The gaming world thrives, with record numbers playing and watching. Discover the key industry statistics, from revenue trends to player demographics. Delve into the dynamic realm of video games.
Key Takeaways:
- Video game market is worth $385 billion
- Esports industry is valued at over $1.4 billion
- Mobile gaming is responsible for 80% or more of gaming revenues
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General Video Game Statistics
1. 3.09 – 3.26 Billion Video Gamers
Video games are enjoyed by approximately 40% of the global population. This is a 7.54% increase compared to a year earlier.
2. $385 Billion Market Worth
The value of the industry varies pretty wildly depending on the source used. It ranges from $221 billion up to $385 billion. What is clear is that the industry is worth more than the movie and music industries.
3. 52% of Gamers Subscribe to a Gaming Service
Gaming services have grown in popularity alongside video games moving into the mainstream. Today, slightly over half (~1.6 billion) of gamers subscribe to at least one such service.
4. Video Games Are a Positive Influence
7 out of 10 parents of children under the age of 18 say that playing video games has a positive influence on their child. This is a complete change from just 10 years ago when video games were often branded as having a negative impact.
5. Tetris Is the Best-Selling Video Game of All Time
With over 520 million copies sold, Tetris is the most popular video game in history. It has sold 282 million more copies than the second most popular game of all time, Minecraft.
Video Game Demographic Statistics
6. Asia Has More Gamers than Any Other Region
There are approximately 1.5 billion video gamers in Asia, making it the region with the most gamers globally. In fact, the Asia region has more gamers than Europe, Latin America, and North America combined.
7. 1.39 Billion Female Gamers
Globally, female gamer numbers have climbed slowly, with current estimates and data suggesting there are almost 1.4 billion women and girls playing video games in some capacity today.
8. 1.7 Billion Male Gamers
Video games is still a male-dominated industry with around 55% of players identifying as male. This is likely because of a natural propensity for the genders to participate in and gain pleasure from different interests and activities.
9. 80% of Gamers Are 18 or Older
Video games are often portrayed in the media as something for kids. The truth is that only 20% of gamers are actually under the age of 18. Almost 2.5 billion of the 3.09 billion total players worldwide are adults.
10. Most Video Gamers Are Millennials
Millennials have grown up alongside the video game industry. They’ve seen video games evolve from Pac-man to GTA, from Sonic to Fortnite. So, it stands to reason that they make up the largest proportion of gamers by generation.
11. Average Gamer Is 34 – 36 Years Old
The average female gamer is slightly older than the average male gamer, at 36 years and 34 years old, respectively.
12. The Most Active Female Gamers Are Aged 18-34
Although the average age of a female gamer is 36, the most frequent female video game players are actually younger, falling into the 18-34 age bracket.
13. The Most Active Male Gamers Are Under 18.
Data shows that males seem to play video games more often when they are younger. The most active age group is the under-18s.
14. Men Are 300% More Likely to Buy Video Games
This is likely driven by a tendency for females to prefer free-to-play mobile games, while men tend to lean more toward console or PC gaming.
15. Men Are More Likely to Identify as a “Gamer”
15% of male gamers readily refer to themselves as “gamers” whereas only 6% of female gamers felt the same. One suggested reason for this is negative stereotypes associated with the term “gamers” worry women more than it does men.
16. Male Vs Female Playing Time
| Gaming Time | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| <1 Hours per Week | 9.8% | 9.7% |
| 1-2 Hours per Week | 14.5% | 14.0% |
| 2-4 Hours per Week | 15.4% | 16.6% |
| 4-7 Hours per Week | 16.1% | 16.4% |
| 7-12 Hours per Week | 19.0% | 18.5% |
| 12-20 Hours per Week | 13.4% | 13.9% |
| >20 Hours per Week | 11.9% | 10.9% |
On average, the amount of time that the genders spend on gaming is similar. Males seem slightly more likely to play games for longer.
17. Higher Education Lowers Likelihood of Game Purchase
When looking at the education levels of the people who buy games, the data shows that as a person becomes more educated, they become less likely to buy video games.
