Video gaming has become a source of entertainment for people of all ages, and many players are carving a career out of it in 2024.
More than 1.3 billion users play video games in 2024, and a large number of males are into gaming compared to females.
Currently, people enjoy gaming content more than ever, and the gaming industry is flourishing.
This article features the most significant statistics about video gaming users, revenue, and games.
Video Gaming Statistics: Top Picks (2024)
- Over 1.31 billion people will play video games in 2024.
- Video game players worldwide spend 8.45 hours per week playing video games.
- The global video gaming market size is expected to reach $447.31 billion in 2024.
- Males make up 55% of video game players, and females make up 45% of gamers.
- The video gaming industry is set to generate a revenue of $282.33 billion in 2024.
- 67.7% of video game players play games on smartphones.
- The video game market in the United States is projected to bring in around $78.01 billion in revenue by 2024.
Video Game Users
- The number of video game users in 2024 is expected to be 1.31 billion.
Comparatively, in the year 2021, the number of video game users was approximately 1.18 billion.
Further, the number of digital video game users worldwide is projected to reach 1.47 billion by 2027.
The following table displays the number of video game users over the years.
| Year | Number of digital game users |
| 2027* | 1.47 billion |
| 2026* | 1.42 billion |
| 2025* | 1.37 billion |
| 2024 | 1.31 billion |
| 2023 | 1.22 billion |
| 2022 | 1.11 billion |
| 2021 | 1.18 billion |
| 2020 | 1.08 billion |
| 2019 | 0.9 billion |
| 2018 | 0.83 billion |
| 2017 | 0.76 billion |
Source: Statista *Projected numbers
- The number of physical video game users in 2024 is estimated to be 1.13 billion
At the same time, the predicted number of digital video game users in 2024 is expected to reach 2.77 billion.
On the other hand, the number of digital video game users is projected to grow to 3.02 billion by 2027.
The number of physically sold video game users is anticipated to cross the 1.18 billion mark in 2027.
The following table displays the number number of digital video game users and physical video game users over the years.
| Year | Number of digital video gamers | Number of physically sold video game users |
| 2027* | 3.02 billion | 1.18 billion |
| 2026* | 2.94 billion | 1.17 billion |
| 2025* | 2.86 billion | 1.15 billion |
| 2024 | 2.77 billion | 1.13 billion |
| 2023 | 2.64 billion | 1.08 billion |
| 2022 | 2.46 billion | 1.04 billion |
| 2021 | 2.58 billion | 1.18 billion |
| 2020 | 2.39 billion | 1.24 billion |
| 2019 | 2.03 billion | 1.14 billion |
Source: Statista *Projected numbers
How Many Hours Do Players Spend Playing Video Games?
- In 2021, video game players worldwide spend 8.45 hours every week playing video games on average.
Besides, gamers in China spend the most time playing video games. They spend approximately 12.39 hours every week playing video games.
The following table displays the time spent by video gamers every week playing games in different countries.
| Country | Time Spent By Video Gamers Per Week Playing Games |
| China | 12.39 hours |
| Vietnam | 10.16 hours |
| India | 8.61 hours |
| Indonesia | 8.54 hours |
| Global | 8.45 hours |
| United States | 7.71 hours |
| United Kingdom | 7.17 hours |
| Germany | 7.13 hours |
| South Korea | 5.88 hours |
Source: Statista
Video Games Users: Demographics
- Around 92.6% of 16 to 24-year-old male internet users play video games, and 89.6% of female users played video games in 2023.
The following table displays the share of internet users in different age groups who play video games.
| Age Group | Female | Male |
| 16-24 | 89.6% | 92.6% |
| 25-34 | 85.2% | 89.1% |
| 35-44 | 80.2% | 85.1% |
| 45-54 | 74.5% | 79.9% |
| 55-64 | 69.6% | 70.8% |
Source: Statista
- The average age of video game players is recorded to be 31 years.
Besides, the players aged 18 to 34 play the most video games, contributing to a 36% share of video game players.
