From the likes of Pokémon and Legend of Zelda to classics such as Super Mario Bros. and Pac-Man, Summer brings back the nostalgia of the days spent playing video games all day long as kids. Today, the charm of retro gaming and pixelated graphics has resurfaced, and these 80s & 90s gaming icons have become well-loved across generations.
G2A .COM surveyed 2,000 marketplace users to understand the popularity of retro gaming today. The rising trend sees a staggering 64% of gamers are fans of retro games.
The research confirmed that the genre is still loved amongst millennials, who have likely grown up playing these beloved games, and, more interestingly, widely popular with gen’zers, with 59% of respondents aged 15-25.
On the reasons behind the popularity of retro games amongst younger players could be the simplicity of gameplay (26.8%), followed by compelling storylines (25.5) seen in classics like Legend of Zelda and Chrono Trigger. Also, pixel 90s art style (22.8%) follows closely, which we have since seen replicated in more recent games such as Minecraft and Undertale. Not only that, fond memories and nostalgia (7%) are noted as drivers that entice millennials and older towards these beloved games.
Of the top favoured genres, RPGs like Baldur’s Gate are one of the most popular (28.5%), alongside Shooters similar to Doom (26.4%). Real-time strategies, such as Age of Empire, were ranked third at 16.3%, followed by Racing (14.2%) and Platformers (12.6%).
The charm of retro gaming also presents the perfect opportunity to engage across generations. Another recent study showed that gaming helps build and strengthen interpersonal connections between families and friends. Characters like Mario are still recognisable and loved, no matter what age.
Whether you miss the old-school games of the 90s and 80s, enjoy rediscovering gaming classics or want to enjoy a mix of icons and newly released titles, the G2A .COM Summer Playground campaign has a deal for you.