18. People Earning Over $90,000 a Year are Less Likely to Buy Games
If higher-educated individuals are less likely to buy video games, then it stands to reason that people earning higher wages also play games less. Just 9% of people earning over $90,000 a year buy video games.
Video Game Player Preferences & Habits
19. 66% of Video Gamers Play for Relaxation
For the majority of players, the primary reason they play is to relax and unwind.
20. 8.45 Hours a Week
While people often think of gamers as playing from their parents’ basements for hours at a time, the average is actually less than 1.5 hours per day.
21. Gaming Binges Last 5+ Hours
When gamers do binge on gaming, they typically spend an average of 5.1 hours per binge.
22. Half of Gamers Are Just Filling Time
Many people play games while they are waiting for something else to happen, during their commute to work, and even while they are on break. This is the second most popular reason given for why people play video games.
23. Casual Games Are the Most Popular
When asked what type of games they like to play, approximately two-thirds of people chose casual games as their favorite. These are games that you can pick up and play, typically for short periods of time.
24. 60% of Gamers Played Games Online More During the Pandemic
Video gamers felt less isolated than many non-gamers during the pandemic. This is because many gamers increased the amount of time they spent playing games online with friends and strangers.
25. 22% of Gamers Play Multiplayer Games up to 80% of the Time
Massive multiplayer online games (MMOs) give players the opportunity to participate in friendly and competitive environments with friends and strangers. 1 out of 5 gamers spends between 61% and 80% of the time engaged in MMO.
26. 41% of Playing Time Is Spent Gaming with Others
Multiplayer gaming continues growing and thriving, as 41% of total gaming time is dedicated to shared experiences with competitive and collaborative gameplay.
27. Frequent Gamers Spend More Time with Friends Online than in Person
The most frequent gamers often dedicate a great deal of time to multiplayer games, playing them at least once a week and for an average of 7 hours. This is typically around an hour more than they spend with friends playing in real life.
28. Most Gamers Play 2 – 5 Games a Month
Gamers like variety and as such typically play between 2 and 5 games per month.
29. 4.2 Hours a Day on Android Games
Players spend an average of 4.2 hours each day per person playing games on Android devices.
30. Two-Thirds of Parents Play Video Games with Their Kids
Not only are 67% of parents choosing to play video games with their children, but they are doing it at least once a week.
31. 42% of Frequent Gamers Play with Friends
When asked whether they play online games with friends, family, parents, or spouse, most people agreed that they play most of the time with their friends. Only 19% said they preferred to play with family, 16% preferred their spouse, and 17% chose their parents.
32. First-Person Shooters Are the Favorite Multiplayer Game Genre
First-person shooters (or FPSs) are some of the most widely played video games in the world. Roughly a third (35%) of gamers who enjoy playing multiplayer games prefer the FPS genre over all others.
33. Graphics Are Important to 66% of Gamers
When it comes to what games to spend their money on, two-thirds of gamers say that graphical quality is an important factor in the purchasing decision. This doesn’t apply to mobile games.
34. Price & Story Are Other Key Factors
| Purchase Factor | Percentage of Gamers That Think the Factor Is Important |
|---|---|
| Graphics | 66% |
| Price | 63% |
| Story | 61% |
| Previous Games in the Series | 51% |
| Online Gameplay | 50% |
Price was the second most-mentioned factor that influenced a gamer’s buying decisions with 63% of respondents. A good story was a primary concern for 61%.
Video Game Statistics by Country
U.S.
35. $106.82 Billion Market Value
The U.S. population is one of the largest in the world and is often the highest spending. This is likely why the U.S. is responsible for roughly 33% of the industry’s total market value.
36. 189 Million Players
Over half (55%) of the U.S. population are video game players. Most of them are digital gamers, meaning they play games that they download rather than purchasing a game disc.
37. Almost Even Gender Split
Female gamers make up 48% of the U.S. gaming community which is slightly more than the global figure.
