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60+ Online Gaming Statistics (Global Facts & Trends)

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Online gaming has taken the world by storm, with the exploding number of gamers, climbing gaming revenues, and increasing gaming platforms.

To help you better understand how the dynamic gaming market is evolving, here is a breakdown of online gaming statistics, facts, and trends.

Top 9 Statistics for Online Gaming (Editor’s Pick)

  • Mobile gaming generated $41.7 billion in the US.
  • 70% of American gamers play games on smartphones.
  • 1.8 billion people play games on PCs.
  • Asia contributes 33% of all PC gamers.
  • PS2 is the best-selling video game console in the world.
  • Players hit over 4.6 billion hours of gameplay within the first year of PS5’s release.
  • The global console gaming market generated $107.5 million in revenue.
  • The average retirement age for eSport players is 26 years.
  • China was the first country to open video game addiction clinics in July 2005.

Infographic

Top 9 Statistics for Online Gaming (Editor’s Pick)
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Online Gaming Demographic Statistics

Online Gaming Industry Statistics By Gender

1. 48% of American video gamers are female.

In 2022, American female gamers rose to 48%, up from 45% in 2021.

2. 91.1% of males under 24 in 2021 played video games.

That was compared to 86.4% of females in this age bracket. In the 25-34 age group, 88.7% of gamers were male, while 86% were female. Additionally, 86.8% of males in the 35-44 age bracket played games compared to 82.6% of females.

3. The gender gap in the gaming demographic is small.

As of 2022, 52% of global gamers identified as male, while 48% as female. The gender gap is decreasing as more ladies join the online gaming world.

4. 94% of female gamers play video games on mobile.

That was compared to 91% of men, according to a 2021 video game report. In the console category, 69% of men play games on consoles compared to 59% of women. On PCs, 81% of men play games, compared to 75% of women.

How many gamers on different platforms

5. Women prefer puzzle games to other genres.

In 2021, 33% of women found puzzle games appealing compared to 20% of men. Additionally, more women (15%) than men (12%) preferred harvesting/collecting games. But in open-world settings games, men (28%) were likelier to engage than women (20%).

Video Game Industry Statistics by Country

6. 97% of US gamers in 2022 said video games were beneficial.

89% of US gamers concluded that video games helped build skills.

7. In 2022, 65% of American adults played video games.

In contrast, 71% of those under 18 also played video games. The biggest motivation for playing games amongst Americans was relaxation.

8. 71% of white Americans play video games.

This is followed by Hispanics, Black Americans, and Asians/Pacific Islanders at 10%, 8%, and 6%, respectively as per a 2022 report.

9. The majority of American gamers are between 18-34 years.

According to a 2022 gaming report, 36% of American gamers are between 18-34, while those under 18 make up 24%. 35-44-year-old gamers make up 13%, while those above 65 constitute 6%.

10. 88% of US gamers played video games to improve cognitive skills in 2022.

Another 86% play online games to enhance creative skills, teamwork, and collaboration, while 63% play games to sharpen their communication skills. 6 in 10 gamers play online to improve their leadership skills.

11. Subway Surfer is the most popular Android app game in the US.

As of June 2022, Subway Surfer was the most popular Android game in the US, with an estimated 2.305 million daily users.

Clash of Clans and Candy Crush Saga took second and third places with 1.87 million and 1.435 million daily users, respectively. 8-Ball Pool and Temple Run 2 each have 1.3 million and 1.08 million daily users.

12. 7 out of 10 American gamers only watch in-game ads if they get perks.

74% of American gamers in 2021 would watch in-game ads if they provided some gaming perk or advantage. 82% of US gamers prefer to play free games with ads rather than pay for premium ad-free versions.

13. 215.5 million Americans played video games in 2022.

66%, or 215.5 million Americans, spent at least one hour on video games weekly in 2022. Of this number, 48% of players were female, while 52% were male.

14. 93% of American gamers in 2022 claim video games bring them joy.

91% claim that video games provide mental stimulation, 81% believe gaming inspires people, 73% claim games teach kids to win or lose honorably, and 89% believe gaming offers stress relief.

American Gamers

Online Gaming Statistics by Age

15. 8-12-year-olds spent at least 1 hour and 27 minutes gaming in 2021.

That was down from 1 hour and 28 minutes in 2019. Additionally, 13-18-year-olds will spend 1 hour and 46 minutes daily playing video games in 2021, up from 1 hour and 36 minutes in 2019.

