2025 Essential Facts About the U.S. Video Game Industry

Essential Facts
About the U.S. Video Game Industry
2025

Foreword 5
Everybody Plays 7
Player Perceptions & Attitudes 10
Player Behaviors & Preferences 13
Games, Sports & Entertainment 19
Game Communities 21
Families & Video Games 27
Video Games & Accessibility 33
Spending Trends 37
Methodology 41
ESA Members 42
ESA & Our Partners 43
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CONTENTS

Video games have secured their position as one of America’s most beloved forms of entertainment. As you will see
in reviewing this report, 205.1 million Americans now play video games regularly. Today’s gamers reflect every
corner of society, encompassing every demographic. The defining question is no longer, “ Do you play video games?”
but “ Which video games do you play? ”
Video games, long perceived as child’s play or a hobby, are nearly universally loved across Generation Alpha
– perhaps unsurprisingly, 83% of kids ages 5-12 say they play video games. For me, the most eye-opening
statistics are found when looking at older generations. More than half of Generation X (ages 45-60) play video
games every week, while 49% of Boomers (ages 61-79) play games weekly. And more than one in three of the
Silent Generation (ages 80 and older) play video games every single week. We might start playing games
when we’re kids, but for many of us, they stay with us for our entire lives.
Video games also continue to bring families together and create meaningful entertainment experiences for
American households. 82% of parents who play video games play with their children, and more than
two-thirds agree that playing games offers more potential benefits for their children compared to social media.
This year, for the first time, we asked players about the way their video game play intersects with other forms of
entertainment. We learned that when it comes to sports, for example, 87% of players find that playing the video
game version of a sport improves their real-life performance. Young adults are using video games as a way to
discover new TV shows and movies – and even for learning about new musical artists. Given the rich storylines and
inspiring narratives of so many games, it’s no surprise that video game IP is inspiring multiple blockbuster movies
and critically-acclaimed TV shows, and that video game platforms are now serving as music venues for concerts
and new music releases.
For decades, our industry has pushed the boundary for what is possible in entertainment. It’s now pushing the
boundary for what is possible beyond entertainment. From inspiring movies, music, and TV, to transforming sports,
classrooms, and doctor’s offices, video games have the momentum to inspire the next wave of innovation in the
United States – all while continuing to bring fun and create memories in our homes.
Stanley Pierre-Louis
President & Chief Executive Officer
Entertainment Software Association
FOREWORD
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Video games are America’s favorite pastime.
EVERYBODY PLAYS
of the U.S. population
reports playing video
games 1+ hour a week
64%
Americans (ages 5-90)
who play video games:
205.1 million
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Players represent every demographic.
Percentage Who Play Video Games 1+ Hour Per Week – Generation by Gender
(Any platform)
MaleMaleMaleMaleMaleMale
Female FemaleFemaleFemaleFemaleFemale
Gen Alpha
(Ages 5-12)
Gen Z
(Ages 13-28)
Millennials
(Ages 29 – 4 4)
Gen X
(Ages 45-60)
Boomers
(A ges 61-79)
Silent
(Ages 80-90)
88%
85%
74%
57%46%
78%
70% 63%
48% 52%
36%
36%
Kids – and kids at heart – love to play video games.