38. Males Report Playing Games More Than Females
70% of U.S. males report that they play video games to some degree. By comparison, only 62% of U.S. females report the same. Considering the gender split in the U.S. is narrower than elsewhere, it would suggest that the genders define gaming differently or one group is misreporting.
39. 74% of Households Contain 1+ Gamers
If you were to visit 4 different households in the U.S. today, you would see video games being played by 1 to 2 people in 3 out of the 4 households.
40. Over 4,200 E-Sports Players
The U.S. has the largest number of active e-sports players in the world. It has so many that it’s comparable with the other top four nations combined.
41. 18 – 30 Is the Largest Age Demographic
In the States, video games are very much a younger person’s hobby. Over one-third (36%) of American gamers fall into the 18-34 age bracket and another 24% are not adults yet.
42. 6% of Americans over the Age of 65 Play Video Games
Video games have historically been viewed as a young person’s hobby and (as indicated by the previous statistic) this is generally true. However, some 6% of over 65s in the U.S. report playing video games today.
43. 8 Installed Games
The average gamer in the U.S. has 8 games installed on each gaming device they own.
44. Smartphone Is the Most Popular Gaming Device
Gamers can play video games on a range of different devices, but the smartphone is the most widely used. A little more than half of U.S. gamers say they use their smartphone for gaming.
45. Two-Thirds of U.S. Gamers Play at Least Once a Week
66% of people who play video games in the U.S. are referred to as frequent gamers. That is players who play once a week or more.
46. Average Gamer Spends 7.71 Hours a Week Gaming
The U.S. gamer spends slightly less time on gaming per week than the global average. However, the binge sessions last slightly longer at 5.9 hours per binge.
47. 77% of U.S. Parents Play Video Games with Their Children
Parents in the U.S. today are more likely than ever to play video games with their children. The main reason parents give for this behavior is that it allows them to spend time together and socialize.
48. 71% of U.S. Players are White
| Ethnicity | Video Game Players (%) |
|---|---|
| White | 71% |
| Hispanic | 10% |
| Black / African American | 8% |
| Asian / Pacific Islander | 7% |
| Other | 3% |
Survey data shows that U.S. video gamers mostly identify as white. The Hispanic population is the second most-represented group with 10%.
49. Majority of Gamers Play Between 8.4 & 19.8 Minutes a Day
The largest cohort of gamers is the 25 – 44 age bracket, but they only play an average of 10 – 20 minutes per day.
U.K.
50. 58% Penetration Rate
The U.K. enjoys the highest video game player penetration rate in the world at 58%. The U.K. shares this title with another video game-obsessed nation, Japan.
51. Highest Penetration Rate in the World by 2027
If recent trends remain as they currently are, 70% of the U.K. population is expected to play video games by 2027. This would make it first in the table of countries with the highest proportion of gamers.
52. 0.3% to 1% of U.K. Audience Have Been Diagnosed With Internet Gaming Disorder
Despite having the joint highest video game penetration rate in the world, the U.K. has one of the lowest rates of recorded IGD.
53. 7.17 Playtime Hours a Week
The time U.K. citizens spend on gaming in the U.K. is lower than the global average and is even lower than the U.S. average.
54. Market Revenue of $9.98 Billion
The U.K. has one of the strongest and most developed video game markets in the world. By the end of the year, revenues are expected to reach almost $10 billion, which makes the U.K. the 5th largest revenue contributor.
China
55. 742 Million Players
As best as we can gather from the data made available, China has more video gamers than the rest of the top 10 nations combined.
56. Chinese Gamers Spend the Most Time Gaming
Chinese citizens love video games, and despite government efforts to curb the amount of time that people spend playing games, Chinese gamers actually spend more time per week on gaming than anywhere else in the world.
57. $45.77 Billion in Revenue
By revenue generated, Chinese video game players contribute the largest amount of gaming revenues, spending almost a billion more than the second-placed country.
Australia
58. $4.08 Billion Market Revenue
Australian video game revenue is on track to reach ~$4.1 billion by the end of the current year.