The following table displays the video game players in different age groups as of 2022.
| Age Group | Percentage Of Video Game Players |
| Less than 18 years | 24% |
| 18 years to 34 years | 36% |
| 35 years to 44 years | 13% |
| 45 years to 54 years | 12% |
| 55 years to 64 years | 9% |
| 65 years+ | 6% |
Source: Statista
- 52% of the video game players are male, while 48% of the players are female.
The following table shows the percentage of male and female video game players.
| Gender | Percentage Of Video Game Players |
| Female | 48% |
| Male | 52% |
Which Is The Most Popular Video Game Genre?
- 63% of video gamers said that they mostly like playing casual games on a regular basis as compared to the other gaming genres.
- The most popular video game genre among all age groups is shooter games. It is preferred by 62.4% of video game players between the age of 16 to 24 years and 58.6% of video game players aged 25 to 34 years.
At the same time, the second most preferred video game is an action-adventure.
The following table shows the most popular video game genre in different age groups and the preferences of video games across all age groups.
| Video Game Genre | 16-24 years | 25-34 years | 35-44 years | 45-54 years | 55-64 years |
| Shooter | 62.4% | 58.6% | 50.5% | 40.8% | 29.3% |
| Action-adventure | 56.8% | 53.5% | 49.2% | 39.7% | 28.8% |
| Simulation | 39.3% | 36.5% | 31.5% | 24.4% | 20.5% |
| Sports | 37.8% | 40.2% | 36.3% | 30% | 22% |
| MOBA | 36.8% | 36.9% | 30.3% | 22.5% | 16.6% |
| Racing | 36.2% | 37.8% | 34.6% | 28.3% | 20.4% |
| Strategy | 34% | 35% | 33.2% | 27.1% | 21.8% |
| Puzzle platform | 32.9% | 35.6% | 34.7% | 30.6% | 28.9% |
| Action platform | 30.7% | 32.3% | 30.2% | 24% | 17.6% |
| Fighting | NA | 32.8% | 29.4% | 22.1% | NA |
| Battle royale | 35.5% | NA | NA | NA | NA |
| Online board games | NA | NA | NA | NA | 18.5% |
Source: Statista.
- 37.8% of gamers aged 25 to 34 years said that racing is one of the most-played gaming genres in recent years.
Video Game Market Size
- The market value of video games is forecasted to reach $447.31 billion by the end of the year 2024. Comparatively, in 2022, the market was valued at $350.02 billion.
The video gaming market is projected to reach a valuation of $871.11 billion by 2030.
The following table displays the market value of the video gaming industry over the years.
| Year | Market Value |
| 2032* | $1065.12 billion |
| 2031* | $964.52 billion |
| 2030* | $871.11 billion |
| 2029* | $784.66 billion |
| 2028* | $704.94 billion |
| 2027* | $631.64 billion |
| 2026* | $564.49 billion |
| 2025* | $503.15 billion |
| 2024* | $447.31 billion |
| 2023 | $396.64 billion |
| 2022 | $350.02 billion |
Source: Statista *Projected numbers
- With an expected revenue of $222.23 billion in 2024, the Asia-Pacific region has the largest share of video game revenues globally.
North American region will add an estimated $129.45 billion in revenue in 2024.
Europe is projected to generate around $87.78 billion in video gaming revenue in 2024, while the rest of the world is expected to contribute $7.86 billion in revenue.
Here is a table showing the video gaming revenue by region over the years:
| Year | North America | Asia Pacific | Europe | Rest of world |
| 2032* | $312.19 billion | $533.84 billion | $204.82 billion | $14.27 billion |
| 2031* | $282.25 billion | $482.89 billion | $185.95 billion | $13.43 billion |
| 2030* | $254.51 billion | $435.64 billion | $168.37 billion | $12.58 billion |
| 2029* | $228.89 billion | $391.98 billion | $152.05 billion | $11.74 billion |
| 2028* | $205.31 billion | $351.76 billion | $136.95 billion | $10.92 billion |
| 2027* | $183.67 billion | $314.84 billion | $123.02 billion | $10.11 billion |
| 2026* | $163.88 billion | $281.06 billion | $110.22 billion | $9.33 billion |
| 2025* | $145.84 billion | $250.24 billion | $98.49 billion | $8.58 billion |
| 2024 | $129.45 billion | $222.23 billion | $87.78 billion | $7.86 billion |
| 2023 | $114.6 billion | $196.83 billion | $78.03 billion | $7.18 billion |
| 2022 | $100.96 billion | $173.5 billion | $69.03 billion | $6.52 billion |
Source: Statista
Video Gaming Market Penetration
- Indonesia has the highest penetration rate of around 96.5%, and the Philippines follows closely with a 95.9% video game penetration rate.