On average, players
have been playing for
years
18
23% 28%
21%
28%
18-34
35-49
50+
Under 18
Ages of Players
Among total players ages 5-90 Average Age
36
Percentage of Americans Who Play Video Games 1+ Hour Per Week
(Any platform)
Kids
(A ges 5 -17 )
46.4 million
84%
Adults
(Ages 18-90)
158.6 million
60%
Gen Alpha
(Ages 5 -12)
27.4 million Gen Z
(Ages 13-28)
59.2 millionMillennials
(Ages 29 – 4 4)
47.9 million Gen X
(Ages 45-60)
35.4 millionBoomers
(A ges 61-79)
31.5 million Silent
(Ages 80-90)
3.7 million
83%
78%
68%
52%49%
36%
47%Female 52%Male
Player Gender
1% selected non-binary/ prefer not to say
Ethnicity of Adult Players
White /
Caucasian Hispanic
Black /
African
American Native
American / Alaskan Asian /
Pacific
Islander
75%
20% 15%
3% 3%
9%Ye s 89% No
2% did not wish to answer
LGBT Self-Identification
of Players
Ages 18+
*Question allows for more than one selection
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Bring people joy through play 90%87%84% 76%
Provide mental stimulation 86% 81%81%79%
Provide stress relief 87%84% 81%75%
Provide accessible experiences for people with different abilities 88% 82%77% 71%
Help improve cognitive skills 82%77%76% 76%
Bring different types of people together 86% 82% 75%64%
Introduce people to new friends and new relationships 87% 79%68% 56%
Are educational 80% 73%69% 61%
Are a great way to spend free time 86%74%64% 60%
Help improve creative skills 85% 76%63% 57%
Create a feeling of community 84% 77%64% 47% 66%
69%
70%
70%
71%
76%
77%
79%
81%
81%
84%
Gen ZMillennials Gen XBoomers/
Silent
U.S. Adults Agree That Video Games…
Percentage agree – Among total adults 18+ (players and non-players)
Problem-solving skills
Teamwork & collaboration skills Adaptability and resilience
Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, Math (STEAM) skils
Communication skills
Inclusive attitudes toward different groups of people
Conflict resolution skillsLeadership skills
60%
57%
53%
51%
49%
48%
78%
69%
U.S. Adults Agree That Video Games Can Teach…
Percentage agree – Among total adults 18+ (players and non-players)
Games are fun – and they also support mental,
social, and emotional health.
PLAYER PERCEPTIONS & ATTITUDES
The top two reasons that Americans play are
to relax and to have fun, while older generations
also play to keep their mind sharp.
Motivations for Playing Video Games
Among total players 18+
Gen Z
Millennials Gen X
Boomers/Silent
Male
Female 61% 63%
75%
67% 77%
70% Gen Z
Millennials Gen X
Boomers/Silent
Male
Female 69%
66%
61%
66%
51%
57% Gen Z
Millennials Gen X
Boomers/Silent
Male
Female 21% 22%
40%
29% 65%
43%
Pass the time or relax
68%
To have fun
62%
Use my brain/keep my mind sharp
35%
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With numerous options, countless game titles, and
multiple devices, there is a video game for everyone.
PLAYER BEHAVIORS & PREFERENCES
What Different Generations Are Playing
Top three genres played regularly by total players 8+
Gen Alpha
Arcade & Other
Puzzle
Action 67%
66%
62%
Gen Z
Shooter
Action
Arcade & Other 58%
56%
53%
Millennials
Puzzle
Action
Arcade & Other 60%
54%
50%
Gen X
Puzzle
Skill & Chance
Arcade & Other 71%
48%
37%
Boomers/Silent
Puzzle
Skill & Chance
Arcade & Other 73%
55%
20%
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Mobile
Console PC
Virtual Reality
45%
10%
82%
47 %
Video Game Platforms Played Among Individual Gamers
Among total players 8+
of U.S. households have played at least one video game device in the past 12 months
83%
Video Geme Platforms Played Among Total U.S. Households
Mobile
72%
PC
54%
Console
42%
Virtual
Reality
12%
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Video Game Platforms Played by Generation
Among total players 8+
85%80% 78%87%
81%
40% 51%
48%
35%43%
69%
65%
60%
29% 7%
14%13% 13%
7%2%
Mobile PCConsoleVirtual Reality
Gen Alpha Gen Z Millennials Gen X Boomers/Silent
Video Game Platforms Played by Gender
Among total players 8+
Mobile PCConsoleVirtual Reality
Male MaleMaleMale
Female FemaleFemaleFemale
77%86%
51%38% 55%
38% 12%8%
Platform Crossover
Among total players 8+
Mobile Console
PC
21%
14%
31% 15%
7%
3%
8%
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of players 18+ who play sports in real life play a video game version of the sport
56% 87%
believe playing a video game version of a sport improves real-life performance
Among players 18+ who play a video game
version of the sport
Discover a new song because of a video game I played 39%30% 13% 3%
Discover a TV show or movie to watch because of a
video game I like to play 28%24% 11%3%
Discover a video game because of a TV show or movie
I watched 28%23% 11%3%
17%
17%
22%
Gen ZMillennials Gen XBoomers/
Silent
Video Games Led Me To…
Among players 18+
Younger generations discover other forms of entertainment
through video games.
