Nearly six out of every 10 Americans play video games, and 26% of video game players are over 50, according to 2010 findings from the Entertainment Software Rating Board. Although playing video games is often thought of as a pastime for a younger demographic, nearly half of all video game players are adults between ages 18 and 49. In fact, there are even slightly more video gamers over 50 than kids and teenagers – only 25% of gamers are under 18, the lowest percentage demographic. The average overall age of a video game player in the US is 34, and most players have been taking part in the activity for approximately 12 years.
More about video games:
- From 2010 to 2014, revenue from the video game industry increased by over 100%, from $10.5 billion US Dollars (USD) to $21 billion USD.
- 48% of video game players are female, and there are more adult women players (36%) than teenage boy gamers (17%), according to 2014 figures from the Entertainment Software Association.
- A study from East Carolina University found that playing video games decreased symptoms of depression by nearly 57%.