Video gaming is no longer a hobby exclusively enjoyed by the young. As generations have grown up with video games a normal part of life, the age of the average gamer also increases. During a 2023 survey, 25 percent of video game players still come from the 27 to 42 years age demographic, and 19 percent are 59 years and older. Time spent gaming In 2023, Americans aged between 15 to 19 years spent 98.4 minutes on gaming or leisurely computer use during an average day. The age demographic which devoted the least amount of time to gaming was the 55 to 64 years category. Members of this age demographic spent an average of just 17.4 minutes playing on the computer during an average day.

Video gaming is no longer just a hobby of teenagers - thanks to developments in gaming technology and the accessibility of many games, the activity has become very popular among both genders and young and old alike. During a June 2021 survey in the United States, 93 percent of respondents who played Minecraft stated that they had positive social experiences in the game. Positive in-game experiences include helping other players, making friends, and feeling the belonging to a community.

Video gaming is a popular way for gamers to connect with friends and family and many gamers have formed relationships through video games. During an October 2023 survey, 82 percent of responding gamers in the United States agreed that playing games can introduce people to new friends.

In January 2025, total video games sales in the United States amounted to 4.5billion U.S. dollars, representing a 15 percent year-over-year decrease. Generally speaking, the video game industry has its most important months in November and December, as video game software and hardware make very popular Christmas gifts. In December 2024, total U.S. video game sales surpassed 7.54 billion U.S. dollars. Birth of the video game industry Although the largest regional market in terms of sales, as well as number of gamers, is Asia Pacific, the United States is also an important player within the global video games industry. In fact, many consider the United States as the birthplace of gaming as we know it today, fueled by the arcade game fever in the ’60s and the introduction of the first personal computers and home gaming consoles in the ‘70s. Furthermore, the children of those eras are the game developers and game players of today, the ones who have driven the movement for better software solutions, better graphics, better sound and more advanced interaction not only for video games, but also for computers and communication technologies of today. An ever-changing market However, the video game industry in the United States is not only growing, it is also changing in many ways. Due to increased internet accessibility and development of technologies, more and more players are switching from single-player console or PC video games towards multiplayer games, as well as social networking games and last, but not least, mobile games, which are gaining tremendous popularity around the world. This can be evidenced in the fact that mobile games accounted for 51 percent of the revenue of the games market worldwide, ahead of both console games and downloaded or boxed PC games.

According to a survey conducted in March 2024, 76 percent of adults in the United States played video games on at least one platform. In comparison, 24 percent of U.S. adults did not play video games at all.

As of June 2024, 27 percent of adults in the United States spent one to five hours per week playing video games. A further 10 percent of respondents stated that they spent 11 to 15 hours on video gaming in an average week. Overall, 19 percent of respondents were non-gamers and did not spend any time on video games.

The COVID-19 pandemic that spread across the world at the beginning of 2020 was not only a big threat to public health, but also to the entire entertainment industry. While cinemas and theaters closed their doors to try to stem the spread of the disease, many people turned to home entertainment during periods of self-isolation. In April 2020, during the height of the lockdown, sales of video gaming hardware in the United States increased by 163 percent compared to the previous year.

In 2023, total U.S. consumer spending on video game content amounted to 48 billion U.S. dollars, a slight increase from 47.5 billion U.S. dollars in the preceding year. Video game spending surged in 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

As well as being one of the leading gaming market in terms of revenue in 2020, the United States is also considered by many as the birthplace of gaming as we know it today. In 2023, the number of employees in the video gaming industry in the United States reached over 268 thousand.

Over the last two observations, the number of users is forecast to significantly increase in all segments. Particularly striking is the exceptionally strong increase of the segment Video Games towards the end of the forecast period. The value amounting to 27.8 million users stands out significantly from the average changes, which are estimated at 12.5 million users. Find other insights concerning similar markets and segments, such as a comparison of number of users in Russia and a comparison of revenue in the United Kingdom. The Statista Market Insights cover a broad range of additional markets.

In 2022, the average price for a video game sold in the United States at the year of release was 69.99 U.S. dollars, the first time this level of pricing had been reached. Games for the latest console platforms, PlayStation 5 and Xbox X/S, are more expensive than their predecessors. This has many reasons, such as increased production costs as well as other economic factors, such as inflation.

Released in September 2024, PS5-exclusive Astrobot was the highest rated video game of the year based on aggregate critic score. The 3D platformer was released in celebration of PlayStation's 30th anniversary and generated a Metascore of 94. In second place, also with a Metascore of 94, was Elden Ring DLC Shadow of the Erdtree.

Video gaming is no longer just a hobby of teenagers - thanks to developments in gaming technology and the accessibility of many games, the activity has become very popular among both genders and young and old alike. Despite its popularity, the anonymous nature of online gaming leaves some gamers open to harassment and negative experiences. During an August 2023 survey in the United States, 67 percent of respondents stated that they had been called offensive names while playing video games. Overall, 76 percent of responding gamers had encountered online harassment, down from 83 percent two years prior.

According to a survey by the Media Activity Guide, people in Germany spend around 37 minutes a day playing video games. This was a slight decrease compared to the previous year. 2021 saw a spike in game playing, probably because people were spending more time inside and alone due to the lockdowns. Video game market The worldwide gaming market is currently valued at around 455.27 billion U.S. dollars and is predicted to continue to grow by over 200 billion U.S. dollars by 2029. In Germany, the gaming market saw some rapid growth from 2016 to 2021, with revenue tripling, and although the increase has slowed in the last few years, it is still going up. This increase is probably due to the fact that it is now easier than ever to play video games because they can be played not just on consoles, but also on smartphones and PCs. Playing on a smartphone was how most Germans preferred to play video games in 2024, however, not all games can be played on all devices, so sometimes a more traditional gaming console is still needed if gamers want to play certain games. Gamers in Germany Although the stereotype suggests that teenagers are the demographic most interested in gaming, figures confirm that it is people aged 30 to 39 and 50 to 59 who are the biggest gamers. But what are gamers playing? The most popular games include EA Sports FC 2024, Hogwarts Legacy, based on the Harry Potter series, and Diablo IV.

The global number of users in the 'Games' segment of the media market was forecast to continuously increase between 2024 and 2029 by in total 0.4 billion users (+15.5 percent). After the seventh consecutive increasing year, the number of users is estimated to reach 3.02 billion users and therefore a new peak in 2029. Find more information concerning Brazil and the United States. The Statista Market Insights cover a broad range of additional markets.

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 of global internet audiences in the third quarter of 2024, 83.6 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 96.6 percent. Indonesia ranked second, with 96.4 percent of responding internet users stating that they played video games. The United Kingdom and Japan ranked last, with 71.1 and 64.4 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.

A survey conducted in the third quarter of 2024 found that over 92 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 83 percent of internet users were gamers.

General video gaming use among the U.S. population increased significantly during the COVID-19 pandemic. Between May and December 2020, U.S. teens aged 15 to 19 years spent an average 112.8 daily minutes on playing games and using computers for leisure, up from 73.8 minutes per day in the corresponding period of 2019. In 2023, the daily time spent on such activities among this age group decreased to 98.4 minutes per day.

As of June 2024, 21 percent of U.S. adults aged 18 to 29 years spent six to ten hours per week playing video games. Overall, respondents from this age group were also more likely than others to be heavy gamers - a total of eight percent played video games more than 20 hours in an average week. In total, weekly gaming usage was more likely among younger adults in the United States.