First-person or third-person games: what do players prefer? Study reveals pattern

Have you ever wondered why some gamers prefer to play video games in third person instead of first? Could it be due to age, gender, or play style? Read on to find out what makes someone choose one perspective or another when playing a variety of games.

First or third person video games?

First of all, what are first-person games? They are those in which you see the world through the eyes of your character, without seeing your body on the screen. You have a more immersive and realistic view of the environment, but also a more limited view of what is around you. Some examples are “Call of Duty”, “Doom” and “Half-Life”.

Now, third-person are those in which you see your character on the screen, usually from behind or over the shoulders. You have a wider, more panoramic view of the scenery, but also a more distant and less immersive view. Examples of third-person games are “God of War”, “Assassin’s Creed” and “Uncharted”.

What do players prefer?

A study by the company Quantic Foundry, in 2016, analyzed data from more than 140 thousand players and revealed that the preference for first or third person games varies according to age, gender and type of game.

According to the study, younger gamers tend to prefer first-person games, while older gamers prefer third-person.

This can be explained by the fact that first-person games require more motor skills and quick reflexes, which decrease with age, while third-person games require more strategy and planning, which can increase with experience.

The study also showed that men prefer first-person shooter games more than women. This may be related to differences in personality and motivation between the genders.

This is because men tend to seek more challenges and competition in games, which are characteristics more present in first-person games. Women, on the other hand, seek more fantasy and immersion, which are characteristics more present in third-person games.

Finally, the study revealed that preference for perspective also depends on the type of game. Most prefer first-person gameplay when it comes to shooters, with a preference for this camera also in horror and sandbox genres.

In action and adventure games, RPG and MMORPG, the great preference is for third-person experiences.