Video Game Trend Statistics
59. 3.45 Billion Gamers by 2024
| Year | # of Gamers (in billions) | Change in Gamers (%) |
|---|---|---|
| 2017 | 2.39 | – |
| 2018 | 2.48 | 4.14% |
| 2019 | 2.62 | 5.45% |
| 2020 | 3.05 | 16.38% |
| 2021 | 3.21 | 5.08% |
| 2022 | 3.03 | -5.42% |
| 2023 | 3.26 | 7.54% |
| 2024 | 3.45 | 5.86% |
Other than during the COVID-19 pandemic when there was a large spike and then drop off of new players, growth in the number of people playing games has remained fairly consistent. If the pattern continues there will be 3.45 billion gamers globally.
60. Gamers Spend 10% More Time on Gaming Each Year
The amount of time that people spend playing their favorite video games is increasing. Each year, gamers dedicate around 10% more time to playing games.
E-Sports & Competitive Gaming Statistics
61. $1.44 Billion Market Value
As the video game industry has developed, so too has the competitive gaming scene. It’s evolved into a dynamic and fast-growing industry worth over $1 billion.
62. $5.48 Billion Value by 2029
The market value of the e-sports industry is expected to grow by 500% over the next 6 years.
63. $47.8 Million Prize Money
The video game DOTA 2 has the largest prize pool of any competitive e-sports title, with almost $50 million split between competitors.
64. 540 Million E-Sports Viewers
E-sports viewer numbers have climbed in lockstep with the rising number of people playing video games. By the end of 2025, that number is expected to increase to approximately 640 million.
65. Half of E-Sports Viewers are Casual Viewers
261 million of the total e-sports viewers are fans of e-sport as a whole. The rest of them are occasional viewers.
66. 6 out of 10 E-Sports Fans Are 16 – 35 Years Old
E-sports is enjoyed by a variety of people but is generally enjoyed most by younger people. 60% of e-sports fans are from either the Gen-Z or young Millennial age groups.
67. Average E-Sports Viewer Is 24 Years Younger than Average Sports Fan
At present, e-sports is a young person’s industry with an average fan age of 26. For comparison, the average fan of traditional sports is 50.
68. 2 Billion People
As of the most recent survey data, more than 2 billion people know of and understand the word “E-sports”.
69. E-Sports is a Young Person’s Game
The best-performing competitive video game players are aged between 20 and 24 years old. This is because eyesight and reaction times are better when you’re younger.
70. Team SoloMid Is the Most Valuable E-Sports Team
The e-sports team organization, TSM, has a group of players competing in the most popular multiplayer games today. TSM is currently valued at $540 million.
71. China is E-Sports’s Biggest Revenue Generator
E-sports is huge in Asia, and China in particular. The country is responsible for $360 million in the industry’s total revenue.
72. American E-Sports Revenue is $243 Million
America has the most e-sports players of any country in the world and places second on the list of countries with the highest e-sports revenues.
73. 94% of Revenue Is from Sponsorships
Recently collected data shows that sponsorships are responsible for all but 6% of e-sports’ total revenue. Current data shows that e-sports sponsorships are responsible for over $8.7 billion.
74. Gaming Hardware & Peripherals Industry Is Biggest Sponsor
The majority (80%) of sponsorship money in the e-sports industry is provided by companies that occupy the shared industry space. Other big sponsors are often energy drink manufacturers.
75. 25% of the Esports Industry Is Controlled by Activision Blizzard
Activision Blizzard is the maker of popular online titles like Call of Duty, Overwatch, and World of Warcraft and is estimated to be responsible for a little over a quarter of the entire e-sports industry.
76. E-Sports is Male Dominated in the U.S.
While both genders play video games, the world of American e-sports is dominated by males. 72% of e-sports players in the U.S. are male. 82% of females polled said they were “not a fan”.
77. COVID-19 Increased Interest in E-Sports
63.1% of American gamers in the under-17 age bracket reported that their interest in e-sports increased during the pandemic.
