting the machine's proprietary architecture; this would ''not'' be the case for the Ouya, which was to be based on UsefulNotes/{{Android}}, the most popular smartphone operating system in the world that already had a plethora games available for it, with more to surely come due to Android's open SDK. This meant that the Ouya users would be able to install an enormous about of games on day one, all without without paying an additional cent to the manufacturer if the machine was as open as originally intended. This realization led to the Ouya company reneging the openness that they had initially promised, causing hackers and homebrewers to lose interested in the machine, contributing to its eventual failure.

* Any console that is easily modded in order to run homebrew will attract a following of hackers, developers, and security researchers, who enjoy the challenge of bypassing the console's security, running homebrew applications such as multimedia players, and emulators, and of course, pirated games. Consoles of this sort include the original UsefulNotes/{{Xbox}}, UsefulNotes/PlayStationPortable, UsefulNotes/{{Wii}}, and UsefulNotes/NintendoSwitch.

* The otherwise forgettable SNES game ''VideoGame/SpeedyGonzalesLosGatosBandidos'' is popular among developers and testers of SNES emulators, since it features an obscure bug that only occurs on emulators and requires a perfectly accurate emulator to work properly, thus it is used as a test of emulator accuracy.

* Any console that is easily modded in order to run homebrew will attract a following of hackers, developers, and security researchers, who enjoy the challenge of bypassing the console's security, and running homebrew applications such as games, multimedia players, and emulators. Consoles of this sort include the original UsefulNotes/{{Xbox}}, UsefulNotes/PlayStationPortable, UsefulNotes/{{Wii}}, and UsefulNotes/NintendoSwitch.

** After clamping down on their console's security big time with the UsefulNotes/Xbox360, Microsoft has embraced its following among homebrew enthusiasts with the the UsefulNotes/XboxOne and [[UsefulNotes/XboxSeriesXAndS Xbox Series X|S]], which include a hidden 'Dev Mode' in all retail consoles which essentially allows people to develop custom software for the system without needing to bypass its security and anti-piracy measures. In particular, the Xbox Series S earned a reputation for being an amazing system for emulating retro games thanks to its low price and the aforementioned ease of installing custom software. This "Dev Mode" may have actually worked as a security measure, as these Xbox consoles remain the only consoles of their generation to not be hacked, probably because they don't need to be in order to do the things hackers like to do with their consoles.
* Consoles aimed specifically at small children, such as the [[UsefulNotes/OtherSegaSystems SEGA Pico]] and Franchise/LeapFrog Didj, nonetheless have an adult audience. Some of the people in said audience buy the consoles in order to mod them, since some of them (like the Didj) run on Linux and are very easy to run homebrew software on. Others genuinely buy them for the games, since although the libraries these consoles have consist primarily of simplistic [[{{Edutainment}} educational games]], many of these are based on pre-existing media franchises which either have a deliberately wide appear (like ''Franchise/IndianaJones'' and ''Franchise/SpiderMan'') or have periphery demographics of their own (like ''WesternAnimation/InvaderZim'' and ''Anime/{{Hamtaro}}''), which causes them to catch the attention of curious fans of those properties.

* The Xbox 360 version of ''VideoGame/AvatarTheLastAirbenderTheBurningEarth'' is popular among many people (fans of the show or otherwise) simply due to the fact that one can easily unlock all of its achievements in the tutorial level. It's probably due to this that it was added to the backwards compatibility program on the UsefulNotes/XboxOne and UsefulNotes/XboxSeriesXAndS, a rarity for a kid-oriented LicensedGame.

* Any console that is easily modded in order to run homebrew will attract a following of hackers, developers, and security researchers, who enjoy the challenge of bypassing the console's security, and running homebrew applications such as games and emulators. Consoles of this sort include the original UsefulNotes/{{Xbox}}, UsefulNotes/PlayStationPortable, UsefulNotes/{{Wii}}, and UsefulNotes/NintendoSwitch.

** After clamping down on their console's security big time with the UsefulNotes/Xbox360, Microsoft has embraced its following among homebrew enthusiasts with the the UsefulNotes/XboxOne and [[UsefulNotes/XboxSeriesXAndS Xbox Series X|S]], which include a hidden 'Dev Mode' in all retail consoles which essentially allows people to develop custom software for the system without needing to bypass its security and anti-piracy measures. In particular, the Xbox Series S earned a reputation for being an amazing system for emulating retro games thanks to its low price and the aforementioned ease of installing custom software. This "Dev Mode" may have actually worked as a security measure, as these Xbox consoles remain the only consoles of their generation to not be hacked, probably because they don't need to be.

