Leading online news service, Reuters, recently reported on a study conducted by Harris Interactive, which was aimed at finding out whether Americans prefer to watch movies or play the steadily growing popular online casual games, such as "Bejewelled" and "Talismania". What the study found (interestingly enough) is that a large portion of those surveyed prefer gaming activity to movies.

Depending on the age-group, preference for online casual games varied. Overall, the eighteen-and-over survey participants revealed that over 31% preferred playing casual games to watching television, while 21% preferred games to watching movies in the comfort of their homes.  Leaving home to watch a movie in a theatre fared the worst against at-home gaming action, with just over 35% of those surveyed preferring games.

For those who were in the forty-and-older age group, the figures showed even more surprising findings. Almost half of this age group (49% surveyed) said they would prefer to stay at home and be engaged in casual games rather than leave home for the movie theatre.  The same percentage ratio showed up in this group regarding the comparisons of watching TV and movies from home with gaming activity in the home environment.

Real Networks initiated the study so they could gain a better grasp on what their customers preferred, and just how much other entertainment activities were detracting from casual games and online gaming entertainment.  The information provided from the study will thus help to warrant where improvements in the gaming industry can be made, such as in online casual game downloads, not to mention how to better achieve effective advertisement. The results could likewise serve as a valuable reference for those in the online casino and gambling industries.