Gamer Demographics: Facts and Stats About the Most Popular Hobby in the World

Bojan Jovanovic

Updated: May 25, 2023

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When you think about the word “gamer,” what’s the first thing that pops into your head? It’s probably one of the stereotypes about gamers that the media has been using to depict this particular demographic, right? 

Although some still imagine them like that, long gone are the times of the archetypal pimply teen sitting in his parents’ basement. Gaming has become a mainstream form of entertainment and a big business; in turn, gamers are a new demographic that’s more diverse than ever.

To help fight the stereotype, today, we will be looking at the current state of the gaming world. We’ll review statistics, recent studies, and some fun facts to showcase how vast the gamer group is. And as they say, GL HF.

Key Gamer Demographics

• There are 3.24 billion gamers worldwide as of 2023
• There will be 3.32 billion gamers worldwide by 2024.
• The video game market is worth $197.11 billion as of 2023.
• About 52% of gamers subscribe to at least one gaming service.
• The average gamer is 35 years old.
• Over 50% of Europeans play video games.
• Over 1.8 billion people are PC gamers.
• 48% of American gamers are female.
• Asia is the biggest gaming market, with 1.6 billion video game players.

Statistics and Facts About Gaming Demographics

Gaming wasn’t a preferred form of entertainment in the past, but the current gaming statistics have proven us wrong. Let’s see what the fuss is about.

1. There are 3.24 billion gamers today.

(Playtoday.co & Statista)

Video games have grown so much recently that the music and movie industries earn less than video games companies. It’s not just about the money uniting people; deo games help unite people thanks to mobile phones and the lower entry price for some consoles. This number of gamers is expected to hit 3.32 billion by 2024.

2. The average age of a video game player is 35.

(GameSparks & Playtoday.co) 

Another stereotype-defying fact is that the majority of gamers aren’t kids. The average age of gamers has been shifting upward in recent years as more people who grew up playing video games became game-loving adults. All the Nintendo and Sega kids are now in their 30s and 40s; the crowd witnessing the rise of arcades is still gaming today, too.

3. Asia is the biggest gaming market, with 1.6 billion players.

(Headphones Addict)

It should be no surprise that Asian countries have the most gamers globally. After all, as does most of the world’s population, many gaming companies hail from this continent. However, the percentage of gamers is smaller than in Europe, where practically half the population between the ages of six and 60 play games. 

4. Over 742 million people in China play video games.

(Bankmycell)

China is undoubtedly the biggest market in the world regarding video games, doubling in size between 2020 and 2022. Online gaming is massive in this country, with over 742 million people playing online or engaging in multiplayer gaming.

5. Globally, the male-to-female gamer ratio is close to 50:50.

(Concrete-Online)

Just like how gamer demographics testify to the datedness of the idea that games are just for kids, they do the same thing for gender norms. There are nearly as many female gamers as males in the world. The exact ratio differs between countries: Some locations, like France, have more female gamers, while in Canada, it’s almost a perfect split.

Statistics and Demographics for Gamers in the US

Two-thirds of Americans are heavily involved in gaming, with the majority in their 20s and 30s. There is more to the gaming world than meets the eye. Take a look!

6. More than 214 million Americans play video games.

(Entertainment Software Association)

Gaming has always been prominent in the US and has remained one of the nation’s favorite pastimes. Of 214.4 million gamers, 51.1 million are children, while 163.3 million are adults.

7. People aged 18 to 34 comprise 38% of the US gaming population.

(Statista)

Most gamers in the United States are adults, and only 21% are under 18. People between 18 and 34 make up the majority of the adult crowd. Still, senior gamers are a significant demographic, too: 15% of American gamers are older than 55.

8. 48% of American gamers are female.

(Statista, Entertainment Software Association)

Just like the gamers’ demographic characteristics have shifted over the years regarding average age, gaming has also moved away from being a  predominantly male hobby. Nowadays, there are nearly as many female gamers as male gamers, although it’s still not a 50:50 split. 

The ratio came closest to that (52% men and 48% women). Still, after a subset of male gamers launched the year-long Gamergate harassment campaign against women in gaming, the percentage of women in gaming dropped. They were discouraged by the hate prominent women gamers were receiving, and this imbalance has only recently begun remedying itself.

9. Nearly 10% of the American gaming population plays video games for 20 or more hours per week.

(Statista)

In a 2021 survey, 9.8% of American gamers said they tend to game for 20 or more hours per week. Conversely, only 7.6% of surveyed gamers said they devote less than an hour per week to video games.