* Any console that is easily modded in order to run homebrew will attracted a following of hackers, developers, and security researchers, who enjoy the challenge of bypassing the console's security, and running homebrew applications such as games and emulators. Consoles of this sort include the original UsefulNotes/{{Xbox}}, UsefulNotes/PlayStationPortable, UsefulNotes/{{Wii}}, and UsefulNotes/NintendoSwitch.

* Creator/{{Nintendo}} is popular among much older players due to reverence and nostalgia to the characters and series while still keeping children as the primary market, and is also very popular among gamers who normally use PC; they generally prefer it over the other consoles due to their exclusive games, as well as the fact that most of their games tend to run at 60 FPS natively, instead of the 30 FPS that most modern console games target (which PC gamers despise). It also helps that [=PlayStation=] and [=Xbox=] consoles tend have little appeal to PC gamers due to their focus on graphical capabilities (which one can easily surpass with a gaming PC), while Nintendo systems tend to have more unique aspects that make them appealing for other reasons, such as touch screen controls on the UsefulNotes/NintendoDS, motion controls on the UsefulNotes/{{Wii}}, glasses-free 3D on the UsefulNotes/Nintendo3DS, and portability[[note]]Also a factor in the aforementioned DS and 3DS[[/note]] on the UsefulNotes/NintendoSwitch.

** After clamping down on their console's security big time with the UsefulNotes/Xbox360, Microsoft has embraced its following among homebrew enthusiasts with the the UsefulNotes/XboxOne and [[UsefulNotes/XboxSeriesXAndS Xbox Series X|S]], which include a hidden 'Dev Mode' in all retail consoles which essentially allows people to develop custom software for the system without needing to bypass its security and anti-piracy measures. In particular, the Xbox Series S earned a reputation for being an amazing system for emulating retro games thanks to its low price and the aforementioned ease of installing custom software.

* The UsefulNotes/XboxOne and [[UsefulNotes/XboxSeriesXAndS Xbox Series X|S]] have a solid following among homebrew developers and users. That's true for most consoles, but Xbox is a bit friendlier towards them thanks to including a hidden 'Dev Mode' in all retail consoles which essentially allows people to develop custom software for the system without needing to bypass its security and anti-piracy measures. In particular, the Xbox Series S earned a reputation for being an amazing system for emulating retro games thanks to its low price and the aforementioned ease of installing custom software.

* Most any adult player of ''VideoGame/CallOfDuty'', ''Franchise/{{Halo}}'', or any other mainstream, M-rated, online multiplayer FPS will tell you about the curious presence of children and tweens there, who pull no punches in their use of swearing and ethnic slurs. Arguably, the game being rated M - and thus traditionally out of their demographic - constitutes much of the appeal for them. Another factor is that, unlike most single-player games that have finite amounts of playtime, online multiplayer games have theoretically infinite amounts of play time, and thus make them appealing to these kids parents who are looking for an electronic babysitter to keep their kids occupied, enough to make them overlook the high age rating.

* Most any adult player of ''VideoGame/CallOfDuty'', ''Franchise/{{Halo}}'', or any other mainstream, M-rated, online multiplayer FPS will tell you about the curious presence of children and tweens there, who pull no punches in their use of swearing and ethnic slurs. Arguably, the game being rated M - and thus traditionally out of their demographic - constitutes much of the appeal for them.

* Creator/{{Nintendo}} is popular among much older players due to reverence and nostalgia to the characters and series while still keeping children as the primary market, and is also very popular among gamers who normally use PC; they generally prefer it over the other consoles due to their exclusive games, as well as the fact that most of their games tend to run at 60 FPS natively, instead of the 30 FPS that most modern console games target (which PC gamers despise). It also helps that [=PlayStation=] and [=Xbox=] consoles tend have little appeal to PC gamers due to their focus on graphical capabilities (which one can easily surpass with a gaming PC), while Nintendo systems tend to have more unique aspects that make them appealing for other reasons, such as touch screen controls on the UsefulNotes/NintendoDS, motion controls on the UsefulNotes/{{Wii}}, glasses-free 3D on the UsefulNotes/Nintendo3DS, and portability[[note]]Also a factor in the aforementioned portables[[/note]] on the UsefulNotes/NintendoSwitch.

