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From Gen Z to older adults, America is home to millions of gamers. The Entertainment Software Association recently released its annual report titled Essential Facts About the U.S. Video Game Industry.
The data revealed that just about 67% of Americans play video games one or more hours every week. The total number in 2026 stands at 212.3 million gamers. In 2025, the number was approximately 205 million.
That's a 3% increase in one year. 2026 has seen the release of popular titles such as Nioh 3, Pokémon Pokopia, and Resident Evil Requiem. The year has been full of games that appeal to many age groups.
This reflects in the data as well. Over 70% millennials play games on any given platform, and more than 32% from the silent generation (aged over 80) enjoy video games.
However, the majority lies with Gen Alpha, 83% of whom are gamers, while 83% players belong to the Gen Z group. The data reflects players of any game on any platform, from PC to mobile.
Overall, the average age of the American gamer is approximately 37 years. These players reportedly spend an average of 21% of their screen time playing games.
Interestingly, parents are a key demographic when it comes to the gamer population. The report suggests that 81% parents have played games with their children at some point in time.
Therefore, video games have become a major part of the American household. In fact, 73% parents would rather have their children play games than spend time scrolling on social media.
Considering the large impact games have had on the population, the U.S. video game industry has grown multifold.
Gamers' Passion Fuels the U.S. Economy
As per the ESA report, consumer spending on video games has outpaced other forms of media, such as movies, TV, and music combined.
In 2025, spending on video games exceeded $60 billion. Gamers spent over $52.3 billion on in-game content. Nearly $5.4 bn and $2.95 bn were spent on hardware and accessories, respectively.
The number has doubled since 2015, and after 2017, the rise of the video game industry in the US has been meteoric. The years afterwards marked the launch of popular devices such as the Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S.
However, the device that holds most gamers is still the mobile. Between 74% and 84% of gamers use their mobile devices to play games.
Consoles are gamers' second most favorite, while the PC sits at number three.
Read more at Gaming Community by Max Level!
Written by
Prit Chauhan
Edited by
Souvik Roy