The takeaway: The old stereotype that games are mostly for younger people – and males – has once again been proved outdated. The Entertainment Software Association's (ESA) latest survey shows that the average age of respondents is 41, and the split between men and women is almost 50/50.
The ESA's latest Power of Play survey involved 24,216 participants from 21 countries across six continents. It covers several categories, from gamer demographics to reasons why people play games.
One of the highlighted findings is that the average age of respondents – all of whom were aged 16 and over at the time – is 41. Moreover, the gender split is 51% men and 48% women.
As for the respondents' top reasons for playing games, the most obvious one, to have fun, is the most common, named by 66% of respondents. In second place is stress relief/relaxation at 58%, which one presumes comes from those playing the likes of Anno 1800 rather than Elden Ring. Finally, keeping minds sharp and exercising brains was the third most common reason named (45%).
Another section of the survey looks at the benefits that playing games can bring. Most people (81%) said that they provide mental stimulation, and 80% said they provide stress relief. Other answers included providing an outlet for everyday challenges (72%), introducing people to new friends and relationships (71%), reducing anxiety (70%), and helping people feel less isolated or lonely by connecting them to others (64%).
It's noted that among gamers aged 16 to 35, 67% said they've met a close friend or partner through gaming. And almost half of US respondents said games improve their parent-child relationship – a contrast to the long-held claim that children often grow distant from their parents due to playing games.
There are some interesting answers in the category of what skills games can improve. Around three-quarters of respondents agree that creativity, problem-solving, and teamwork/collaboration can all be improved by gaming. More than half said games improved their real-world athletic skills, and many said games improved or influenced their education or career path.
Unsurprisingly, mobile devices are the most popular gaming platform across all demographics, which will likely bring debate over the definition of "gamer." Fifty-five percent of respondents said it was their favorite way of playing games. It's especially popular among those over 50 (61% in this age group said they play on mobile), while half of those under 35 said they game on these devices. Meanwhile, consoles and PCs are both played by 21% of participants.