“Still playing gaming systems released before 2000” in this case means “has used at least one gaming system released before 2000 at least once in the past year.”
What you probably imagined is probably very different from what the survey actually reported.
It’s not a great metric since systems from before 2000 can be emulated on newer hardware, and in fact that’s the most common way for people to play old games.
I actually don’t know that it excludes emulation (or to what extent it excludes it). Like I wouldn’t personally count emulating an NES game on a Switch, but when I pop an actual PS2 DVD into my computer, burn it to an ISO, and play it on PCSX2 – when I own two functioning PS2s, dumped the BIOS, and help work on the emulator – I would probably ultimately answer “yes” to this question.
But it also seems clear that the person writing it knew almost nothing about retro gaming to have not clarified this even a little.
It says “gaming systems released before 2000”, not games. You’re right about them not seeming to know much about retro gaming; focusing on the hardware rather than the games is an odd decision.
2024 survey from Consumer Reports here. Representative sample of 2022 people.
“Still playing gaming systems released before 2000” in this case means “has used at least one gaming system released before 2000 at least once in the past year.”
What you probably imagined is probably very different from what the survey actually reported.
If I play Streets of Rage 2 (1992) but on an emulator running on my Steam Deck (2022), does that count?
By their metric, no.
It’s not a great metric since systems from before 2000 can be emulated on newer hardware, and in fact that’s the most common way for people to play old games.
I actually don’t know that it excludes emulation (or to what extent it excludes it). Like I wouldn’t personally count emulating an NES game on a Switch, but when I pop an actual PS2 DVD into my computer, burn it to an ISO, and play it on PCSX2 – when I own two functioning PS2s, dumped the BIOS, and help work on the emulator – I would probably ultimately answer “yes” to this question.
But it also seems clear that the person writing it knew almost nothing about retro gaming to have not clarified this even a little.
It says “gaming systems released before 2000”, not games. You’re right about them not seeming to know much about retro gaming; focusing on the hardware rather than the games is an odd decision.