You’re in good company, according to the just-published 2022 Essential Facts about the Video Game Industry report, which says about two-thirds of Americans – more than 215 million people – play games regularly.
While this might not be surprising to many, three-quarters of players are over the age of 18, contradicting the common stereotype of a medium dominated by kids, tweens and young teens. In fact, the average age of a video game player today is 33 years old, according to the report commissioned by the Entertainment Software Association (ESA), the Washington, D.C.-based organization that serves as the voice and advocate for the U.S. video game industry.
“The fact we’re seeing more people over 45 years old playing than under 18 just speaks to the growth and adoption of gameplay and how people even later in life continue to gravitate towards games,” says Stanley Pierre-Louis, president and CEO of the ESA, in a telephone interview with USA TODAY. “We found every demographic play games, whether it’s on PC, console or mobile device and there’s something for all tastes.”
