As new and returning players join the world of video games every day, representation within games becomes increasingly relevant. While older players represent a significant and growing portion of people who play video games their portrayal in mainstream video games remains limited in terms of the availability of 50-plus characters to play as, and customization options. In partnership with AARP, we present the study, “Aging in Play: Representations of Age in Video Games,” an analysis of the 2023 49 best-selling games on STEAM.
Key Findings
Older adult portrayal in mainstream video games remains limited in terms of the availability of 50-plus characters to play as.
- 50-plus preset characters made up just 7% of human and humanlike characters in best-selling games with preset characters on Steam.
- Most human and humanlike characters were aged 20-49 (55%). Immortal or other-worldly characters made up 37% of preset playable characters (e.g. wizards, elves, goblins).
Older characters are not proportionally represented in video games, and when they are they tend to be white men.
- Of playable human preset 50-plus characters, 33% were non-white or people of color compared to 47% of playable human preset characters under 50).
- Most older preset characters are male (94%) and white (67%).
When games allowed players to customize their own playable avatar gender, race/ skin color, and even body type are common customizations while age is not.
- All (100%) allow the player to customize their character’s race or skin color.
- Nearly all (96%) allowed the player to customize their character’s gender.
- Over half (52%) allow players to customize their character’s body size in some manner (e.g. muscularity, waist size).
- Only two in five (43%) allow the player to customize their character’s age in a manner that characterizes them as an older character, either explicitly with their age (e.g. “mature” age), or the player can visibly age their character with facial or skin customization options.
Recommendations for Improving Age Representation in Video Games
- Understand the Experiences of 50-Plus Players. Invest in participatory studies done to illuminate the barriers to access that prevent older people from engaging with video games at all points along the journey from choosing a game to play. These include: Internet access, the accessibility of the hardware, financial accessibility, accessibility of digital storefronts, accessibility of game reviews and marketing of games’ narrative and character design.
- Collaborate with 50-Plus Players. Involve older players in playtesting to gather insights and improve Move beyond tropes and present a wide range of aging experiences and identities through character and narrative choices. Use age-diverse imagery in promotional materials and in-game assets, ensuring older characters appear as dynamic, capable, and integral to the story.
- Expand the Boundaries of Game Storytelling. Move beyond combat and competitive gameplay to explore richer, more diverse narratives. By incorporating the lives and stories of older people, game designers can create fresh, meaningful experiences that resonate with a wider audience and offer more authentic representation.
- Build an Age-Inclusive Workforce. Hire and support older employees to bring diverse perspectives and ensure authentic representation of aging. Partner with experts and organizations that are invested in authentic and dynamic portrayals of aging.
- Model Positive and Diverse Intergenerational Relationships. Feature a range of intergenerational interactions and bonds beyond familial relationships, such as friendships and collaborations, to reflect our aging diverse world.
Suggested citation: AARP & GDI (2025). “Aging in Play: Representations of Age in Video Games.” AARP & The Geena Davis Institute. www.aarp.org/ageinplay.
See our previous reports and resources on gaming below:
