A recent market analysis published by Frank N. Magid Associates, Inc. noted a number of generational trends regarding the desire for converged entertainment devices.

Convergence, a term popularized in the 1990s, involves the compression of technologies into single formats. Examples are abundant: PCs acting as TVs, cars playing DVDs and cell phones offering an MP3 players and other functionalities.

In a similar vein, current game consoles allow players to download movies and TV shows, message friends and surf the Internet. However, the study found that a majority of gamers do not care about an entertainment device that completely converges games, music, movies, Internet and more.

The study mentioned that many consumers prefer to buy dedicated and single-purpose (or limited-purpose) devices. Additionally, many do not use the full range of features offered by their converged devices.

However, the study suggested a potential change in those attitudes, with a majority of male and female gamers under 34 showing the greatest interest in a gaming device that serves as a total entertainment hub.

Psychological studies do support the idea that people naturally lose attentional capacities due to age, which may partly explain the decline in interest among older gamers. Whether the same effect will happen to a generation of multitasking gamers remains to be seen.