(BPT) - Video games are one of America's favorite pastimes with universal appeal across generations. According to the Entertainment Software Association's (ESA) annual Essential Facts About the U.S. Video Game Industry report, nearly two-thirds of Americans ages 5 to 90 regularly play video games. That's over 205 million people playing on their phones, tablets, consoles and PCs! Read on to discover nine surprising findings about Americans' video game habits.
1. The average player is in their 30s
Video games aren't just for kids. The ESA report found that the average player is 36 years old and has, on average, been playing for 18 years.
Video games are also equally enjoyed among men and women - 52% of men and 47% of women play video games regularly across all generations of players. Perhaps more surprisingly, among older generations, women play more than men. According to the ESA report, 52% of boomer women play video games, compared to 46% of boomer men.
2. Older generations play video games to stay mentally fit
The top two reasons that everyone plays are to relax and to have fun. However, older generations like boomers and the Silent Generation said they play video games to keep their minds sharp and prefer puzzle games (73%) and skill and chance (55%) games.
3. Players of all ages can reap mental, social and emotional benefits from video games
Older players aren't the only ones benefiting from video gameplay. In fact, most U.S. adults - including those who don't play video games - agree that video games bring people joy (84%), provide mental stimulation and stress relief (81%), provide accessible experiences (79%), help improve cognitive skills (77%), bring people together (76%) and are educational (70%).
The ESA report also reveals that U.S. adults believe video games can teach problem-solving (78%), teamwork and collaboration (69%), adaptability and resilience (60%), and STEAM (57%) and communication (53%) skills.
4. Video games are a valuable way to build and maintain social connections
Video games don't have to be played solo. Many people play video games as a way to build and maintain relationships.
According to the ESA report, 55% of players aged 8+ play video games with others weekly and 78% believe video games can introduce them to new friends. These aren't just casual connections either: 63% of Gen Z and 49% of millennials said they met a good friend or significant other through video games.
5. Video games bring families together
Did you know that parents are more likely to play video games? According to the ESA report, 70% of parents play video games, compared to 60% of all adults. While some of these parents are playing video games on their own, 82% said they play video games with their kids.
By playing video games together, families can have fun and bond. When asked about the top reasons why they play video games with their kids, parents said because it's fun for all of us (61%), a good opportunity to socialize with my child(ren) (55%) and a great way for the family to spend time together (55%).
6. Parents prefer video games to social media for their kids
Parents like being in control and video games offer a multitude of ways for them to manage their kids' screen time. In fact, 70% of all parents say they prefer that their children spend time on video games rather than on social media.
According to a recent Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) survey, 86% use at least one parental control setting on their kids' devices to manage their gameplay.
7. Video games transcend entertainment categories
Many video games feature references to other real-world entertainment that players can enjoy outside of their sessions, especially younger generations. Surveyed Gen Z (39%) and millennials (30%) reported that they discovered new songs and new TV shows/movies (28% and 24%, respectively) because of a video game they played.
8. And they influence real-life sports performance
Can sports video games affect performance on the field? According to the ESA report, 56% of adult players who play real-life sports also play a video game version, with 87% of them believing it improves their real-life performance.
9. Video games are an accessible outlet for fun, entertainment and connection for players with disabilities
For the 21% of American adult players who report having a disability, video games offer them accessible opportunities for fun, entertainment and connection. More than half of players with disabilities think video games are very accessible (56%), and close to half (49%) rated the overall accessibility of video games to be extremely/very important.
Of those who rated accessibility of video games to be extremely/very important, they rated adjustable text size (50%), adjustable difficulty levels (39%), camera comfort (35%) and subtitles (35%) to be the most important features in games.
Are you interested in learning more about America's connection to video games? Visit TheESA.com/Facts to access the full report and discover more facts.
