The Entertainment Software Association (ESA) has announced the release of its annual 2023 Essential Facts About the U.S. Video Game Industry report, providing the latest insight about what kind of Americans are into playing games these days. According the report, which can be downloaded here as a PDF, 65% of Americans play video games, a figure that equates to about 212.6 million weekly players. Hispanics and Black Americans are also the most likely to be gamers behind Whites, while 46% of U.S. gamers identify as female.
“Video games remain a mainstay in American households, as they have for decades. Playing video games has become the norm, as those who first learned to play on early consoles now share their joy of play with their own children and grandchildren, resulting in an expansive and diverse player community,” said Stanley Pierre-Louis, President and CEO of the ESA. “The Essential Facts report demonstrates that video games not only connect us, but also enhance our sense of wellbeing.”
This year’s report reaffirms that Americans of all ages, genders, and race/ethnicities play video games:
- Across all ages, video game players identify as about half female (46%) and half male (53%), with approximately 1% identifying another way or choosing not to identify for the survey.
- The average video game player is 32 years old and has been playing video games for 21 years.
- A quarter of American players are under 18 (26%), 35% are 18-34, 14% are 35-44, 11% are 45-54 and 14% are 55 or older.
- Of adults who play video games, 72% are White, 10% are Hispanic, 8% are Black, 6% are Asian/Pacific Islander and 4% identified as ‘other’.
Video games bring Americans together and create communities where they otherwise might not be traditionally possible:
- 80% of video game players play games with others.
- 71% of players say games do a good job of creating welcoming and inclusive environments.
- The majority of players (88%) agree that games help expand their social circles, and 82% say video games can introduce people to new friends and new relationships.
- 76% of U.S. parents play video games with their children.
- Half (50%) of players have met a good friend, spouse or significant other through games.
- 87% of players say video games create accessible experiences for people with different physical abilities.
Video games are widely viewed as providing developmental and mental benefits to players:
- Players believe video games provide mental stimulation (90%) and stress relief (90%) and help improve cognitive skills (88%). All respondents agree that video games can help build problem solving (81%) and teamwork and collaboration skills (75%).
- Younger (18 to 24) and older adults (65+) are especially likely to value video games for having fun and passing time, but older adults also say games stimulate thinking and help them relax.
- According to players, video games also inspire people (80%), help teach kids how to win and lose in a healthy manner (74%), can be used to facilitate or supplement education in the classroom (72%) and help improve creative skills (85%).
Other noteworthy results from the 2023 Essential Facts include:
- 58% of adult video game players use multiple platforms to play – they use a combination of mobile, consoles and/or PCs.
- Smartphones remain the most used device for gaming – 64% of active players use a smartphone to play games and 12% of players exclusively use a smartphone to play games.
- Among U.S. adults, casual genres, including puzzle and arcade games, continue to be the most played.
- Of players’ total time spent on entertainment (TV, video games, music, etc.), video games account for a quarter of their time and are highly valued. Nearly half of players report that video games provide the most entertainment value for money spent.
“Video games remain a mainstay in American households, as they have for decades,” said Stan Pierre-Louis, ESA President and CEO. Read the 2023 #ESAEssentialFacts report to get the latest on the state of the U.S. video game industry: https://t.co/jafsdl4UFF pic.twitter.com/mlJquT6xmR
— Entertainment Software Association (@theESA) July 10, 2023
Discussion (5 replies)
Join Discussion →I think every single friend I have and gamer I know is well above the average age of a video game player.
45% of people feel "that video games give them the most value for their money compared to movies, TV or music". Cuz it's the dang truth.
OH GAWD, mobile is higher than all the other platforms? Also I would have included tablet with mobile. That would make the number even more depressingly higher though.
12% of people only play on smartphones. The f*ck is wrong with these people? It should be 100% of people don't play on phones or tablets at all.
Based on the stats I am seeing here, we have come a looooooooooooong way from how video games were viewed when I was a kid, as something that will rot your mind, make you go blind, and turn you into a violent psychopath.
76% of parents play video games with their children?! That's pretty awesome. My mom was the one who got me and my bro into video games. She did use to play with us a decent amount back in the 3rd-gen and 4th-gen days, but after that games got too complicated for her, and issues with stuff like arthritis kept her from being able to use input devices effectively. She still remains interested in the overall industry though, and she still games from time-to-time on devices like the soft-modded 3DS I gave her one Christmas a few years ago.
A bit more info here: https://www.theesa.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/ESA_2023_Essential_Facts_FINAL_07092023.pdf
Average gamer has been playing for at least 21 years. I have almost double that.
You mean want free shit handed to them in online play. Most real women I know who game generally don't reflect that in their gaming profiles.
I was going to make this very point.
The ESA is the the last source I would look to for "facts" about anything. It's a trade association comparable to the MPAA and RIAA, but represents the interests of the video game industry. The video game player is someone to exploit.
I'm curious how did they determine these numbers? Most games do not ask your gender or age or ethnicity, so I'd assume there must have been some survey done, but without details about how it was conducted this is meaningless. I want the white paper not their editorialized padded summary.