The two biggest stereotypes when it comes to gamers are a) that they are kids and b) they are males. A recent study put out by, IBISWorld, Inc. (one of the nation’s most respected independent publishers of business intelligence research), indicates that the complete opposite it true.

Results of the study suggest that most of the current gamers are older adults and may of those are – you guessed it – women.

According to the study, the average purchaser of games in the U.S. is 39, which means these adults started playing video games when they were teenagers and haven’t stopped. As if that’s not enough, 24% of current gamers today are…

Maybe it’s time to start rewriting some of those rote gamer cliches. You know, like, “Your mom is such a gamer.” Statistically, thats not so far-fetched.

According to the ESA’s (Entertainment Software Association’s) annual report released during E3 2008, 40 percent of all gamers are women older than 18 and a quarter are older than 50. That’s up from 38 percent and 24 percent, respectively, from the 2007 release (PDF). The average age of gamers also ticked up to 35 from 33.

This is the sort of data that plays right into the…