** It also has a startlingly large Christian fanbase to the point of MemeticMutation, with [[https://nymag.com/intelligencer/2020/02/why-is-there-so-much-christian-sonic-the-hedgehog-fan-art.html this article]] for ''New York'' magazine going into detail on why. For a long time, Sonic was one of the few pop culture icons who was [[Badbutt both genuinely cool and kid-friendly enough that parents wouldn't object]], and for kids raised within the heavily sanitized and sheltered evangelical subculture, Sonic was their outlet to "secular" pop culture outside of a narrow bubble enforced by their parents and pastors.

** It also has a startlingly large Christian fanbase to the point of MemeticMutation, with [[https://nymag.com/intelligencer/2020/02/why-is-there-so-much-christian-sonic-the-hedgehog-fan-art.html this article]] for ''New York'' magazine going into detail on why. For a long time, Sonic was one of the few pop culture icons who was both genuinely cool and kid-friendly enough that parents wouldn't object, and for kids raised within the heavily sanitized and sheltered evangelical subculture, Sonic was their outlet to "secular" pop culture outside of a narrow bubble enforced by their parents and pastors.

* Creator/{{Nintendo}} is popular among much older players due to reverence and nostalgia to the characters and series while still keeping children as the primary market, and is also very popular among gamers who normally use PC; they generally prefer it over the other consoles due to their exclusive games, as well as the fact that most of their games tend to run at 60 FPS natively, instead of the 30 FPS that most modern console games target (which PC gamers despise).

* The Xbox 360 version ''VideoGame/AvatarTheLastAirbenderTheBurningEarth'' is popular among many people (fans of the show or otherwise) due to the fact that one can easily unlock all of its achievements in the tutorial level. It's probably due to this that it was added to the backwards compatibility program on the UsefulNotes/XboxOne and UsefulNotes/XboxSeriesXAndS, a rarity for a kid-oriented LicensedGame.

* A great many ''VideoGame/{{Kirby}}'' fans are people who grew up playing said games. This qualifies because the series in general is and was designed to be for beginners. These people might have moved on in terms of skill but many of them gleefully return for each new installment, no matter how short or easy it is. Sometimes, some surprisingly difficult things can make it in, though ([[BossRush The True Arena]], for instance, is certainly no cakewalk). The [[SurpriseCreepy surprisingly]] [[VileVillainSaccharineShow creepy bosses]] that some games have may also have something to do with it. ''VideoGame/KirbysEpicYarn'' also attracted the viewers due to its unique visual presentation.

* ''VideoGame/MonsterRancher'' was meant to be a {{Toyetic}} kids [[{{Mons}} mon]] franchise to compete with ''Pokemon''. The thing is, the gameplay mechanics were so complex and in-depth and the games themselves so [[NintendoHard difficult]] that it was mainly mathematically-inclined adults that played it. When the third game in the series came out went for a cutesy, CelShaded look and greatly simplified gameplay to appeal to the intended audience of children, there was significant backlash.

** The series has many teenage and adult followers as well as child fans, due to nostalgia from the Genesis/Saturn/Dreamcast days and fondness for the gameplay itself.

* ''VIdeoGame/{{Undertale}}'' is a game that has similarities to ''VideoGame/EarthBound'' and is liked by fans from that game, but ''Undertale'' also has a huge following from the UsefulNotes/FurryFandom; it's not just because it has furry characters in the game, but said characters are written very well and are shown to be very likable whereas furry characters in other games are seen as generic or cliched by most in the furry fandom. The mass amount of fan art, including the rule 34 variations, show just how much furry fans adore the game.

* The UsefulNotes/NintendoSwitch Online subscription service has a Family Membership option that costs 35 USD per year as opposed to 20 USD per year for an individual membership. As the title implies, it's meant to be used by families, but since nothing in the terms states that all members must reside in the same household, it also sees wide use amongst non-family groups of friends who want to save money; 2 people sharing the same subscription group means the cost comes out to 17.50 USD per person, while a full group of 8 means the cost is only about 4.38 USD per person.

* The UsefulNotes/NintendoSwitch Online subscription service has a Family Membership option that costs 35 USD per year as opposed to 20 USD per year for an individual membership. As the title implies, it's meant to be used by families, but it also sees wide use amongst non-family groups of friends who want to save money; 2 people sharing the same subscription group means the cost comes out to 17.50 USD per person, while a full group of 8 means the cost is only about 4.38 USD per person.