Taking video games to the real-life eld.
GAMES, SPORTS & ENTERTAINMENT
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of total players (ages 8-90) have played video games online
89%
(alone or with others)
of total players (ages 8-90) have ever played video games with others
72%
(online or offline) of all players
(ages 8-90) play
video games
with others
weekly
55%
Games are better together.
GAME COMMUNITIES
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Games bring family and friends together.
Friends
66%
Online-only Friends
40%
Siblings
32%
Other Family
28%
Spouses/SO
21%
Children
19%
Parents
16%
Who Players Are Playing With
Among 72% of players 8+ who play with others
When It Comes To Staying Connected, Players…
Among adult players 18+
49%
Say video games have helped
them stay connected to friends and family
78%
Agree that playing games can
introduce people to new friends
39%
Say they have met a good friend, spouse, or significant other through video games
49%
Say they have met people through video games they otherwise would not have met
of Gen Alpha and Gen Z
play with their friends 79%
of Gen Alpha plays
with their parents 55%
78% of all players believe video games can introduce
them to new friends and relationships. Gen Z feels it the
most strongly (89%), while the majority of Boomers and the Silent Generation (60%) agree.
Younger players use games as a way to meet new people
and build new relationships. Gen Z (70%) and Millennials (61%) have met people through video games they would not have otherwise met. These players (Gen Z at 63%
and Millennials at 49%) also say they met a good friend or significant other through video games.
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Players use in-game chat to improve their gameplay.
UsedMost
Preferred
Platform/in-game text chat 57%34%
Platform/in-game voice chat 52%37%
Discord (text or voice chat) 26%15%
Over audio/video service 22%11%
How Players Typically Communicate While Playing Online
Among 72% of online players 8+ who have ever communicated
during game play
of online players 8+ have used
communication tools like in-game text and voice chat to talk to other players
72% Top 5 Reasons
Players Communicate With Others Online
Among players 8+ who communicate online
Improve their gameplay
Get information about games they play
Be part of a community Learn new skills
Find new games to play
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Families who play together have fun together.
It’s fun for all of us
Good opportunity to socialize with my child(ren) Great way for family to spend time together My child asks me to
I enjoy playing as much as my child does
It helps me monitor what they are playing 61%
55%
55%
44%
35%
33%
Reasons Why Parents Play Video Games With Children
Among 82% who play with their children
Top Three Reasons
Parents Love Video
Games For Their Kids
Their kids enjoy them
Video games are a form of entertainment
They teach skills like problem solving and creative thinking
70%
of parents play video
games, compared to
60% of total U.S. adults
82%
play video games
with their kids
52%
play video games
with their kids at
least weekly
Of Parents Who Play…
FAMILIES & VIDEO GAMES
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With video games, parents are in control.
