At a glance: The numbers that matter

28%
of players are age 50
or older
82%
of parents who play video games, play with their kids

Everybody plays — across every demographic

Percentage who play video games 1+ hour per week

Player gender percentage:
LGBTQ self-identification as players percentage:

Why we play: health, learning, and connection

Motivations for playing video games:

Among total players 18+

68%
Pass the time or relax
Gen Z
61%
Millennials 
63%
Gen X
75%
Boomers/Silent
77%
Male
67%
Female
70%
62%
To have fun
Gen Z
69%
Millennials 
66%
Gen X
61%
Boomers/Silent
51%
Male
66%
Female
57%
35%
Keep my mind sharp
Gen Z
21%
Millennials 
22%
Gen X
40%
Boomers/Silent
65%
Male
29%
Female
43%
81%
of U.S. adults believe video games provide stress relief
76%
of U.S. adults believe video games bring different types of people together
Agree that video games…

Among total U.S. adults 18+

Bring people joy through play
84%
Provide mental stimulation
81%
Provide stress relief
81%
Provide accessible experiences for people with different abilities
79%
Help improve cognitive skills
77%
Bring different types of people together
76%
Agree that video games can teach…

Among total U.S. adults 18+

Problem-solving skills
78%
Teamwork & collaboration skills
69%
Adaptability and resilience
60%
Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, Math (STEAM) skills
57%
Communication skills
53%
Inclusive attitudes towards different groups of people
51%

Games that connect us

79%
of Gen Alpha and Gen Z play with their friends 
55%
of Gen Alpha plays with their parents 
89%
of total players have played video games online 
(ages 8-90)
55%
of all players play video games with others weekly
(ages 8-90)
Agree that playing games
can introduce people to
new friends
78%
Say they have met
people through video
games they otherwise
would not have met
49%
Say video games have
helped them stay
connected to friends
and family
49%
Say they have met a
good friend, spouse,
or significant other
through video games
39%

Beyond play: games and real life

Among players 18+

Discover a new song because of
a video game I played
22%
Discover a TV show or movie to
watch because of a video game
I played
17%
Discover a video game because
of a TV show or movie I watched
17%
56%
of players 18+ who play sports in real life play a video game version of that same sport
87%
believe playing a video game version of a sport improves real-life performance 

Families & video games

78%
regularly use ESRB ratings 
84%
are aware of ESRB ratings 
Entertainment Software Rating Board assigned ratings in 2024

Access for all

Adult players who report
having a disability:
21%
Challenges faced while playing video games:

Among players 18+ with disabilities

In March 2025, the ESA launched the Accessible Games Initiative — a new tagging system to provide players with clear information about the accessibility features available in video games.

An industry powering entertainment

Total consumer spending on video games In 2024


$51.3 billion on content
$4.9 billion on hardware
$3.2 billion on accessories

Top grossing games in the United States in 2024:
  1. Call of Duty: Black Ops
  2. EA Sports College Football 25
  3. Helldivers II
  4. NBA 2K25
  5. Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero
  6. Madden NFL 25
  7. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III
  8. EA Sports FC 25
  9. Elden Ring
  10. EA Sports MVP Bundle
  1. MONOPOLY GO!
  2. Royal Match
  3. Roblox by Roblox Corporation
  4. Candy Crush Saga
  5. Last War: Survival
  6. Whiteout Survival
  7. Coin Master
  8. Township
  9. Pokemon GO
  10. Jackpot Party – Casino Slots