Kids' holiday wish: No lame games, please

Lots of kids expect to score video game gifts this holiday season, but they also expect to be highly disappointed by said gifts, according to a new nationwide survey.

(Credit: Game Crazy)

While 80 percent of 8- to 17-year-olds polled by video game specialty retailer Game Crazy say they'll ask for a video game for the holidays, 60 percent anticipate getting a game they don't want, getting a game for the wrong system, or not getting any or all of the games on their holiday wish list. It's tough being a misunderstood young game aficionado in today's title- and console-laden world.

The kids' downtrodden expectations come from experience. According to the survey, nearly half of all those polled (49 percent) said they were let down by a video game-related gift they received last year.

Game Crazy, of course, is ready to help out. It has produced a parents' guide to video game buying (PDF) that walks uneducated moms and dads through game genres and types of game systems. It also has created a video game wish list that kids can complete online and e-mail to parents, grandparents, patrons, Secret Santas, or Hanukkah Harrys. The list also indicates each video game's rating.

For its 2007 Holiday Gift Tracker survey, Game Crazy polled 1,000 male and female participants online. Breaking down the meta disappointment, the poll finds that:

• 45 percent of those surveyed expect to get a game from their parents that they simply don't want.

Whatever you do, Mom and Dad, don't get them this game.

(Credit: Atari )

• 75 percent of kids think they won't get all of the games on their holiday list; 33 percent think they won't get any.

• 62 percent of kids will ask for at least one video game they know has an ESRB rating over their age level; 58 percent think they will get a game rated above their age level.

• If it meant getting their favorite game, 29 percent of kids would agree to the not-always-fun task of teaching their brother or sister how to play it; 28 percent would agree to listen to their parents' favorite radio station in the car. Get ready for lots of Celine Dion, youngsters.

The good news? If kids go into the holidays with such truly dreary hopes, they'll just be happy you didn't get them 1982's ET: The Extra Terrestrial for the original Atari.

[Mike_in_Florida]

Screwed-up priorities

This article is nothing more than a self-promoting free advertisement for "game crazy" to make money from uneducated parents. Why are we supposed to care about kids who want want want for Christmas? How about an article about parents who refuse to buy games for their kids, because they want to teach them the value of giving instead?

[the Otter]

Boo-hoo.

Of course they?re not going to get every game on their list. When I
was their age, I probably had at least a dozen games on my list.
And as for kids that say they?re asking for a game above their age
level, it doesn?t surprise me that they?re not going to get it. (What
*does* surprise me is how many thought they would, anyway! When my kids are old enough to ask for more games than they
already have, I guarantee *they* won?t be getting inappropriate
titles.)

Frankly, I agree with the last post. Christmas is (and other holidays
around this time are) about giving. Deal with it.

[Allengers]

So true. Let them choose.

This is a great article. Interesting that 45 percent don't get what they want. Last year I got our 2 sons a Gamefly account for Christmas. Probably one of the best gifts I've thought of. They get to rent videogames all year, and they can pick them out themselves, no late fees and all the new games. I also set the parent controls on their account so they're restricted from games rated Mature.