16. 63% of US gamers above 65 years old play on smartphones.

In contrast, 2022 gaming data reveals that 57% prefer computer gaming. The most popular gaming genre for these seniors is puzzle games (82%), followed by skill & chance games (63%) and arcade games (37%).

17. 25% of Gen Z spent their leisure time gaming in 2021.

Furthermore, 81% of Gen Zs in 2021 consider themselves gamers, and 69% of these Gen Z gamers are most likely to spend money on video games and in-app purchases.

18. Shooter games are the most popular genre across all age groups.

60% of 16-24-year-olds and 57% of 25-34 years olds playing shooter games in 2022. 21% of 55-64-year-olds also played shooter games, more than other genres for this age group.

19. 81% of Generation Z played games in 2021.

And they spend about 7 hours and 20 minutes per week on gaming activities. Gen Z gamers are also more likely to spend money on video games, with at least 69% buying games in the last six months of 2021.

20. 8 in 10 UK kids between 12-15 years old play online games.

82% of kids between 12-15 years in the UK actively played online games in 2021. Popular games for these kids included Fortnite and Minecraft.

21. In 2021, 10.4% of gamers between 18-25 spent more than 20 hours per week on games.

That compares to 12.6% of gamers above 65 years. Additionally, 84% of gamers between 18-34 years spend 3+ hours weekly on games, compared to 75% of gamers between 35-44 years.

22. 71% of Gen Z watch and play video games.

In 2021, younger generations were more open to different gaming styles, with 71% of gamers between 19-24 years and 67% of millennials actively watching and playing video games.

Online Gaming Platform Statistics

Mobile Gaming Statistics

23. 70% of American gamers play games on smartphones.

In comparison, 52% and 43% of gamers prefer gaming consoles and PCs, respectively. The least popular gaming devices in the US in 2022 are VR devices, with only 7% of players using them.

American gamers by platforms

24. Mobile games account for 50% of global gaming revenue.

In 2022, mobile games will generate approximately $92.2 billion, or 50% of the $183.5 billion total global gaming market revenue. Mobile gaming revenue will grow and reach $172.10 billion by 2023 as mobile penetration improves worldwide.

25. Mobile gaming generated $41.7 billion in the US.

In 2022, mobile gaming in the US generated $41.7 billion, up from $27.7 billion in 2021. Thanks to digital innovations, the mobile gaming market is expected to generate $58.81 billion by 2027.

26. “Stumble Guys” is the leading gaming app by downloads.

As of September 2022, “Stumble Guys” had over 17.51 million downloads. In second place was “Stick War: Hero Tower Defense” with 15.07 million downloads, and in third place was “School Party Craft” with 11.19 million downloads.

27. PUBG Mobile was the highest-grossing mobile game in 2022.

Tencent produced two of the best-performing mobile games of 2021: PUBG Mobile, which grossed over $2.01 billion in revenue, and Honor of Kings, which grossed $1.65 billion. The good run of these two games continues in 2022, with PUBG reportedly generating 1.7 billion within the first eight months of 2022.

28. Mobile gaming will be worth $173.4 billion by 2026.

The mobile gaming market will grow from $131.2 billion in 2021 to $173.4 billion in 2026, with Asia contributing more than half of the total mobile revenue.

PC Gaming Statistics

29. 1.8 billion people play games on PCs.

Globally, over 1.798 billion people played video games on PCs in 2022, up from 1.744 billion in 2021. This number is expected to grow to 1.855 billion by 2024, thanks to digital storefronts like Steam that allow easy access to game titles.

30. Asia contributes 33% of all PC gamers.

There were approximately 687 million PC gamers in Asia as of 2021, accounting for more than a third of the 1.784 billion global PC gaming population. Europe came in second with approximately 468.4 million PC gamers.

31. The PC game market is worth $45.6 billion.

These 2022 numbers slightly increased from $44.6 billion in 2021 and are projected to grow to $46.7 billion by 2026.

32. The PC gaming hardware market will be worth $37 billion in 2022.

The PC gaming hardware market is also expected to reach $38 billion by 2024. Studies show that there will be a deep decline in 2022-2023 before the market recovers in 2023-2024.

33. Fortnite was the most popular PC game in 2022.

In 2022, Fortnite enjoyed 30 million active monthly users and over 16 million concurrent players. Minecraft came in second with 11 million concurrent players and 20 million monthly users. Roblox and League of Legends took up third and fourth place, respectively.

