Statistics
Last updated
Last updated
Gaming has rapidly evolved from a niche pastime to a major force in the entertainment sector. Currently, the gaming industry is valued at approximately $282 billion, and this figure is expected to rise significantly in the coming years. Projections indicate that by 2027, the industry could reach a valuation exceeding $363 billion. In this analysis, we will explore the most recent statistics on the growing number of individuals identifying as gamers.
In 2024, there are approximately 3.32 billion gamers worldwide.
The US has over 3,000 esports players.
Asia is home to almost 1.5 billion gamers.
53% of males are gamers.
52% of gamers subscribe to at least one gaming service.
Recent data represents an increase of over 1 billion gamers in just the past eight years.
2015
2.03 billion
-
-
2016
2.17 billion
140 million
↑ 6.9%
2017
2.33 billion
160 million
↑ 7.37%
2018
2.49 billion
160 million
↑ 6.87%
2019
2.64 billion
150 million
↑ 6.02%
2020
2.81 billion
170 million
↑ 6.44%
2021
2.96 billion
150 million
↑ 5.34%
2022
3.09 billion
130 million
↑ 4.39%
2023
3.22 billion
130 million
↑ 4.21%
2024
3.32 billion
100 million
↑ 3.11%
Esport players play a pivotal role in the industry's current $282 billion valuation.
According to recent data, the United States boasts more than three times the number of active esports competitors compared to any other country.
This is likely due to the significant size of the US video games market, which is estimated at $106.82 billion.
In fact, the US has nearly as many active esports players (3,728) as the combined total of the second and third-ranking countries (3,471).
US
3,728
China
2,070
Brazil
1,401
South Korea
1,146
France
1,108
Germany
990
Australia
950
Japan
945
Russia
922
UK
872
Sources: VentureBeat, Juniper Research, IBISWorld, eSportsEarnings
Asia boasts over twice as many gamers as any other region, with a total of 1.48 billion. This figure surpasses the combined number of active gamers in Europe, Latin America, and North America, which totals 1.42 billion.
Asia
1.48 billion
Europe
715 million
Latin America
420 million
North America
285 million
MENA
168 million
Sub-Sahara African
144 million
Oceania
32 million
Japan and the UK currently share the highest video game user penetration rate at 58%.
By 2027, the UK is projected to lead with 70% of its population engaged in video gaming.
Here’s an overview of the top five countries with the highest gaming user penetration rates:
Japan
53%
58%
67%
UK
50%
58%
70%
Sweden
47%
51%
64%
South Korea
45%
57%
64%
France
43%
-
-
Mexico
-
53%
-
Nigeria
-
-
63%
Sources: DFC Intelligence, Statista
The majority of gamers in the US are male (55%).
In terms of sheer numbers, there are roughly 1.7 billion male gamers and 1.39 billion female gamers around the world.
2006
62%
38%
2007
62%
38%
2008
60%
40%
2009
60%
40%
2010
60%
40%
2011
58%
42%
2012
53%
47%
2013
55%
45%
2014
52%
48%
2015
56%
44%
2016
59%
41%
2017
59%
41%
2018
55%
45%
2019
54%
46%
2020
59%
41%
2021
55%
45%
2022
52%
48%
2023
53%
46%
Recent data reveals that 80% of gamers, or 2.47 billion individuals, are over 18 years old, while there are 618 million gamers under the age of 18. Here’s a closer look at the age distribution of gamers in the US:
Under 18s
20%
618 million
18-34 years
38%
1.17 billion
35-44 years
14%
433 million
45-54 years
12%
371 million
55-64 years
9%
278 million
65+ years
7%
216 million
US gaming statistics show that 52% of gamers subscribe to at least one gaming service, which represents approximately 1.61 billion gamers worldwide.
In the US, console gamers (74%) are more likely to subscribe to a gaming service compared to PC gamers (66%).
Extrapolating from this data, approximately 2.29 billion console gamers and 2.04 billion PC gamers are expected to subscribe to a gaming service.
Regarding subscription services, recent data indicates that there are about 100 million Xbox Live users globally, a significant increase from 39 million at the start of 2016.
Meanwhile, Sony’s PlayStation Plus has nearly 50 million subscribers (47.3 million) as of June 2022, more than doubling from 20.8 million in 2016.
Sources: Morning Consult, Microsoft, Sony
In the US, two-thirds of gamers (66%) cite relaxation as their primary reason for playing video games. This translates to approximately 2.04 billion people worldwide using video games as a means to unwind.
Unwind, relax, and decompress
66%
2.04 billion
Fill time while taking a break, waiting, or commuting
52%
1.61 billion
Escape and be highly entertained
51%
1.58 billion
Spend time by myself
48%
1.48 billion
Solve a problem, use my brain, and think logically
37%
1.14 billion
Be comforted by something familiar
32%
0.99 billion
In the US, casual games are the most popular, with 63% of gamers playing them regularly. Action and shooter games follow closely, each enjoyed by 39% of players.
Casual games
63%
1.95 billion
Action games
39%
1.21 billion
Shooter games
39%
1.21 billion
Racing games
37%
1.14 billion
Family games
33%
1.02 billion
Adventure games
31%
0.96 billion
Source: Ipsos
The number of active gamers continues to increase annually. Gaming has evolved into a multi-billion dollar market that appeals to virtually every type of gamer. The industry shows no signs of slowing down with blockchain technology being at the forefront of the next generation.
