A September to November 2023 survey found that 80 percent UK gamers aged 16 to 24 years played games online. More than half of gamers aged up to 44 years had ever played games online, and 69 percent of gamers in the United Kingdom had every played online games with or against other players.

A September to November 2024 survey found that 69 percent of male UK gamers ever played games online. The online gaming reach among female gamers in the United Kingdom was 57 percent, up from 23 percent in 2018. In the most recently measured period, young people were most likely to play games online, with online gaming penetration among those aged 16 to 24 standing at 82 percent.

A survey conducted in the second quarter of 2025 found that around 91.5 percent of female internet users aged 16 to 24 years worldwide played video games on any kind of device. During the survey period, 93 percent of male respondents in the same age group stated that they played video games. Worldwide, over 82 percent of internet users were gamers.

A September to November 2024 survey found that over six in ten gamers in the United Kingdom ever played games online. This represents an unchanged reach in online gaming from the previous year. Online gaming has always enjoyed popularity among UK gamers but gained a whole new relevance during the COVID-19 pandemic.

A 2021 survey of gaming audiences found that the social side of gaming was very important to many gamers. Overall, 84 percent respondents agreed that video games helped them connect with others who had similar interests. Additionally, 80 percent of responding gamers reported that video games helped them to meet new people.

As per the results of January 2025 survey on online gaming in India by Rakuten Insight, about ** percent of respondents between 16 and 24 years of age played online games. In comparison, only ** percent above the age of 55 years played online games in the surveyed time period.

In a survey of online gaming by Rakuten Insight in January 2025, ** percent of Malaysian respondents who were aged between 16 and 24 years old stated that they played online games. The same survey found that a large portion of Malaysian gamers played online games daily.

A September to November 2024 survey of UK adults aged 16 years and older found that 85 percent of respondents aged between 16 and 24 years played video games, down from a 92 percent gaming penetration among the same age group in 2020. Overall, gaming uptake increased in 2020 due to the global COVID-19 pandemic. Video games industry in the UK In 2023, consumers in the United Kingdom spent over 3.16 billion British pounds on digital and online games. In regard to the annual contribution of the video games industry to the UK Gross Domestic Product, it amounted to 3.68 billion British pounds in 2023. Mobile games The popularity of mobile gaming increased over the last decade and overtook games consoles and TV for the first time in 2014. As of 2024, approximately 34 percent of UK adults reported playing games on their mobile phone, the highest rate ever reported. The most downloaded gaming apps in the UK include puzzle and casual titles such as Supermarket Simulator and Block Blast.

According to a survey on online gaming conducted by Rakuten Insight in January 2025, about ** percent of the respondents from Hong Kong aged between 16 to 24 years stated that they had played online games. The same survey found that about ** percent of gamers from Hong Kong played online games every day.

In 2023, around **** percent of heavy online gamers in Thailand were between 18 to 24 years old. In comparison, only *** percent of heavy online gamers in Thailand were 55 years and older. Heavy online gaming refers to playing games that require high-end computers to cater to the user's best gaming experience.

A 2024 survey found that ** percent of children in the United Kingdom aged 13 to 15 years played online games such as Fortnite or Minecraft. Online gaming among children has been increasing in popularity over the recent years and made a huge jump during the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to a survey of global internet audiences in the second quarter of 2025, 82.1 percent of internet users played video games on any device. The Philippines had the highest video gaming usage reach, ranking first with a gaming penetration of 96 percent. Indonesia ranked second, with 95.1 percent of responding internet users stating that they played video games. Czechia and Japan ranked last, with 70.8 and 65.6 percent of internet users, respectively, reporting their participation in video gaming. The impact of mobile gaming The global gaming penetration among online users was over 83 percent, highlighting how much of a mainstream hobby gaming has become. Additionally, as shown by the many mobile-first digital markets with strong gaming reach, the impact of readily available mobile gaming devices cannot be overstated. A survey from the third quarter of 2024 found that smartphones were the most popular way to play video games worldwide, with more than 67 percent of respondents stating to play video games in such a way. This usage rate was miles ahead of second-ranked laptop or desktop PCs, which only 34 percent of global gamers stated to use. Who are the global gaming audiences? A survey conducted in the third quarter of 2023 found that 89.6 percent of female internet users aged 16 to 24 years worldwide played video games on any kind of device. During the survey period, 92.6 percent of male respondents in the same age group stated that they played video games. Gaming is a more popular activity among younger age groups, but even seven in ten respondents between 55 and 64 years old stated that they were gamers. Gaming genre preferences vary by age group, but overall, shooters and action-adventure games rank first in terms of popularity among users. Other popular gaming genres were simulation and sports games.

According to a survey by Rakuten Insight in January 2025, around ** percent of Thai respondents aged between 16 to 24 years stated that they played online games. The survey also explored the frequency of online gaming and it revealed that almost half of the Thai respondents played online games daily.

According to a survey that was conducted in Japan in August 2024, **** percent of internet users in Mie Prefecture played online games. Mie was the leading prefecture in this regard, ahead of Tokyo, Kanagawa, Hokkaido, and Gunma.

The penetration rate in the 'Games' segment of the media market in the United Kingdom was modeled to amount to 54.59 percent in 2024. Between 2017 and 2024, the penetration rate rose by 23.78 percentage points, though the increase followed an uneven trajectory rather than a consistent upward trend. The penetration rate will steadily rise by 6.94 percentage points over the period from 2024 to 2030, reflecting a clear upward trend.Further information about the methodology, more market segments, and metrics can be found on the dedicated Market Insights page on Games.

As per the results of ************ survey on online gaming in India by Rakuten Insight, a majority of respondents played games daily. This share was highest among respondents between 25 and 34 years old.

According to a survey conducted by Rakuten Insight in the Philippines in January 2025, ** percent of respondents in the Philippines stated that they played online games. The same survey revealed that the majority of online gamers played daily.

In 2020, around **** percent of generation Z internet users in Thailand have played online games. This was followed by generation Y at **** percent. The internet has become an essential part of Thai people's lifestyle of all ages. The number of internet users in Thailand was forecasted to reach almost ** million by 2025.

In a survey on online gaming conducted by Rakuten Insight in January 2025, ** percent of Singaporean respondents who were aged between 16 to 24 years stated that they played online games. The same survey found that a large portion of the Singaporean gamer played online games daily.

India recorded about *** million online gamers in the year 2024. This was a seven percent growth from the previous year and is likely to reach over *** million by 2025. About *** million of these gamers reportedly paid for online games that year.