The global video games penetration rate was around 83.1% as of Q3 2023.
The following table displays the share of internet users playing video games in different regions worldwide.
| Rank | Country | Video Game Penetration Rate |
| 1 | Indonesia | 96.5% |
| 2 | Philippines | 95.9% |
| 3 | Turkey | 94.8% |
| 4 | Thailand | 93.2% |
| 5 | Vietnam | 93.2% |
| 6 | Saudi Arabia | 91.8% |
| 7 | India | 91.7% |
| 8 | South Africa | 91.7% |
| 9 | Mexico | 91.2% |
| 10 | Taiwan | 91.1% |
Source: Statista
Global Video Game Market Revenue
- The global digital video gaming market is expected to generate $282.33 billion by the end of the year 2024.
Comparatively, in the year 2023, the revenue generated by the digital video game market was recorded to be $249.59 billion.
The digital video game market revenue worldwide is set to cross over $363.19 billion by 2027.
The following table displays the video gaming revenue generated worldwide over the past years.
| Year | Revenue |
| 2027* | $363.19 billion |
| 2026* | $336.68 billion |
| 2025* | $312.37 billion |
| 2024* | $282.33 billion |
| 2023 | $249.59 billion |
| 2022 | $223.2 billion |
| 2021 | $227.32 billion |
| 2020 | $192.92 billion |
| 2019 | $153.37 billion |
| 2018 | $131.6 billion |
| 2017 | $113.65 billion |
Source: Statista *Projected numbers
- In the year 2023, digital video games generated a revenue of $222.2 billion. At the same time, the physically sold video games are predicted to generate a revenue of $11.32 billion in the year 2023.
On the contrary, digital video games generated $ 154.9 billion in the year 2021, and physically sold video games generated $14.34 billion.
The following table displays the revenue generated by digital video games and physical video games sold over the years.
| Year | Digital Video Games | Physically Sold Video Games |
| 2027* | $286.4 billion | $11.79 billion |
| 2026* | $273.1 billion | $11.67 billion |
| 2025* | $259.4 billion | $11.52 billion |
| 2024 | $243.7 billion | $11.41 billion |
| 2023 | $222.2 billion | $11.32 billion |
| 2022 | $197.4 billion | $11.22 billion |
| 2021 | $185.2 billion | $13.39 billion |
| 2020 | $154.9 billion | $14.34 billion |
| 2019 | $119.3 billion | $13.93 billion |
| 2018 | $104.6 billion | $15.21 billion |
| 2017 | $91.16 billion | $15.99 billion |
Source: Statista. *Projected numbers
- In 2022, the highest revenue of the video gaming industry is generated in the Asia-Pacific region, with a market revenue share of 46%. At the same time, 27% of the video gaming market revenue is generated in North America.
The following table displays the video game market revenue share generated by different regions across the world.
| Rank | Region | Share Of Video Game Market Revenue |
| 1 | Asia-Pacific | 46% |
| 2 | North America | 27% |
| 3 | Europe | 18% |
| 4 | Latin America | 5% |
| 5 | Middle East & Africa | 4% |
Source: Statista.
Video Gaming Industry In The United States
- The video games market in the United States is estimated to reach a revenue of around $78.01 billion by 2024.
- The video game market revenue in the United States is expected to grow by 14.26% in the year 2024. Comparatively, in the year 2023, the revenue of the video game market grew by 13.02%.
