Cultivating Pixels and Plants: A look into why farmers do or do not play video games and the leisure activities they participate in

Abstract

Video gameplay has gained interest and popularity among rural area populations despite connectivity issues. The gaming habits of agriculturists are understudied, as well as the leisure activities of this population. To address this gap, this study explored the gaming habits and leisure activities of individuals associated with the agriculture industry. Through a mixed-methods approach, 76 individuals within the agriculture industry were surveyed and 5 participants were interviewed. This study found that farmers do play farming games for various reasons, along with other video games despite connectivity issues and time constraints of their everyday careers. This research aids in the identification of the various aspects and reasonings they have for either participation or restrain from play, of farming video games and the leisure activities these individuals participate in. The implications of this research add to the gaming studies and leisure studies literature, and aid in the marketing of video games to rural area populations.