Tune in on How Gamers View Kids’ Entertainment with thinktank Founder Robin Boyar

Over 90% of kids ages 6-10 play video games regularly. Kids and parents are increasingly turning to screen-based entertainment, such as gaming, for playtime and learning. So, how do U.S. gamers view kids' entertainment? Find out on Oct. 24 at 12 pm PT/3 pm ET at our virtual event with thinktank research & strategy founder Robin Boyar, who has over 20 years of experience in video games and technology!?

Register for the event and look at our Q&A with Robin to learn more about all things kids and gaming.

Tell us about your career journey, including thinktank and working with major players like 美国艺电公司 . What specifically drew you to research in the gaming industry?

I graduated from college with a History of Art degree and always had a great interest in technology.? As an art history major, I was trained to be analytical, and the “Why?” and “How” have always been most intriguing to me, whether it’s studying a great painting or deconstructing an epic video game. Being able to analyze and communicate these findings has always been a theme running throughout my studies and my career.

More specifically, I began my career in educational technology, studying how children use technology to learn and play. This was pre-internet, so I worked for a variety of educational software companies and also was a consultant helping organizations such as PBS, McGraw Hill, and the State of California.? Like many in the Bay Area, I rode the wave of the internet boom, and landed up at an online games company, Pogo.com. They were acquired by Electronic Arts (EA), and thus began my long career in video gaming. At the time (2001), EA did not have a centralized research department, so I built one from scratch, developing processes and systems that helped EA “engineer” hits.? It was a super rewarding time in my career, as I worked with many talented game developers and marketers on well-known titles such as The Sims, Madden Football, and Battlefield.

How has the intersection of technology, media, and children's learning and play evolved over your career, and what implications does it have for the future of children’s and family media?

When I began in edtech, computing power was underpowered, and so many of the platforms and services that we take for granted right now, like IXL, Epic, and of course, YouTube, were not feasible. So, while there were great hopes for computer-aided learning, it’s only in the last decade that the technology has caught up. Additionally, back then, discovery and consumption of media were very adult driven… for example, parents might buy a copy of Carmen Sandiego for the home compute, or kids might play Oregon Trail in their classroom.

Now, for better or worse, most (but not all) kids have free reign when choosing media.? A lot of this was facilitated by mobile computing, as the “pass back” mechanism (parents giving their phones to their children to keep them amused) became prevalent, and then parents started buying kids their own mobile devices.? It’s now not unheard of to hear of a toddler who has their own iPad. Most kids, by the time they are 8, can access a computer or mobile device regularly, and though some parents put limitations on screen time, most kids can discover and engage with their own content, whether it’s watching Netflix , playing Roblox with their friends, or downloading games on their own phone (which many kids have by age 10).

What insights can you share regarding the changing attitudes and behaviors of both kids and parents in the realm of gaming and entertainment?

Gaming was once not as accepted as it now is!? It really has gone mainstream, with over 90% of kids ages 6-10 playing video games regularly. Gen Alpha and Gen Z are the first generations to have gaming parents…whether the parents are Millennials or Gen X’ers. So there’s a lot of mutual interest between kids and parents… it’s one of the reasons why the Pokémon movie was so popular.

Your upcoming event with CMA promises an overview of current kid and parent attitudes, behaviors, and motivations in the entertainment world from the gamer's lens. Could you provide a sneak peek into some key findings or trends that you believe will be particularly noteworthy for our audience of content creators and children’s media professionals?

Parents and kids are often gaming together! It’s gone beyond the popularity of the Wii over a decade ago. It’s not uncommon for me to hear that parents are sharing their favorite gaming titles (especially Nintendo titles) with their children. There’s also the power of nostalgia as parents enjoy revisiting characters they loved as a child, and seeing those characters in new universes, like in Nintendo's Breath of Wild, which places Zelda in a new experience. The appeal of “evergreen” content is also growing in all forms of media. Great examples of this are the overwhelming popularity of Star Wars, and how content creators have been able to leverage the IP for new audiences through new storytelling (e.g., The Mandalorian).??

As someone deeply involved in interactive research, you've witnessed the transformation of gaming over the past decade. How do you think content creators can leverage the evolving dynamics to create more engaging and resonant experiences for their audiences, considering the prevalence of video gaming and the generational shift in entertainment preferences?

Never underestimate the power of strong characters, stories, and universes in all mediums. If you look at the history of children’s media, it has always been tethered to these aspects, starting with Sesame Street and evolving as new generations build relationships with these worlds, whether it’s Scooby-Doo, Harry Potter, Peppa Pig, or even Stranger Things!

But there’s also a new generation that is creating their own content, whether it’s through gaming on platforms such as Roblox or on social media with Youtube and TikTok.?

Overall, kids of all ages gravitate to characters that are relatable, explore and face challenges, and ultimately succeed. One of the benefits of gaming is that it’s an interactive medium, providing an added layer of engagement. These are the reasons why action-adventure and role-playing (RPG) games are so popular for kids as well as adults… they provide a platform for exploration and autonomy that traditional media does not.

As media and gaming matures and “tentpole” titles take greater mindshare, brand building will be more important than ever.

If this Q&A excites you, join CMA on Oct. 24 at 12PM PT/3PM ET for Through the Looking Glass: A View of Kids’ Entertainment From Gamers. This event will provide an overview of the latest trends in children’s media based on insight from the gaming industry.