The following table shows the revenue growth of the video game market in the United States over the years.
| Year | Video game market revenue growth |
| 2027* | 8.04% |
| 2026* | 9.05% |
| 2025* | 12.93% |
| 2024 | 14.26% |
| 2023 | 13.02% |
| 2022 | 3.83% |
| 2021 | 21.9% |
| 2020 | 23.32% |
| 2019 | 21.85% |
| 2018 | 14.28% |
Source: Statista *Projected
Video Game ARPU Worldwide
Here is a table showing the ARPU of video games over the years:
| Year | Mobile Games | Online Games |
| 2027* | $64.26 | $25.99 |
| 2026* | $62.32 | $25.29 |
| 2025* | $60.15 | $24.59 |
| 2024* | $57.64 | $23.88 |
| 2023 | $53.52 | $23.11 |
| 2022 | $50.38 | $22.17 |
| 2021 | $55.12 | $21.63 |
| 2020 | $55.76 | $21.01 |
| 2019 | $53.67 | $20.93 |
| 2018 | $49.7 | $20.89 |
| 2017 | $46.7 | $21.07 |
Source: Statista
Video Game Device Statistics
- 83.1% of video game players said they play video games on any device. Besides, 67.7% of video game players said they play video games on Smartphones.
The following table shows the share of internet users who play video games on selected devices as of Q3 2023.
| Device | Share Of Internet Users That Play Video Games |
| VR headset | 6.5% |
| Media streaming device | 8.8% |
| Handheld gaming device | 11.6% |
| Tablet device | 16.3% |
| Games console | 24.2% |
| Laptop or desktop | 35% |
| Smartphone | 67.7% |
| Any device | 83.1% |
Source: Statista.
- 58% of the users in the United States use smartphones to play video games.
At the same time, 37% of the country uses the console to play video games.
- Almost 56.7% of video game players in Canada reported that they play video games on Smartphones.
Video Game Addiction Statistics
- Male gamers are found to be strongly addicted to excessive gaming in comparison to female video game players. However, 10% to 15% of video gamers have compulsive gaming addiction issues. This number is quite less than the percentage of video gamers around the world.
- 90% of gamers said that they get joy out of playing video games. At the same time, 87% of them reported that they get mentally stimulated by video games and hence love playing them.
The following table shows the experience video game players have and how it affects them.
| Experience | Percentage Of Video Gamers |
| Joy | 90% |
| Mental stimulation | 87% |
| Stress relief | 87% |
| Teamwork Skills | 81% |
| Inspiration | 79% |
Mobile Gaming
- Mobile games have an average revenue per user of around $57.64 in 2024. Online games have a global ARPU of $23.88, and download games have $17.06.
- In the 3rd quarter of the year 2022, the mobile gaming revenue generated worldwide from the Apple App store was recorded to be $11.9 billion. At the same time, the revenue generated from the Google Play store was $7.4 billion.
The following table displays the mobile gaming revenue generated worldwide from the Apple App store and Google Play store.
| Quarter | Apple App Store | Google Play |
| Q2 2022 | 11.9 billion | 7.4 billion |
| Q2 2022 | 12.7 billion | 7.4 billion |
| Q1 2022 | 12.9 billion | 8.2 billion |
| Q4 2021 | 12.8 billion | 8.6 billion |
| Q3 2021 | 13.2 billion | 8.9 billion |
| Q2 2021 | 12.7 billion | 8.9 billion |
| Q1 2021 | 13.1 billion | 9.4 billion |
| Q4 2020 | 12.3 billion | 8.5 billion |
| Q3 2020 | 12.4 billion | 8.3 billion |
| Q2 2020 | 12 billion | 8.1 billion |
| Q1 2020 | 10.8 billion | 6.9 billion |
Source: Statista.
- The United States was the leading mobile gaming market worldwide, with a share of 29% in the year 2022. Japan followed it, with a mobile gaming share of 19%.