78. 72% of U.S. Aren’t Fans of E-Sports
Poll data taken from the U.S. population found that 3 out of 4 people said “they weren’t fans” of e-sports. 19% refer to themselves as “casual fans” and 9% are “avid fans.”
79. Asian Countries Are Most Engaged in E-Sports
| Country | Engagement Rate (%) |
|---|---|
| China | 47% |
| Indonesia | 40% |
| Thailand | 39% |
| Taiwan | 38% |
| Philippines | 36% |
| Vietnam | 30% |
| Malaysia | 29% |
| Hong Kong | 25% |
| India | 22% |
| Saudi Arabia | 21% |
| Egypt | 20% |
| U.A.E. | 19% |
| Singapore | 17% |
| Spain | 17% |
Asian countries dominate engagement rates. In fact, only one European country is featured on the list, and no country from the Americas is featured at all.
80. Most Watched E-Sports Event Had 5.41 Million Viewers
The Free Fire World Series e-sports event held in Singapore in 2021 holds the title of the e-sports event with the most viewers at any one time. League of Legends takes second and third place.
Mobile Gaming Statistics
81. 14.1 Billion Mobile Game Downloads
The great accessibility of mobile gaming has aided in the proliferation of the hobby worldwide. In just the first quarter of the year, mobile games were downloaded over 14 billion times.
82. Mobile Games Industry to be Worth $143 Billion by 2025
The number of people playing mobile video games has grown exponentially since the introduction of the first smartphone and is expected to continue growing. By the end of 2025, the industry is predicted to be worth an estimated $143 billion.
83. 1.93 Billion Mobile Video Game Players
A lot of the growth in video game player numbers has been fueled by an explosion in the popularity of mobile video games. An estimated 1.93 billion people play mobile games.
84. Up to $286.5 Billion in Mobile Gaming Revenue
Mobile gaming is responsible for the lion’s share of all gaming market revenues generated globally. Some 70% or more of the industry’s revenues are generated through mobile games.
Video Game Hardware Manufacturer Statistics
85. Consoles are the 3rd Most Popular Gaming Hardware
Consoles are 3rd place in the list of hardware that people prefer to game on. They come behind mobile phones and PCs.
Sony
86. More Developers Working on PS5 Games Than Xbox
Last console generation, Sony took the lead in the so-called “Console War” with the PS4 outselling the Xbox One console by a pretty large margin. The size of the PlayStation user base is one reason that more developers are working to develop games for PlayStation than Xbox.
87. 2,855,282 Consoles Sold Last Year
Last year, Sony’s PS5 sold 2.85 million consoles, which while impressive, is only enough to take 3rd place in console sales.
88. 38.5 Million Consoles Sold Since Launch
The PS5 is Sony’s fastest-selling console ever, reaching the 10 million units sold marker even quicker than the wildly popular PS2.
89. PlayStation 2 Is the Best-Selling Console Ever
With 158.7 million consoles sold, the PlayStation 2 is Sony and the world’s best-ever selling console. Nintendo devices take second and third place.
Nintendo
90. The Best-Selling Console of the Year
Nintendo’s Switch was the most popular console of the year with over 6.2 million of the devices sold. This is despite the console belonging to the previous generation.
91. 122 Million Switch Console Sold
The Nintendo Switch is technically part of the previous console generation, and yet it is still selling extremely well. This popularity has made it Nintendo’s second most successful release after the Nintendo DS.
92. Digital Game Sales of $2.4 Billion
Nintendo sales of digital games, add-on content, and Nintendo Switch Online amounted to $2.4 billion for the previous financial year.
93. Yearly Digital Game Revenue Projections Show 12.5% Improvement
Current analysis of Nintendo digital gaming revenues shows the division is expecting a $300,000,000 boost to revenues by the end of this fiscal year.
Microsoft
94. Xbox Series S is Holding Developers Back
Microsoft’s requirement that games that are released on its platform are playable on both the Series X and Series S is preventing some game developers from working on Xbox titles. The need to think about 2 consoles with different specs makes it difficult to develop games for Xbox.