Console Gaming Statistics

34. 61% of US console users are male.

In 2022, only approximately 4 in 10 console gamers were female.

35. PS2 is the best-selling video game console in the world.

As of August 11, 2022, the Sony PlayStation 2 had gathered over 157.68 million lifetime sales, followed by Nintendo DS at 154.90 million and the Nintendo Game Boy at 118.69 million units.

36. The global console gaming market generated $107.5 million in revenue.

As of 2021, the global console gaming market’s revenue was $107.5 billion, expected to peak at $130 billion by 2026.

37. The console gaming market was worth $43 billion in 2022.

The market is expected to hit $56.9 billion by 2026.

38. Players hit over 4.6 billion hours of gameplay within the first year of PS5’s release.

As of 2021, gamers had raked in over 4.6 billion hours of gameplay on the PS5 since its release on November 12, 2020. The gameplay hours are expected to increase as more gamers switch to this next-gen console.

Online Gaming Financial Statistics

Online Gaming Revenue Statistics

39. Asia Pacific is the biggest gaming market

The Asia Pacific region is expected to generate $96.3 billion in gaming revenue by the end of 2022.

40. Mobile gaming will generate 71% of Google Play revenue by 2025.

This will slightly decrease from 2019, 2020, and 2021 when mobile gaming generated 85%, 83%, and 80% of the company’s revenue, respectively.

Google Play Revenue

41. The online gaming market generated $178.2 billion in 2021.

This increased to $196 billion in 2022, showing growth in the sector.

42. The UK video game market was worth £7.16 billion in 2021.

That was 2% increase from 2020 and 32% from 2019. The biggest gainer in the UK market were gaming consoles which improved by 30% to finish the year with £1.13 billion in sales.

Online Game Spending Statistics

43. Gamers spent $65.1 billion on in-game purchases in 2022.

This represents a significant increase from $54 billion in 2020. The total in-game spending is expected to rise in the coming years and hit $74.45 billion by 2025.

44. Gamers spend $76 monthly.

As of June 8, 2022, the average gamer spent $76 per month or $58,000 throughout their lifetime on gaming-related activities. At approximately $20 per week, gaming is a relatively cheap hobby.

45. US gamers spent $60.4 billion in 2021.

These numbers are 8% more than 2020 and 14% more than 2019. In addition, spending on gaming accessories increased by 2% in 2021, reaching $2.7 billion.

eSports Gaming Statistics

46. The average retirement age for eSport players is 26 years.

According to 2021 data, most active eSports players are 22 years old or younger.

47. The eSport market will be worth $138 billion in 2022.

It was also projected to reach $1.87 billion by 2025 and approximately $5.48 billion in 2029.

48. China is the largest eSports market in the world.

As of 2021, Asia and North America were the largest eSports markets in the world. China was the top eSports country, generating over $360 million in revenue, followed by the US and western Europe at $243 million and $205.8 million, respectively.

China is the largest esports market

49. The global eSports market will grow by 21.9% CAGR.

The global eSports market value will grow to $5.74 billion by 2030 at a 21.9% CAGR, with the North American eSports market value rising to $1.1 billion in that period.

50. Johan Sundstein was the highest-earning eSports player of 2022.

The highest-earning eSports player of 2022 was Johan (NOtail) Sundstein, who made $7.18 million. In second place was JerAx (Jesse Vainnika) with $6.49 million and ana (Anathan Pham) with $6.02 million earnings.

51. Sponsorship was the highest eSports revenue earner in 2022.

In 2022, eSports sponsorship generated $837.3 million in revenue. Media rights and publisher fees generated $207.8 million and $130.7 million in that period.

Furthermore, merchandise and tickets generated slightly above $100 million, while digital and streaming generated $53.9 million and $46.3 million, respectively.

52. Over 530 million people watched eSports in 2022.

Approximately 532.1 million people watched eSports in 2022, expected to rise to over 640 million by 2025. This is a significant increase from the 435.7 million eSports viewers in 2020.

53. Free Fire World Series is the world's largest eSports event by viewership.

The Free Fire World Series, held in Singapore in 2021, had a peak audience of 5.41 million viewers. The League of Legends 2022 World Championship is second with 5.15 million viewers, while the League of Legends 2021 is third with 4.02 million viewers.

