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Over three quarters of all consumers around the world play video games and the younger audiences (Gen Alpha and Gen Z) are engaged the most. Those are just some of the outcomes of the latest Global Gamer Study by Newzoo. The study surveys over 73,000 consumers across 36 markets every year to provide insight into gaming trends, player behaviors, and spending patterns.
So what are some of the findings? Across the world, 85% of consumers engage with games in some capacity: 80% are players, 64% are viewers, and 35% participate in other ways, such as joining online gaming communities or creating content. The most engaged demographics are Gen Alpha and Gen Z, with over 90% of these younger consumers involved in gaming activities. Specifically, 86% of Gen Z consumers have played games in the past 12 months.
PC and console gamers typically outspend mobile gamers. More than half of PC and console gamers spend between $5 and $25 per month on gaming, with a notable portion of them spending $25 or more monthly. Additionally, PC and console players are more inclined towards pay-to-play (P2P) games than mobile players. Over a quarter of console gamers primarily or exclusively engage with P2P games.
Next Big Thing
Despite a decline in playtime and a concentration of engagement and revenue among fewer titles and studios (66 games accounted for 80% of all playtime in 2023) , there remains a strong appetite for the next big thing in gaming. Nearly one-third of PC and console players actively seek out new, trending games, and over 80% of these players spend money on games monthly.
Game enthusiasts across all generations prefer playing games over any other form of engagement, with this trend being particularly strong among younger generations. Digital-native generations like Gen Z, Gen Alpha, and Millennials interact with games in more diverse ways compared to older enthusiasts. They are more likely to play games and, notably, to view gaming content. For these younger consumers, gaming is an integral part of their daily lives, and they are likely to maintain their gaming habits as they grow older, continuing to engage with games as they do now.
PC and console players are generally more dedicated than their mobile counterparts, both in terms of time and money spent on gaming. On average, they spend 30 more minutes per day playing games, although they dedicate fewer days per week to this activity. This pattern indicates that PC and console gaming sessions tend to be longer and more immersive, whereas mobile gaming is characterized by shorter, more frequent bursts of engagement.
Read more interesting insights in the free version of the Global Gamer Study by Newzoo.