95. 3,017,595 Million Console Sales in a Year
After a disastrous release last generation, Microsoft’s Xbox division has slowly righted itself. The console sold over 3 million units last year and was only kept off the top spot in the console wars by Nintendo.
96. Over 21 Million Total Units Sold
Xbox console sales are difficult to track as they are a collection of devices that all have different performance levels. However, collectively, the Xbox Series X and Series S have sold more than 21 million units to date.
97. $16.23 Billion Gaming Revenue
Last year, the Microsoft gaming division generated its best revenue numbers of the last 6 years, reaching $16.23 billion.
98. Slight Decline in Revenue Expected This Year
Analysts and experts are predicting revenues to fall under $15.5 billion. This is probably because current-generation console sales have leveled off since their launch a few years ago.
Video Game Service Statistics
99. Console Gamers are More Likely to Subscribe to a Gaming Service
When compared, more console gamers (77%) own a subscription to a gaming service than PC gamers (66%).
Xbox Network (Formerly Xbox Live)
100. 120 Million Xbox Network Users
Microsoft’s Xbox division introduced Xbox Live to consumers with the Xbox360 console release. The service was a hit with players and now has more than 120 million subscribers.
101. Over 25 Million Game Pass Subscribers
Xbox Game Pass is Microsoft’s gaming service, available on Xbox, PC, Mac, and mobile phones, giving users access to an evolving library of games at a fixed monthly price.
102. EA Play Integration Doubled Game Pass Ultimate Subscriptions
EA Play is the subscription arm of the video game developer Electronic Arts. Its inclusion with the higher-priced Xbox Game Pass Ultimate attracted many gamers to the service and doubled the number of subscribers in a single quarter.
103. Microsoft Buys Activision Blizzard
The purchase is still waiting for regulatory approval but is expected to be completed later this year. It is the tech giant’s largest acquisition of a game developer so far, paying $69 Billion.
PlayStation Network
104. 108 Million Active Users
PlayStation has gradually improved its gaming service and today regularly sees 108 million monthly active users.
105. 47.3 Million PlayStation Plus Subscribers
Sony responded to Xbox Live with its own gaming service, PlayStation Plus. To date, the service has attracted almost 50 million subscribers.
106. $1,304 Worth of Free Games
PlayStation Plus Essential is a premium tier of the PlayStation subscription service. If subscribers had redeemed all free games made available to them last year, they would have received over $1,000 worth of games.
107. 108 Million Active Users
The Sony console has more than 100 million subscribers that use the PlayStation Network services every month.
Steam
108. 50,000+ Steam Games
The Steam platform has grown to be the dominant gaming service provider in the PC gaming space and offers users access to more than 50,000 games.
109. 120 Million Monthly Users
The Steam gaming service is the most popular in the world with 120 million users accessing it every month.
110. 62 Million Daily Active Users
Steam is, without doubt, the top digital video game vendor, service, and platform in the PC gaming space in terms of daily active users (DAU).
111. 33,159,010 Concurrent Players
Every gaming service measures how many players are accessing the service at one time. Steam holds the record with over 33 million players logged onto the platform at the same time.
GOG
112. GOG Users Grew by 18%
GOG is a digital distribution platform for games and movies with a focus on preserving classic video games from yesteryear. In the last year, its user base has grown by close to a fifth.
113. Second Largest Games Catalog
The video game service added an additional 684 titles last year, bringing the total number of games available to players using the service to 7,700.
114. 53% of Users are European
Europeans are the majority of users of the platform and North American gamers make up 37%. Just 10% of users come from the rest of the world.
115. 90.7% Customer Satisfaction Rate
GOG’s users are extremely happy with the service’s performance with a satisfaction rate of ~90%. This is higher than the industry average of 83%.
Epic Games
116. 230 Million PC Subscribers
Epic Games gained 36 million more PC users throughout the year, taking total PC subscriptions to 230 million.
117. 723 Million Cross-Platform Accounts
Cross-platform accounts (accounts that are accessible on multiple devices) reached 723 million.