54. The International 10 is the highest eSports event by prize pool.

Dota 2 International 10 tournament between October 10 and 17, 2021, had a massive $40 million prize pool. In contrast, the 2019 Fortnite World Cup finals offered a $30.4 million prize pool, while the Honor of Kings 2021 world finals provided $7.7 million.

Video Gaming Addiction Statistics

55. Global gaming disorder stands at 3.05%.

Approximately 60 million people were addicted to video games in 2022, while 0.3% to 1% of gamers displayed signs related to gaming disorders.

56. 70% of American video game addicts are Caucasian.

As of 2021, the largest ethnicity affected by video game addiction in the US were Caucasians at 69%, followed by Asians at 13%, and the other races made up the remaining 18%.

57. Over 9 out of 10 gaming addicts are male.

In 2022, 94% of all gaming addicts were male. This is mainly because gaming cues elicit a higher craving among male gamers than female gamers.

58. Iran leads in video game addiction.

As of 2021, 22.8% of Iranian gamers were addicted to video games – the highest in the world. The UK, US, Germany, and Canada report that 0.3% to 1% of their total gaming population is addicted to video games.

59. China was the first country to open video game addiction clinics in July 2005.

These clinics use psychotherapy and electric shocks to treat patients. The UK also opened a similar clinic in 2019 to help deal with the growing number of video game addicts.

60. WHO declares video game addiction as a mental disorder.

The World Health Organization officially declared video gaming addiction as a mental health disorder in May 2019. WHO describes gaming disorder as having impaired control over gaming.

Keep Playing, Responsibly

Our statistics show that online gaming has unbeatable opportunities and excellent growth potential. But before plunging into the video game world, it is crucial to adequately prepare for the challenges in this industry, which include addiction and cyber security threats.

Please read our detailed guide on choosing a VPN for gaming to get battle-tested insights on protecting yourself in your online gaming career.

Interesting Reads:
References:
  1. 40 Online Gaming Statistics for 2022 [Infographic] (cyberwaters.com)
  2. 23 Online Gaming Statistics, Facts & Trends for 2023 (cloudwards.net)
  3. https://www.theesa.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/2022-Essential-Facts-About-the-Video-Game-Industry.pdf
  4. Online Gaming Statistics 2022 (uswitch.com)
  5. Online Gaming Statistics in 2022: Interactive Entertainment in the New Decade (internetadvisor.com)
  6. Gaming Statistics 2023 – TrueList
  7. 50+ Amazing Video Game Industry Statistics (2022) (explodingtopics.com)
  8. 40+ Compelling Gaming Statistics for 2022 | Bankless Times
  9. Online Gaming Statistics 2022 | WePC
  10. Video Game Addiction Statistics 2022 (gamequitters.com)
  11. Mobile Gaming Industry – Statistics & Facts | Statista
  12. 163 Mind-Blowing Mobile Gaming Statistics for 2023 | Udonis
  13. The Games Market in 2022: The Year in Numbers | Newzoo
  14. 23+ Mobile Gaming Statistics Every Gamer Must Know in 2023 (techjury.net)
  15. PC Gaming Statistics 2022 | WePC
  16. Google for Games 2022 PC & Console Insights Report
  17. 38+ eSports Statistics for 2023 (Trends, Facts & Insights) (demandsage.com)
  18. Gaming Addiction Statistics – Facts, Articles, & Research – TechAddiction
  19. Video Game Addiction Statistics 2022 (gamequitters.com)
  20. Video-Game Addiction – an overview | ScienceDirect Topics
  21. eSports Gaming Statistics 2022 | WePC
  22. 75 Significant eSports Statistics: 2023 Market, Viewership & Investment Growth – Financesonline.com
  23. Newzoo’s Generations Report: How Different Generations Engage with Games
  24. 50+ Gaming Statistics 2022 – Video Game Stat, Demographic, Revenue (enterpriseappstoday.com)
  25. How Many People Play Video Games in the World? (Dec 2022) (bankmycell.com)
  26. 21 Interesting PC Gamer Demographics You May Not Know (playtoday.co)
  27. 45+ Video Game Addiction Statistics (2023): How Many People are Addicted? (headphonesaddict.com)
  28. Video Game Addiction Statistics 2021: Is the World Addicted to Video Games? | Healthy Gamer
  29. 2023 Gaming Industry Statistics, Trends & Data (Biggest Study) (gamingscan.com)