Children’s Dream vs. Parents’ Reality
While 58% of Mexican children dream of sharing a gaming session with their parents, only 6.19% of adults manage to cross the digital divide and play with them.
According to the latest study by the Entertainment Software Association (ESA), 43% of children aged 5 to 17 prefer receiving money to spend within their favorite games rather than a new console or physical game. However, there’s a “gift” that doesn’t come with prepaid cards: 58% of children wish above all to play more video games with their parents.
The Adult’s Escape vs. The Kid’s Playground
Why don’t parents, who are already gamers, share the controls with their children? The answer seems to lie in motivation. In Mexico, 58% of players define themselves as “casual,” spending an average of two hours daily on the screen with a clear goal: disconnection.
For adults, video games are a stress-relief valve from work and routine; a personal pause that is hardly willing to transform into a teaching or supervision dynamic requiring extra patience and energy.
On the other hand, for children, gaming is belonging and validation. For them, in-game currency isn’t a frivolous expense but the key to accessing worlds where the most important social interactions of their daily lives occur. When they ask their parents to join, they’re not just seeking entertainment but being seen and validated on their own turf.
Generational Gap and Mothers’ Role
The Cheil study also reveals that women show greater openness to including their children in their gaming sessions. By approaching gaming from an emotional well-being perspective rather than just performance or competition, Mexican mothers are transforming the screen into a shared ritual, free from the pressure of “winning”.
Meanwhile, the majority of gamers in Mexico (59.4%) prefer playing alone or with peers of the same age. This trend reinforces horizontal coexistence (among friends) but makes vertical coexence (between parents and children) difficult, leaving the desire of the youngest as a digital wish.
From Control to Connection
For parents, gaming is often associated with concepts of responsibility: monitoring age ratings, managing expenses (estimated at an average of USD $736.83 for this season), and applying parental controls.
While safety is crucial, the market and child psychology suggest that a step is missing: transitioning from control to connection.
The opportunity for brands and the industry lies in closing this gap and transforming gaming into a family-friendly, accessible, secure, and emotionally significant experience where access strengthens the bond rather than competing with it.
Key Questions and Answers
- What percentage of Mexican children want to play more video games with their parents? 58%
- What percentage of Mexican gamers are parents? 3 in 10
- What percentage of these parent gamers play with their children? 6.19%
- Why don’t parent gamers often play with their children? Due to the motivational difference; adults view gaming as a stress escape, while children see it as belonging and validation.
- Which group shows more openness to include children in gaming? Women or mothers, who view gaming as a means of emotional well-being rather than just performance or competition.
- What is the recommended transition for brands and the gaming industry? From control to connection, creating a family-friendly, secure, and emotionally significant gaming experience.