10.  71% of American gamers are white.

(Exploding Topics)

The gaming demographics in  America are dominated by whites, with 71% of the total gaming population, while the second largest group is Hispanic, with 10%, 8% African Americans, and 7% Asians.

11. 76% of gamers in the US are over 18.

(Entertainment Software Association)

Gaming demographics show that the largest group of gamers are adults. In the U.S., only about 24% of gamers are under 18, while people between 18 to 34 are the highest group, with 38%. The minor group is gamers over 65, accounting for 6% of the gaming population.

12. There is at least one gamer in 75% of American households.

(Entertainment Software Association)

As we can see, video games are a trendy hobby in the US. The statistics on gamers reveal that in three out of four families in the country, you’ll find a person who plays video games, be it on their smartphone, console, or PC.

13. 46 million US residents who play video games have some sort of disability.

(Entertainment Software Association)

Accessibility in video games has become a big talking point in recent years. Developers and publishers are more actively trying to accommodate people with various disabilities by including different game settings – text-to-speech, color filters, simplified and alternate inputs, bigger fonts, and sometimes special controllers. After all, gaming is meant for everyone, and this extensive video game demographic should enjoy the latest titles.

14. In the US, 55% of parents play video games with their children.

(Entertainment Software Association)

The image of video games among American parents is also changing for the better because the generation who grew up playing them has now become parents themselves. For example, 73% of surveyed parents believe video games are educational, while 66% found great entertainment in family game time. Everything is set for a new generation of avid gamers to grow up.

European Gamers Demographic 2023

Europe is another highly involved gaming continent, and these statistics affirm to it.

15. Every other European plays video games.

(Interactive Software Federation of Europe)

Video games are a part of pop culture in Europe. A recent study by the Interactive Software Federation of Europe showed that 50% of people ages 6 to 64 play video games – on a PC, console, or smartphone.

16. The average gamer in Europe is 31.3 years old.

(Interactive Software Federation of Europe)

As we’ve discussed earlier, the idea that gaming is only for kids is a long-busted myth. Many people grew up as gamers, and an increasing number of games target a more mature crowd, so it is no surprise that the expected gamer age is above 30.

17. In Europe, 23% of gamers are over 45.

(Interactive Software Federation of Europe)

That’s the biggest age group among European gamers. Let’s see how the demographic of video gamers is split among other age groups:

• 6-10 years old – 9%
• 11-14 years old – 9%
• 15-24 years old – 22%
• 25-34 years old – 20%
• 35-44 years old – 16%
• 45-64 years old – 23%

18. 47.8% of European video gamers are women.

(Headphones Addict)

The number of female video game players is growing across Europe – in research conducted in 2019, female gamers accounted for 45% of the European gaming population. This figure has increased from 45% to 47.8% in 2022. Women dominate mobile gaming, accounting for 53% of smartphone and tablet video game players.

19. Europe’s average gamers spend 9.5 hours a week playing video games.

(Interactive Software Federation of Europe)

Europeans still spend most of their free time watching TV – 23.5 hours a week – followed by spending 14 hours on social media platforms. Video games come in third place as the most popular screen-based activity, although with less than 10 hours a week. The average time European gamers spend playing video games hasn’t passed the 10-hour mark in the past five years.

20. 76% of surveyed European gamers play for at least an hour a week.

(Interactive Software Federation of Europe)

Most gamers in Europe spend some time gaming every week. Only 8% of people said they play video games as infrequently as once a year.

Statistics on Gamer Demographics by Platform

PC games, video console games, and mobile games are the various aspects of games available to consumers. These statistics show their level of consumers’ preference and usage as of 2023.

21. 25% of UK gamers are PC gamers.

(Statista)

PC gaming is still alive; in the UK, 10.4 million people play video games on desktops or laptops. This gaming segment is likely to grow further, provided GPU prices drop, but luckily there are optimization tools to get us through. Despite the current issues with purchasing PC components, the number of people playing video games on their PCs is growing. Analysts predict that PC gamers worldwide will surpass 1.8 billion by 2023.

22. 56% of Millennials who play video games are PC gamers.

(Statista)

In three age groups – Generation Z, Millennials, and Generation X – over 50% of gamers play games on their PCs. The demographics of PC gamers were especially interesting for the younger crowd, from 10 to 22 years of age, as this goes against the belief that they mostly play games on their phones. 

