Glance at Breakdown of Video-Game Poll Results

Some demographics and details about the AP-AOL Games poll on attitudes about gaming.

The results are taken from a poll of 3,024 adults, including 1,046 who play electronic games, that was conducted April 18-27. The poll, conducted by the international polling firm Ipsos, has a margin of sampling error of plus or minus 2 percentage points, 3 points for the sample of those who play electronic games.

This looks at how different groups feel about various aspects of games.

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OVERALL: Four in 10 Americans say they play computer or video games. Men, 45 percent, are more likely than women, 35 percent, to play those electronic games. Non-whites, 45 percent, are more likely than whites, 38 percent, to play them. And younger adults are more likely than older groups to play electronic games.

(Questions below asked of those who play electronic games, percentages are of the 1,046 gamers in the poll.)

ONLINE GAMING: The younger the adult, the more likely they are to play computer or video games online. Gamers who spend an hour or more per week playing games are more apt to play online than those who play games less than an hour a week. Online gamers are more likely to be hardcore gamers: 35 percent reported spending more than $200 last year on gaming (including game software, online charges, consoles and accessories), compared with 23 percent of those who don't play online. Four in 10 online gamers, 42 percent, say they spend at least four hours playing games during an average week, compared with 26 percent of those who don't play online.

TIME SPENT PLAYING COMPUTER/VIDEO GAMES: A third of gamers spend at least four hours a week on the games, including 10 percent who spend 10 hours or more a week. Another third spend less than one hour a week. Those gamers most likely to spend more than 10 hours a week on gaming were adults age 18-29, those 65 and over, unmarried men and those with a high school education or less, or some college.

PLAYING WITH OTHERS: Nearly two-thirds of gamers, 63 percent, play computer or video games only by themselves. Men, 32 percent, were more likely than women to play with others. Nearly one in five online gamers, 18 percent, say they have formed ongoing friendships or relationships from playing online with strangers.

POPULAR GAMES: Casual games such as card games and board games are most popular, 29 percent, followed by strategy, 17 percent; action, 16 percent; sports, 13 percent; adventure games, 12 percent; shooters, 7 percent and simulation, 4 percent. Men prefer sports, 20 percent; action, 19 percent; adventure/role playing, 16 percent; casual, 15 percent; and strategy, 14 percent. Women prefer casual, 46 percent, and strategy, 22 percent.

HARDCORE GAMERS: Hardcore gamers (those who play 3 hours or more per week) tend to be disproportionately younger, male, non-married and less educated. Hardcore gamers are more likely to play games online than other gamers, and hardcore gamers are much more likely to form ongoing relationships through online gaming.