Annual ESA Study Reveals Video Games' Universal Appeal Across Generations

Half of the 205.1 million Americans playing video games are ages 35 and up

WASHINGTON, June 3, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The Entertainment Software Association (ESA) today released its annual Essential Facts About the U.S. Video Game Industry report. While video games remain wildly popular among Generation Alpha (ages 5 to 12), with 83% playing video games weekly, the 2025 report reveals that America's favorite pastime isn't just child's play. Sixty percent of adults (ages 18 and up) play video games every week and the average age of today's player is now 36 years old. Americans continue to play games as they age, with nearly half of boomers (ages 61 to 79) and 36% of the Silent Generation (ages 80-90) playing video games weekly. This year's report also explores preferences, behaviors and attitudes, with players of all ages saying video games are a great way to relax, have fun, keep their minds sharp and stay connected.

"Video games are a powerful cultural force due to their widespread appeal across every demographic as a fun and beneficial way to spend time," said ESA President and CEO Stanley Pierre-Louis. "With nearly two-thirds of Americans regularly playing, it's important to recognize that the nation's most beloved form of entertainment also provides mental stimulation, stress relief and meaningful social connection that extends well beyond the moment of play."

Highlights from the 2025 Essential Facts Report include:

Players represent every demographic.

• Nearly two-thirds of Americans ages 5 to 90 (205.1 million) regularly play video games.
• The average player is 36 years old and, on average, has been playing for 18 years.
• The split between men and women who play is about equal, with 47% women and 52% men. However, for older generations, women play more than men: 52% of boomer women play video games, compared to 46% of boomer men.

Older generations are playing video games, with mental stimulation seen as a primary benefit.

• More than half of Generation X play video games every week, with 49% of boomers and 36% of the Silent Generation also joining the fun.
• The top reasons boomers and the Silent Generation play are to keep their minds sharp (65%) and to pass the time or relax (77%). They prefer puzzle (73%) and skill and chance (55%) games.

Video games are fun and support mental, social and emotional health.

• U.S. adults (gamers and non-gamers) agree that video games bring people joy (84%), provide mental stimulation and stress relief (81%), provide accessible experiences (79%), help improve cognitive skills (77%), bring people together (76%) and are educational (70%).
• They also believe that video games can teach problem-solving (78%), teamwork and collaboration (69%), adaptability and resilience (60%), and STEAM (57%) and communication (53%) skills.

Video games bring families together.

• Parents are more likely to play video games – 70% of parents play video games, compared to 60% of all adults.
• 82% of parents who play video games play with their kids, with 52% playing with their kids at least weekly.
• The top three reasons parents play with their children are because it's fun for all of us (61%), a good opportunity to socialize with my child(ren) (55%) and a great way for the family to spend time together (55%).

Parents like being in control and prefer video games to social media for their kids.

• 78% of parents whose children play video games regularly use ESRB ratings (Source: Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB)).
• 86% use at least one parental control setting on their kids' devices to manage their play (Source: ESRB).
• 70% of all parents say they prefer that their children spend time playing video games than on social media.

Video games are a valuable way to build and maintain social connections.

• 55% of all players (ages 8 to 90) play video games with others weekly and 72% have ever played video games with others.
• 78% of all players believe video games can introduce them to new friends and relationships. Generation Z feels it the most strongly (89%), while the majority of boomers and the Silent Generation (60%) agree.
• Generation Z (70%) and millennials (61%) have met people through video games they would not otherwise have met. They also say they met a good friend or significant other through video games (63% Generation Z, 49% millennials).
• 79% of Generation Alpha and Generation Z play with their friends, and 55% of Generation Alpha plays with their parents.

Video games transcend entertainment categories and influence real-life sports performance.

• Younger generations are more likely to find other forms of entertainment through video games, with Generation Z and millennials reporting they discovered new songs (39% and 30% respectively) and new TV shows/movies (28% and 24% respectively) because of a game they played.
• 56% of adult players who play real-life sports play a video game version of the sport, with 87% of them believing it improves their real-life performance.

Video games are an accessible outlet for fun, entertainment and connection for players with disabilities.

• Roughly one-in-five adult players report having a disability (21%).
• More than half of players with disabilities think video games are very accessible (56%), and close to half (49%) rated overall accessibility of video games to be extremely/very important.
• Of those who rated accessibility of video games to be extremely/very important, they rated adjustable text size (50%), adjustable difficulty levels (39%), camera comfort (35%) and subtitles (35%) to be the most important features in games.

To access the full report and learn more, visit theesa.com/facts.

About the ESA
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.

About YouGov 
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 US, 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.

2025 Essential Facts About the U.S. Video Game Industry Methodology
YouGov and ESA conducted a 20-minute online survey in the U.S. from February 11-25 among 5,000 total respondents recruited from YouGov's proprietary online panel. 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 video gamers who spend at least 1 hour/week playing video games on a smartphone, tablet, PC, console, or VR headset versus non-gamers. Adult (18+) respondents were asked about all members of their household in order to size video gamers as young as 5 years old. Players ages 8 to 17 were asked to complete the survey under the supervision of a parent.

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SOURCE Entertainment Software Association