23. In the UK, 26% of gaming adults play console video games.

(Statista)

Despite the huge sales of sports and racing games – typical console titles – generated in the UK, most people in this country don’t play on consoles. Instead, 39% of players prefer playing video games on their smartphones.

24. 79% of people under 22 years of age play mobile games.

(Statista)

The mobile gaming demographic is drastically different from other gamers. Mobile games predominantly target a younger crowd, and their smartphones are their entryway into gaming, so the popularity of mobile games among Generation Z is to be expected. Still, that doesn’t mean older gamers don’t engage with mobile games. 72% of Millennials said they actively play mobile games, while 68% of Generation X gamers play games on their smartphones.

25. 2.6 billion people play mobile games.

(Newzoo & Statista)

Of all gaming platforms, mobile takes the cake as the biggest one. As we’ve seen with the demographics of mobile gamers, pretty much everyone plays games on their phones, especially in recent years, as mobile games have become more and more advanced. After all, everyone already owns a smartphone, so starting up a game is a simple matter. According to analysts at Newzoo, mobile games generated over $77 billion in revenue during the first year of the pandemic.

26. 41% of PlayStation gamers are women.

(Playtoday.co & SONY)

Sony’s entertainment giant revealed that the console gaming demographic has drastically changed since the PlayStation 1 era. During the first generation of PlayStation, only 18% of PS1 gamers were women. Two decades later, a significantly bigger female audience plays on their PS4 and PS5 consoles. Old-school gamers have also stuck with the brand, as this crowd still regularly enjoys PlayStation games.

Esports Demographics and Statistics

The Esports market is another growing gaming market in the world, and reading up on these statistics will shed more light on its level of participation and growth.

27. The Esports Market is projected to grow from $1.44 billion in 2022 to $5.48 billion by 2030.

(Dept, Globe Newswire)

The esports market is worth $ 1.22 billion in 2021 and is projected to grow from $1.44 billion in 2022 to $5.48 billion by 2030, exhibiting a CAGR of 21% during this forecast period. 

The rapidly growing esports market is recording progressively higher revenue each year. Events like Dota 2 International, League of Legends Worlds, and various battle royale games bringing in millions of viewers meant tens of millions of dollars in prizes for competitors and revenue for the organizers. At this rate, experts predict esports will surpass UEFA Champions League in earnings.

28. The U.S. has the highest number of esports players, with 23,626 players.

(Esportsbets)

Thanks to an incredibly supportive industry and community and its highly competitive nature, the US has the highest number of esports players. Coming second is China has 6,706 esports players, and South Korea has 5,013.

29. The demographic of gamers following esports is between 18 and 34.

(Dept)

The average esports fan is a young adult – either a young Millennial or an older member of Generation Z. These fans have jobs and are more than eager to support their favorite teams and events by purchasing merchandise and crowdfunding tournament prizes.

30. Men account for 70% of the esports audience.

(Dept)

Despite the split between male and female video game players being close to 50:50, the esports audience is still predominantly male. The trend of watching esports being a “boys’ world” is slowly changing, as in 2016, more than 80% of the esports audience was male.

31. The global esports audience is expected to grow to 577 million people by 2024.

(Statista)

The esports boom is far from peaking if predicted video game demographic statistics are anything to go by. In 2021, 474 million people around the world watched esports. Compared to just one year before, that was a 10% increase. Considering how many young gamers are becoming interested in esports – either as competitors or fans – it’s natural that the market will grow for years.

32. The Asia Pacific region has the biggest share of esports viewers.

(Statista)

Esports has always been big in Asia. From the first Starcraft tournaments in 1999 to the massive popularity of League of Legends, PUBG, and mobile games, Asians have been devoted fans of everything related to competitive video gaming. The very first TV station dedicated to esports broadcasts was in South Korea. This is still the biggest esports crowd, and it’s set to become even more significant.

33. Analysts predict 15.5% of internet users in the US will watch esports by 2023.

(Statista)

The Age of the Gamer replaces the Age of the Jock in the US. This country is one of the fastest-growing markets for esports, hosting significant events like Overwatch League and teams building esports arenas nationwide. Even though US esports is still a far cry from these games’ biggest market – the Asia Pacific region – analysts predict they will become the next big thing in the US very soon.

Final Words

The gaming world is another world on its own. It may be a surprise if you’ve never read about the gender and age gaps in the video game industry. Not only do older people enjoy playing video games, but so do women.

As new trends emerge in the gaming industry, there will undoubtedly be a game for people of all ages and groups.