Among Parents Whose Children Play Games…
ESRB Ratings Assigned in 2024
NOTE: Includes ratings assigned for boxed (physical) video games and downloadable titles playable on consolesRatings numbers provided by the Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB)
49%
16%
23%
12%
Of 4,861 video game
ratings assigned in 2024,

88% were rated
E, E10+, or T
Source: ESRB
84%
are aware of
ESRB ratings
78%
regularly use
ESRB ratings
Source: ESRB
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of parents have ever purchased
in-game content for their children
54%
of parents who have purchased
in-game content for their children require approval for purchases
86%
of parents use parental controls to limit in-game spending
62%
Top 5 Types of In-Game Content Purchased by Parents for Their Children
4. Expansion packs 5. Additional maps/levels
1. In-game currency 3. Season pass/battle pass 2. Character skin or other customization items
of parents use at least one parental
control setting on their kids’ video game devices in the home
86%
I’d prefer my child(ren) spend time playing
video games rather than spend time on social media
I believe playing video games offers more potential
benefits for my child(ren), compared to social media 70%
67%
Parents Agree That Playing Video Games Offers More Potential Benefits Than Social Media
Percentage agree – Among all parents
Top 5 Parental Control Settings Used By Parents on Video Game Devices
Set Time Limits
Manage Spending on the Device
Block Games Based on Age Ratings
Get Reports About Children’s Game Play Activity Restrict Communication With Other Players
Source: ESRB
Source: ESRB
Parents are in control of the digital purse.
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PhysicalVisual
Cognitive Auditory
Other 43%
25%
20%
16%
17%
Challenges Faced While Playing Video Games
Among players 18+ with disabilities
Everyone should be able to experience the
power of play.
VIDEO GAMES & ACCESSIBILITY
of adult players report having a disability
21% Gen Z 10%
Millennials 19%
Gen X 33%
Boomers/Silent 26%
Generational Breakdown of Adult Players Who
Report Having a Disability
Of the 21% of adult players who report having a disability
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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. Visit accessiblegames.com to view the
tags and learn more.
Adjustable text size
Adjustable difficulty levels Camera comfortSubtitles
Speech-to-Text and Text-to-Speech in game chats Visual enhancementsControl sound type
Keyboard-only/mouse-only/buttons-only option 50%
39%
35%
35%
31%
30%
28%
26%
Most Important Types of Accessibility in Video Games
Among adult players with disabilities who rated overall accessibility to be extremely/very important
of players with disabilities
rated overall accessibility to be extremely/very important
49%
More than half
of players with
disabilities think video games are
very accessible.
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The business of games.
Video games have been an important driver of the U.S. economy for decades,
now outpacing consumer spending on movies, TV, and music combined.
SPENDING TRENDS
Total Consumer Spending on Video Games in 2024
Source: Circana
$59.3
billion
$51.3 billion on content
$4.9 billion on hardware
$3.2 billion on accessories
2002
0
10
20
30
40 50
60 70
20032004 20052006 20072008 2009 2010 20112012 2013 2014 20152016 20172018 20192020 20212022 2023 2024
$11.7
$11.2 $11.0$11.4
$13.3
$18.6
$21.6
$20.2$26.2
$25.4
$24.8$26.3
$28.4$30.2
$30.0$36.3
$42.7 $59.3
$ 5 7. 7$61.2
$ 5 7. 4$59.5
$59.3
U.S. Video Game Industry Sales, 2002-2024 (in billions)
Nintendo DS Release Nintendo Wii
Release
PS4
Release
Xbox 360 Release PS3
Release Nintendo Switch
Release
PS5 and Xbox X/S
Release
U.S. video
game sales
are up
32%
since 2019.
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Top Games in the United States in 2024
Console & PC Full Game – Top Grossing**Mobile – Top Grossing*
Rank Title RankTitle
1 Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 1MONOPOLY GO!
2 EA Sports College Football 25 2Royal Match
3 Helldivers II 3Roblox by Roblox Corporation
4 NBA 2K25 4Candy Crush Saga
5 Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero 5Last War: Survival
6 EA Sports Madden NFL 25 6Whiteout Survival
7 Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III 7Coin Master
8 EA Sports FC 25 8Township
9 Elden Ring 9Pokemon GO
10 EA Sports MVP Bundle 10Jackpot Party – Casino Slots
*Mobile title and spending data provided by Sensor Tower, Inc.
**Source: Circana
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METHODOLOGY
Data is weighted to be representative of the overall U.S. population
in terms of age, gender, ethnicity, education, census region, and
the distribution of players vs. non-players, as defined above. 18+
respondents were asked about all members of their household in
order to size players as young as 5 years old. Players aged 8-17 were
asked to complete the survey under the supervision of a parent.