The following table shows the share of the mobile gaming market worldwide over the past years.
| Year | United States | Japan | China | South Korea | Taiwan | Other |
| 2022 | 29% | 19% | 18% | 7% | 3% | 25% |
| 2021 | 28% | 21% | 18% | 7% | 3% | 24% |
| 2020 | 28% | 22% | 18% | 7% | 3% | 23% |
| 2019 | 26% | 23% | 20% | 6% | 3% | 22% |
| 2018 | 24% | 26% | 19% | 6% | 3% | 22% |
| 2017 | 23% | 26% | 21% | 7% | 2% | 21% |
| 2016 | 23% | 28% | 19% | 6% | – | 24% |
| 2015 | 26% | 30% | 11% | 7% | – | 25% |
| 2014 | 27% | 29% | 7% | 8% | – | 29% |
Source: Statista.
Video Gaming And Esports
- E-sports generated a revenue of $1.38 billion in the year 2022. Besides, in the year 2025, it is expected to generate $1.86 billion.
The following table displays the revenue generated by the eSports market worldwide over the past years.
| Year | Revenue Generated By eSports |
| 2020 | 996 million |
| 2021 | 1,136.5 million |
| 2022 | 1,384 million |
| 2025* | 1,866.2 million |
Source: Statista.
- During the year 2022, the tickets and merchandise segment of the global eSports market generated an estimate of $107.9 million. At the same time, esports sponsorships generated $837.3 million.
The following table displays the esports revenue generated in the year 2022 in different segments.
| E-Sports Segment | Revenue Generated In The Year 2022 |
| Streaming | 46.3 million |
| Digital | 53.9 million |
| Merchandise & tickets | 107.9 million |
| Publisher fees | 130.7 million |
| Media rights | 207.8 million |
| Sponsorships | 837.3 million |
Source: Statista.
- In 2022, 261.2 million eSports enthusiasts watched eSports games. Besides, 270.9 million eSports audiences in 2022 were the occasional audiences.
The following table displays the eSports audience size worldwide over the years.
| Year | eSports Enthusiasts | Occasional Viewers |
| 2025* | 318.1 million | 322.7 million |
| 2022 | 261.2 million | 322.7 million |
| 2021 | 240 million | 249.5 million |
| 2020 | 215.2 million | 220.5 million |
Source: Statista. *Projected
Gaming Live Streaming Statistics
- Twitch is one of the most preferred ways viewers watch their favorite gamers stream online. A total of 210 million hours was spent by video gamers on Twitch watching the live stream of their favorite videogame players in 2022.
Besides, 8.4 million hours were spent live streaming games by video gaming fans on YouTube Gaming Live.
The following table displays the number of hours streamed on leading gaming live-stream platforms worldwide in the third quarter of the year 2022.
| Live Streaming Platform | Hours Streamed On The Platform |
| Twitch | 210.4 million |
| YouTube Gaming | 8.4 billion |
| Facebook gaming | 7.5 billion. |
Source: Statista.
- A total of 5.71 billion hours were reported to be watched on Twitch in the 3rd quarter of the year 2022. At the same time, 1.17 billion hours were watched on YouTube gaming live.
The following table displays the number of hours viewed on leading gaming livestream platforms in the third quarter of 2022.
| Platform | Hours Watched On The Platform |
| Twitch | 5,712 million |
| YouTube Gaming Live | 1,176 million |
| Facebook Gaming | 382 million |
Source: Statista
- In the 3rd quarter of 2022, Twitch had approximately 10 million unique streaming channels. While YouTube Gaming Live had 443 thousand channels.
The following table displays the number of unique channels streaming on the leading live-streaming platforms.
| Platform | Hours Watched On The Platform |
| Twitch | 10 million |
| YouTube Gaming Live | 443 thousand |
| Facebook Gaming | 238 thousand |
Source: Statista.
- Twitch is one of the most preferred ways to watch your favorite players playing a variety of online games.
The most followed game on Twitch is Fortnite, with 82.25 million followers. The second most followed game on Twitch is Grand Theft Auto V, with 54.01 million.
