A gamer's circle of family and friends is the number one factor in game buying decisions at all stages of purchases, according to a recent survey conducted by media research firm Frank N. Magid Associates.  The survey polled 2070 consumers aged 13-39 who have purchases/received at least one video game in past year.

A gamer usually reaches a final decision on a game purchase only after positive word-of-mouth from their personal network of contacts, and/or hands-on time with the game itself.  One other key factor behind purchasing decisions was, unsurprisingly, the price of games.  51 percent of console gamers (who tend purchase more than 11 games a year) factored pricing as a major consideration compared to the 43 percent of similiarly hardcore PC gamers.

Of course, gamers are still expected to make use of online gaming sites, game demos and magazine articles for information on games.  43 percent of PC and 41 percent of console gamers from the study group first learned about the most recent game they purchased six or more months before it was actually released, which suggests more gamers tend to keep up to date with their interests on a regular basis.  The number of gamers who required no further information regarding the game after first impressions compared to those who sought additional info was almost even.