YouGov conducted a 20-minute online survey in
the U.S. from February 11-25, 2025 among 5,000
total respondents recruited from their proprietary
online panel.
n=4,000 Gamers (including n=757 kids/teens, n=3,243
adults) who spend at least 1 hour/week playing video games
on a smartphone, tablet, PC, console, or VR headset
n=1,000 Non-Gamers (adults) who either don’t play video
games or spend less than 1 hour/week playing
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Amazon
Bandai Namco Entertainment
Capcom U.S.A.
Disney
Electronic Arts
Epic Games
Konami Digital Entertainment, Inc.
Microsoft Corporation
Netflix
Nexon America
Nintendo of America
Riot Games
Roblox
Sony Interactive Entertainment
Square Enix
Take-Two Interactive
Tencent America
Ubisoft
Warner Bros. Games
Wizards of the Coast ESA & OUR PARTNERS
Entertainment Software Association
theESA.com
Founded in 1994, the Entertainment Software Association (ESA)
has served as the voice and advocate for the U.S. video game
industry for more than 30 years. Its members are the innovators,
creators, publishers, and business leaders that are reimagining
entertainment and transforming how we interact, learn, connect,
and play. The ESA works to expand and protect the dynamic
marketplace for video games through innovative and engaging
initiatives that showcase the positive impact of video games
on people, culture, and the economy to secure a vibrant future
for the industry for decades to come. For more information,
visit the ESA’s website or follow the ESA on X @theESA or
Instagram @theesaofficial.
Entertainment Software Rating Board
ESRB.org
The Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) is the
non-profit, self-regulatory body for the video game industry
that assigns age and content ratings to video games and mobile
apps to help parents decide which are appropriate for their
family. ESRB also ensures companies responsibly market their
products, as well as protect their users’ privacy.
Circana
circana.com
Circana is a leading advisor on the complexity of consumer
behavior. Through superior technology, advanced analytics,
cross-industry data, and deep expertise, we provide clarity that
helps almost 7,000 of the world’s leading brands and retailers
take action and unlock business growth. We understand
more about the complete consumer, the complete store, and
the complete wallet so our clients can go beyond the data to
apply insights, ignite innovation, meet consumer demand, and
outpace the competition.
Yo u G o v
business.yougov.com
YouGov is a global research, data, and analytics group. Our
mission is to offer unparalleled insight into what the world
really thinks and does. With operations in the U.S., the
Americas, Europe, the Middle East, India, and Asia Pacific,
we have one of the world’s largest research networks.
Above all, YouGov is powered by reality. That stems from a
unique panel of 29+ million registered members across 55
countries, encapsulating some 18 million shopping trips and
millions of interconnected data points. Our unique approach
to recruiting and engaging with our panel, combined with
our state-of-the-art technology platforms, enables us to
deliver real-world, real-time insights that lead to better
decision-making and a competitive advantage for our clients.
As innovators and pioneers of online market research, we
have a strong reputation as a trusted source of accurate
data and insights. Testament to this, YouGov data is regularly
referenced by the global press, and we are consistently one of
the most quoted market research sources in the world.
Sensor Tower
sensortower.com
Sensor Tower is the leading source of mobile app, digital
advertising, retail media, and audience insights for the largest
brands and app publishers across the globe. With a mission
to measure the world’s digital economy, Sensor Tower’s
award-winning platform delivers unmatched visibility into the
mobile app and digital ecosystem, empowering organizations
to stay ahead of changing market dynamics and make
informed, strategic decisions. Founded in 2013, Sensor Tower’s
mobile app insights have helped marketers, app, and game
developers demystify the mobile app ecosystem with visibility
into usage, engagement, and paid acquisition strategies.
Today, Sensor Tower’s digital market insights platform has
expanded to include Audience, Retail Media, and Digital
Advertising Insights (formerly Pathmatics), helping brands
and advertisers understand their competitor’s advertising
strategies and audiences across web, social, and mobile.
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ESA MEMBERS

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