Oct 01, 2024 12:30:00

63% of Gen Z respondents said they prefer video games to movies

Games are becoming a transgenerational form of entertainment that can be enjoyed by people of all ages and genders, with

an 88-year-old gamer becoming popular for streaming live playthroughs. According to a 2024 survey released by the American industry group, the Entertainment Software Association (ESA), many young people born in the late 1990s and 2000s, especially those of Generation Z who were born and raised with games, prefer to play games rather than watch movies.

2024 Essential Facts About the US Video Game Industry - the ESA
https://www.theesa.com/resources/essential-facts-about-the-us-video-game-industry/2024-data/

Gaming is one of America's most beloved pastimes, with approximately 190 million gamers between the ages of 5 and 90. One in three Americans plays games for an hour a week.

In 2004, only 17% of gamers were over 50 years old; by 2024, 29% of gamers will be over 50 years old, and the average age has increased from 29 to 36 in just 20 years.

In terms of gender, 53% of gamers are male, 46% are female, 1% are non-binary, etc. Additionally, 11% identify as LGBT.

The top reason for playing games was 'killing time and relaxing' at 68%, followed by 'to have fun' at 67%, 'to use your brain and sharpen your mind' at 37%, 'to immerse yourself or escape' at 30%, 'to connect with family and friends' and 'to compete' both at 16%, 'a sense of accomplishment' at 14%, and 'to play with other people' at 9%.

Mobile phones were the top platform for playing games at 67%, followed by PCs at 53%, game consoles at 36% and VR at 12%.

The presence of the game industry in the entertainment industry is becoming larger. In a survey, 63% of players answered that 'games are the most cost-effective,' surpassing video streaming services (46%), music (44%), movies (31%), and books and magazines (30%).

The younger the generation, the more important games are, and when asked about the good points of games to gamers aged 18 and over, 63% of Gen Z answered 'I like games more than movies.' On the other hand, only 14% of

the Baby Boomer generation (born between 1946 and 1964) and the Silent Generation (older than them) preferred games to movies.

'Generation Alpha is poised to become the largest generation of players ever,' said Stanley Pierre-Louis, president and CEO of the ESA. 'As they come of age and become the next generation of game developers, engineers, artists and storytellers, games' extraordinary potential to entertain, inspire, educate, and connect us will undoubtedly continue to transform our lives.'

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