Entertainment Software Association survey: average gamer is 35 years old

Percentage of US Homes With Game Console Drops for First Time in Years -- Survey

This year's "Essential Facts" survey has arrived.

Last updated by Eddie Makuch on April 29, 2016

The Entertainment Software Association this week released its annual "Essential Facts" report for 2016. Among other things, it shows that console ownership in the United States is falling for the first time in years.

According to the survey of 4,000 American households, 48 percent of US homes reported owning a dedicated game console. As observed by Gamasutra, this is the first dropoff in years, as 51 percent of US households said they owned a gaming console in 2013, 2014, and 2015.

65 percent of households reported owning a device that can play games. This is down from 2015, when the survey said "four out of five" (80 percent) of homes own a device used to play games.

Additionally, 63 percent of households are home to at least one person who plays games "regularly," which is described as at least three hours per week. Among the households that reported playing games, there was average of 1.7 gamers per home.

Here are some other standout statistics from the report.

• Average gamer is 35 years old
• 59 percent of gamers are men, while 41 percent are women
• Women aged 18 or older accounted for a larger percentage of the game-playing population (31 percent) than boys 18 or younger (17 percent)
• The average number of years gamers have been playing video games is 13
• The average age of the most frequent game-buyer is 38
• Of the most frequent game-buyers, 60 percent are men and 40 percent are women
• 52 percent believe video games provide value for their money than DVDs (23 percent), music (14 percent) and going to the movies (10 percent)
• Most popular platforms for frequent gamers include PC (56 percent), console (53 percent), smartphone (36 percent), wireless device (31 percent), and dedicated handheld system (17 percent).

You can see more stats in the full report here [PDF link]. The Entertainment Software Association is the organization that organizes and runs E3 every year; it also represents the video game industry's interests in Washington.

------------------------------------------------------------

Interesting info. It's good to see an industry once considered "for kids" to be widely accepted. What are your thoughts, SW?

I'm 31, and I feel like this survey represents me. It also shows that the survey we had a while ago on SW was accurate. Your average gamer is in his 30s :P

@blue_hazy-basic

Despite this information Nintendo will still cater their game's tutorials for the intelligence of a 5 year old.

So anyone and everyone can learn how to play them.

That's strange. NeoGaf will lead you to believe that women are in the majority. The reason it isnt obvious though is because they are all in hiding.

Awful research.

My grandma is 81, and she is a PC gamer.

This is good, was worried I was a sad bastard hanging around 15 year olds.

Vindication.

I think that sounds right most gamers I run into are around 20-40 and i see some kids and some older ppl

most kids on tablets most older ppl only watch sports or tv

All the 5 year olds on NES are now 35 year olds :P

Makes sense. A lot of us grew up playing video games.

That really hasn't changed very much for years.

When was your last DBS check done?

I'm 24 and I only do mobile gaming>>>consoles and pc all they way buddy.

is this one of those surveys that takes mobile gaming into account such that heavily skews what is actually happening.

kids have to start gaming somewhere and Nintendo consoles are a good start for any budding wannabe gamer, besides even adults enjoy playing Mario Metroid, Zelda and smash bros.

I am 42 this year, going for the guiness book of record for oldest gamer, as long as i can still see and use my hands i will be gaming.

@GarGx1: I don't know what that is so I'll assume it's some sort of good-with-children award.

@uninspiredcup: Not exactly

https://www.gov.uk/disclosure-barring-service-check/overview

@GarGx1: tl;dr

Just too keep it SW worthy so it doesn't get taken town, I'll put in an obligatory - stupid spartphones LOL!!.

I'm rather surprised these days people still do so much local multiplayer, gamers who frequently play multiplayer spend 6.5 hours a week playing with others online versus 4.6 hours with others locally... I'd of figured that would have been more skewed more toward online play with online gaming being bigger than it ever was making local multiplayer less pressing.

@quadknight: Agreed. I still have one cousin that gives me crap for playing games at 43 but I don't feel ashamed. As I say to her, "what is so noble about hanging around and drinking?"

Right?

That shit used to come up all the time in my early 20s. All my friends would get shit faced at the bar every night, and hey, I'd be right there with them too. Whatever makes you happy right?

But there would always be that one loser trying to rag on someone else for enjoying video games as if fun is something you're supposed to grow out of. It's like wtf man? We spend so much money and time getting wrecked every night and it's all good, but god forgive me for also enjoying a hobby that isn't destroying my health and my wallet.

Im 97 years old

I'm 23 you old bastards lol.

30 + GAMERS ARE BORN LOSERS (LIKE ME FOR EXAMPLE :P)

Yeah that seems right. I have been gaming for 21 years, I'm 24 now. My uncle and mother showed me video games and they are now in their mid 50s.

I'm only 24 lol. I feel like I'm on the younger side on this forum?

You are quite mature inspite being only 24. I'm like 20 + in maturity inspite being 30 + :P

Yea I expected Char to be older given his posts.

I'm 38, get off my lawn. Average number of years people have been gaming is 13? I've been gaming for 30 years now, no end in sight.

Right on! I hate when people do that and then have unproductive hobbies like drinking and watching reality TV.

Gaming is fun, educational, and keeps me out of trouble. It's an awesome hobby to have.

How do they get this average most gamers are teenagers

The average would be higher if it wasn't for kids playing nintendo and smart phone games.

31 and below avg, quite unexpected

Well most of us grew up with video games. I started when I was 3 or 4 years old, 27 now.

Makes sense. When games started to be awesome in the NES-era or so, the children who played them should be about 30-35 years old now. I started with NES when I was 2 years old, and I'm 27 now.

38, gaming like crazy

It's weird when I think how I've grown up along side this medium. Was there since before the NES as a little shit and I'm here still as a big shit.

That's exactly my age....and i'm impressed!

well i m 33 grew up with with gaming since early 90's and i buy more games than ever before and still find time to game more than before even though i have less free time compared to my teens and 20's ( likely due to completely stray away from TV and movies )

Woo, I'm 8 years younger than the average gamer. I feel a smug sense of entitlement :P

All you young bucks piss me off....

Stay off mah lawn. :P

Interesting, I'm a soon to be 35 year old male.

Sounds about right as a whole if they include ANY game on any device. Take out phones, tablets, and facebook and these numbers would be MUCH different. For now though, I will feel as though I am still under the average age for gamers though :P

@delta3074: I'll be gaming for my whole life as long as they don't make it too weird to play a game. I'm not into the vr thing ,the Wii controller was only fun for its sports games I hated it for everything else. As long as I get a controller in my hands and can still see the TV I'll be gaming. Most of my friends I grew up with all game regularly so ya I believe the survey.

Have your kids beaten you in Halo yet?

*high five* gamers for life man :)