Gamers Ages 45-64 are Major Growth Driver

Port Washington, NY, October 7, 2021 – According to ‘2021 Evolution of Entertainment’ report from The NPD Group, this year, the amount of money spent in the U.S. on video games has increased 35% over the past six months*; and while overall participation in video gaming remains high, it has decreased to 76%, a three-point decline over the same period last year.

“Although we have seen a slight reduction in the percentage of Americans that play video games, we are still well ahead of the 73% we saw in 2019,” said Mat Piscatella, U.S. video games industry analyst for The NPD Group.

Despite the decline in number of people playing video games, the industry continues to see growth in the number of hours spent gaming. There was a dramatic increase in time spent playing games from 2019 to 2020, with average hours played per week jumping from 12.7 to 14.8, respectively. And the growth continues, increasing to 16.5 hours per week this year.

One segment that has played a major role in driving these gains is among more mature U.S. gamers ages 45-64. In 2019, 65% of consumers in this age group played games for approximately 9 hours per week. This jumped considerably in 2020 to 69% playing for approximately 12 hours per week, and 75% this year playing for approximately 16 hours per week.

“We had a number of lapsed gamers in the 45-64 age group re-enter the market last year, not only for entertainment, but to stay connected with family and friends. And these gamers have continued to play more than other age groups,” said Piscatella. “Despite an overall decline in the percentage of folks that play games in the market, the time 45–64-year-old gamers spent playing continued to increase. Clearly, gaming is not a segment relegated to kids and teens; it is a segment that is appealing to gamers of all ages.”

*Six months ending July 2021

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