118. Pandemic Fueled Growth of 75%
The pandemic boosted user numbers of many digital services and the Epic Games gaming service was no different. The service experienced growth of 75% between 2019 and 2020, moving from 32 million monthly active users (MAU) subscribers to 56 million.
119. 34.3 Million Daily Active Users
The most recently available data shows that approximately half of the service’s active monthly users also access it daily.
120. 700 Million Free Games
In an effort to increase its user base and tempt gamers away from rival services (most notably Steam), the Epic Games service gives its users free games. Epic Games reports that almost 700 million games were given away last year.
121. $2,240 of Free Games for Every User
If users had claimed every single free game that Epic Games made available last year, they would have saved $2,240.
Twitch
122. Twitch Is the Biggest E-Sports Streamer
The Twitch live-streaming platform is an essential part of e-sports’ success in recent years. The platform is the largest in terms of subscriber numbers and is the de facto platform for watching video games and e-sports live.
123. Average Concurrent Viewer Numbers Declined 6%
Last year, Twitch’s annual average concurrent viewer numbers fell for the first time in 7 years. This was likely because the average was boosted during the pandemic when people were spending more time at home.
124. $2.8 Billion Twitch Revenue
Twitch revenues increased from $2.675 billion to $2.8 billion, which is an increase of ~4.7%.
Video Game Business Statistics
125. 83% of Video Game Sales Are Digital
Over the last 20 years, the internet has reshaped the way that we shop. The video game industry has seen one of the most significant changes away from brick-and-mortar stores. Today, more than 8 out of 10 video game sales occur digitally.
126. 85% of Gaming Revenue Is from the Free-to-Play Sector
Video game revenues used to be generated through arcade machines and then disc sales. Today, almost all of the industry’s revenue comes from games that cost nothing to own and play, but are filled with micro-transaction stores that encourage users to buy in-game items.
127. Free-to-Play Revenues Driven by Mobile
Although free-to-play games exist across all devices, the data shows that F2P games are most popular on mobile devices and as such generate up to 35x more revenue than F2P games on console and PC.
128. 63% of Developers Create Games for PC
With such a massive potential player base, it shouldn’t surprise anyone that almost two-thirds of video game developers choose to focus game development on PC.
129. Biggest Gaming Company Is Tencent
The Chinese technology company has stakes in or outright owns several video game developers responsible for some of the most popular video games in the world. Last year Tencent reported revenues of ~$76 billion.
130. AAA Games Cost $80 Million to Make
The biggest and best video games are called AAA games. They often take several years to turn from conception into a finished product. The average cost to develop a game like this is between $60 and $80 million.
131. Loot Boxes Earn Gaming Industry $20 Billion a Year
Despite gamers disliking loot boxes and the general public’s concerns that they expose children to gambling, they are too valuable to the industry to be stopped. Estimates suggest they generate $15 – $20 billion a year.
Video Game Industry Concerns & Challenges
132. Internet Gaming Disorder Affects Up to 10% of European & North American Gamers
Excessive video game use affects between 1% and 10% of these two regions’ video game players.
133. 8.4% of Children Have Issues with Video Game Addiction
Many parents believe that video games are bad for children and their development. The latest data suggests that this belief may not be entirely accurate since less than 9% of video game players under the age of 18 struggle with game addiction.
134. Women Are More Susceptible to Mobile Game Addiction
The data collected by mobile game developers seems to show that women are more likely to develop an addiction to mobile games than men.
135. Data Breaches Are Ongoing Concern
Hackers breaching the networks and databases of gaming service providers continue to be a concern and one that is unlikely to change. Sony just recently (October 2023) acknowledged another large-scale breach that occurred in May.
136. In-Game Gambling Still Being Looked at by Governments
In-game gambling, where players pay real money to buy “loot boxes” (or similarly named objects) that have an element of chance to “win” game items, is still being reviewed by governments and the impact it can have on gamers of all ages.
