Logitech G has published research on how Australian parents game with their children, finding fathers were more likely than mothers to say they outperform their children at video games.
The findings are based on a survey of 822 Australian parents aged 18 to 45. More than half, 56%, said they play video games with their children, while nearly one in five said they do so at least once a week.
Among fathers, 59% said they were better than their children on computers and consoles, compared with 32% of mothers. Meanwhile, 52% of mothers said their children had the edge on them in gaming.
Just 27% of fathers agreed that their children were the better players, pointing to a marked gap in how mothers and fathers assess their own gaming ability relative to their children.
The survey also suggested fathers spend more time gaming with their children than mothers. Dads reported an average of 3.2 hours a week, compared with 1.9 hours for mums.
Another finding linked gaming frequency with broader family time. Parents who said they play video games with their children at least once a week also reported spending more than two extra hours of quality time with them each week, compared with parents who did not game with them or did so only infrequently.
The data reflects how gaming has shifted from a youth pastime to a regular household activity for many families. A generation that grew up with consoles and PC games now appears to be carrying that habit into family life as their own children start playing.
That generational overlap may help explain the confidence reported by fathers in the survey. Many men now raising young children came of age when gaming was already a mainstream hobby rather than a niche interest, giving them years of familiarity with the format.
At the same time, the findings suggest gaming is becoming part of how some families spend time together rather than simply a solitary activity. The research did not break down the kinds of games parents and children played together, but the reported weekly participation rates indicate shared gaming has become routine in a notable share of households.
The study was commissioned by Logitech G, Logitech's gaming peripherals brand, which sells products including keyboards, mice and headsets. It framed the results around family competition and shared entertainment in the home.
Dan Hall, Senior Category Manager at Logitech G ANZ, said the survey captured both the competitive and social sides of gaming between parents and children.
"As the old saying goes, you come at the king, you'd best not miss," Hall said.
Hall also linked the findings to his own experience as a parent.
"As a father myself, I sympathise with Aussie dads on this one. Watching my kids grow and learn is one of the greatest joys of my life, but am I prepared to let them pass me on the virtual racetrack? The jury's out. Of course, they're welcome to keep trying, and I'll enjoy every minute of it. As this research shows, gaming is a regular part of parent-child quality time in Australian households, and even if my kids overtake me on the circuit, I'll always find the time to game with them, and win my hard-earned crown back," Hall said.
The results suggest a cohort of parents treat gaming as one of several ways to spend time with their children. In that reading, the activity sits alongside television, sport and other forms of leisure as part of the weekly household routine.
The contrast between mothers and fathers in the survey may also reflect differences in gaming participation over time. While the data did not explain the gap, it showed fathers were both more likely to play with their children and more likely to claim superior performance when they did.
For consumer technology groups, such patterns matter because they show how gaming products are used beyond the traditional image of a teenage player. Shared use within families broadens the picture of who plays, how often they play and where gaming fits within domestic life.
Hall said the research pointed to a broader shift in Australian households.
"This Logitech G research shows that a generation of Australians who grew up with gaming as a mainstream hobby is carving out the time to share it with their kids. While fathers may be striving to maintain their number-one-gamer status in the household, it is clear that the console or computer is now firmly established as a regular part of family life. Whether you're a competitive dad or not, parents are passing that passion on to the next generation, with gaming proving to be a powerful bonding tool," Hall said.