The following table displays the games with the most Twitch followers worldwide, as recorded in November 2022.
| Rank | Game | Number Of Followers On Twitch |
| 1 | Fortnite | 82.25 million |
| 2 | Grand Theft Auto V | 54.01 million |
| 3 | Grand Theft Auto Online | 45.2 million |
| 4 | Minecraft | 44.74 million |
| 5 | PUBG: Battlegrounds | 35.75 million |
| 6 | League of Legends | 33.38 million |
| 7 | Counter-Strike: Global Offensive | 32.43 million |
| 8 | Overwatch | 21.02 million |
| 9 | Call of Duty: Warzone | 16.91 million |
| 10 | DOTA 2 | 15.86 million |
Source: Statista.
- The average number of concurrent viewers recorded on Twitch in March 2024 is reported to be 2.43 million. Besides, in December 2023, it was recorded to be 2.47 million.
The following table displays the average number of concurrent viewers on Twitch over the past months.
| Month | Twitch Concurrent Viewers |
| March 2024 | 2.43 million |
| February 2024 | 2.58 million |
| January 2024 | 2.63 million |
| December 2023 | 2.47 million |
| November 2023 | 2.46 million |
| October 2023 | 2.44 million |
| September 2023 | 2.34 million |
| August 2023 | 2.40 million |
| July 2023 | 2.54 million |
| June 2023 | 2.54 million |
| May 2023 | 2.43 million |
| April 2023 | 2.43 million |
Source: Twitch Tracker
- The average number of concurrent viewers on YouTube Gaming Live in March 2024 was recorded to be 10.3 million. While in December 2023, it was recorded to be more than 11 million.
The following table displays the average number of concurrent viewers on YouTube Gaming Live over the past months.
| Month | YouTube Live Concurrent Viewers |
| March 2024 | 10.3 million |
| February 2024 | 9.8 million |
| January 2024 | 10.5 million |
| December 2023 | 11.12 million |
| November 2023 | 8.16 million |
| October 2023 | 9.13 million |
| September 2023 | 10.20 million |
| August 2023 | 13.21 million |
| July 2023 | 9.09 million |
| June 2023 | 9.72 million |
| May 2023 | 9.67 million |
| April 2023 | 14.84 million |
Source: Streams Charts
VR Gaming
- The VR gaming revenue is expected to reach over $3.2 billion in 2024.
The revenue of Virtual reality gaming was around $1.8 billion in 2022, which rose to $2.5 billion in 2023.
Here is a table showing the revenues of VR gaming over the years:
| Year | VR Gaming Revenue |
| 2024 | $3.2 billion |
| 2023 | $2.5 billion |
| 2022 | $1.8 billion |
| 2021 | $1.4 billion |
| 2020 | $0.9 billion |
| 2019 | $0.5 billion |
Source: Statista
- The global VR market was worth $7.72 billion in 2020 and is expected to reach $26.9 billion by the end of the year 2027. It is expected to grow at a CAGR of 19% between the years 2021 to 2027.
Gaming Console Statistics
- 46% of players in the United States are console gamers. They usually prefer 60% of action games, and 57% of them prefer shooting games on the console.
- Besides, most gamers prefer Xbox, Playstation, and Nintendo Switch over PC for gaming.
- Xbox Live has more than 100 million active users. It basically offers free service, but users can purchase paid plans to make the best out of their gaming experience.
- PlayStation Plus has around 47.4 million subscribers. Besides, between the years 2014 and 2021, it gained 39.7 million users despite being down due to paywalls in 2013.
- The Nintendo Switch has sold around 139 million units. However, one of the most popular Nintendo consoles is the Wii. It has made around 101.63 million in sales.
Conclusion: Number of Video Gamers Are Expected To Reach 1.31 Billion By The End of 2024
With more than a billion people gaming in 2024, the video gaming industry has grown explosively in the last decade.
After the smartphone revolution, there has been a significant increase in the number of mobile gamers.
Apart from gaming, the game streaming industry is also attracting many gamers who want to make a career as full streamers.
These were some of the most impactful statistics about the video game industry.
Do you love to play video games? Let us know your opinion in the comment sections below.