Fun Video Game Statistics & Facts
137. PUBG is the Most Played Multiplayer Game in the World
| Position | Game | Average Monthly Players (in millions) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | PUBG | 285 |
| 2 | Fortnite | 240 |
| 3 | Roblox | 210 |
| 4 | Minecraft | 180 |
| 5 | League of Legends | 152 |
| 6 | Apex Legends | 114 |
| 7 | Genshin Impact | 65 |
| 8 | Call of Duty Warzone 2 | 52 |
| 9 | Counter-Strike: GO | 35 |
| 10 | Valorant | 22 |
An average of 285 million people play PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds (better known as PUBG) every month, making it the most popular game being played today.
138. Harry Potter Game Is the Best-Selling Game of the Year (So Far)
Hogwarts Legacy is the best-selling video game of the year so far with more than 15 million copies sold.
139. Grand Theft Auto 5 Is the Fastest-Selling Video Game Ever
GTA V was released in 2013 and became the fastest-selling video game ever released. It amassed $85.7 million dollars in its first day. Within 3 days, sales surpassed $1 billion.
140. Pong Is NOT the First Video Game
Many people believe that Pong (a very basic game of digital table tennis created in 1972) was the first video game. The truth is that the first video game was actually made in 1958 and was named Tennis for Two.
141. Ralph Baer Is the “Father of Video Games”
Ralph Baer invented a multiplayer, multi-program game system that could be plugged into a television set in 1972. The home consoles we know today all came from his original idea.
142. Activision Was the First Third-Party Game Developer
Activision (you may know them as the makers of the Call of Duty franchise), started making video games for other manufacturers’ consoles in 1979.
143. Mario First Appeared in Donkey Kong
The Mario video games are a massive tentpole franchise for Nintendo today, but did you know that when Mario was first introduced to audiences, it wasn’t in his own game? He was first seen by players in Donkey Kong.
144. Worst Game Ever Created
The Steven Spielberg movie, E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, was supposed to get a video game tie-in on the Atari 2600 home console. The game was so bad that almost all copies were dumped in a landfill and it contributed to the demise of Atari.
145. The First Console War Began in 1989
The improved 16-bit graphics and release of the first Sonic the Hedgehog game made Sega’s second home console, the Genesis (also known as the Mega-Drive in other markets) launched a rivalry between Sega and Nintendo that lasted a decade or more.
146. Sega Created the First Video Game Ratings Board
The Entertain Software Ratings Board that gives video games their age rating today was inspired by the original ratings board created by Sega in 1993. Sega created this ratings board in response to concern about the blood and gore appearing in games.
147. 3D Games Started to Appear in 1995
This was the year when computer technology started to allow game developers to create 3D games. The Sega Saturn was first to market with 32-bits, Sony followed with its first PlayStation, and Nintendo a year later with a 64-bit console.
148. PlayStation 2 Introduces the DVD Drive
Released in 2000, the PlayStation 2 was the first console to use a DVD disc tray, which allowed gamers to watch movies through their console.
149. 2005 Was the Birth of Modern High-Definition Gaming
Microsoft’s Xbox 360, Sony’s PlayStation 3, and Nintendo’s Wii were all released within a year of each other and launched the era of HD gaming.
Frequently Asked Questions
How Many People Play Video Games?
There are up to 3.26 billion video game players worldwide.
What Is the Video Game Industry Worth?
The estimated value of the industry is in the region of $385 billion.
What Age Group Games the Most?
Gamers under the age of 18 spend the most time playing.
How Many Female Gamers Are There?
Roughly 45% of gamers globally are female.
What Is the Most Popular Video Game?
The best-selling video game ever is Tetris. The game with the most players actively playing today is PUBG.
Which Games Console Sold Best Last Year?
The Nintendo Switch was the best-selling console last year.
Which Countries Have the Largest Video Games Market?
China has the largest number of video game players and is the largest revenue contributor. However, the U.S. has the highest spend per capita rate.
Sources
Statista, Epic, Ipsos, TechCrunch, Xbox, History.com, MordorIntelligence.
