How Many Hardcore Gamers Are There in the US?

There are more than 34 million hardcore gamers in the US who play video games more than 22 hours a week, research shows. By comparison, the average American casual gamer spends just 8 hours per week playing. The average video game player in the US is 34 years old, and most gamers have been playing for about 12 years. About two-thirds of American households include people who play video games at least occasionally. About three-fourths of all gamers prefer to play games that are on discs.

More about video game playing in the US:

  • More than 90% of gamers who have children report that their children also are gamers, and nearly half of all parents have played video games with their children as a family activity.

  • About 40% of all gamers are female, and there are more female players older than 18 than there are teenage boys who are gamers.

  • As of 2014, the video game industry's annual revenue was more than $10 billion US Dollars.
More Info: esrb.org

Discussion Comments

Krunchyman

I know plenty of hardcore gamers on my college campus. While I have tried to recommend them some of the friendlier and less violent games, they're more into shooters than anything else. Out of most games this generation, Gears and War and Call of Duty seem to be very popular with the crowd.

RoyalSpyder

@Viranty - The thing about most video games is that when you're at a very young age, you have a lot more time to play them. You're less preoccupied with life, and you don't have much of a care in the world. However, while it's true that older people do enjoy playing them, life becomes more and more complex. Between school, work, and paying the bills, it's harder to squeeze in those countless hours of entertainment. Based on my experience, the best time to play video games is during Holiday break, as that's a time where most people are off.

Viranty

Although I enjoy video games as much as the next person, I always try to play in moderation. Generally speaking, playing video games too much burns me out, and life's way too busy for me to play for such a long time. Overtime, I've also been starting to feel that video games are a waste of time. Sure, they do provide countless hours of entertainment, but when it's all said and done, what exactly are the benefits?

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