2019 Essential Facts About the Computer and Video Game Industry

2018 was a record-breaking year for our industry, with total video game sales exceeding $43.4 billion. Over 166 million adults in the United States play video games and three-quarters of all Americans have at least one gamer in their household. As the leading form of entertainment today, video games are an integral part of American culture.

It’s now more important than ever to understand who America’s video game players really are and what’s driving them. That’s why the Entertainment Software Association is thrilled to share the 2019 Essential Facts About the Computer and Video Game Industry. For the first time, we at the ESA have taken a comprehensive look at the individual Americans who enjoy video games in order to better understand their profiles and interests.

The resulting data speaks for itself. Video game players represent a diverse cross-section of the American population spanning every age, gender, and ethnicity.

Contrary to common misconception, they’re also generally healthy, civically engaged, college-educated, and socially active.

More than three-quarters of gamers surveyed report that video games provide them with mental stimulation (79%) as well as relaxation and stress relief (78%). The role of video games in the American family is also changing: nearly three-quarters (74%) of parents believe video games can be educational for their children, and more than half (57%) enjoy playing games with their child at least weekly.

The 2019 Essential Facts simply illustrates what we in the industry already know to be true: we are living in the golden age of video games, and video game players are thriving.