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43 Shocking Video Game Sales Statistics

For many households, video games are an essential part of life. From social gaming to the hottest game on the PS4 or Xbox One, this is a billion dollar industry that continues to grow. It is an industry that has an upward trajectory that is virtually beyond compare right now.

59% of Americans regularly play video games. Every American household has an average of 2 video game players and the average US household has at least one device that is dedicated to playing video games.

Video Game Industry

What does this mean for video game sales? Half of all American households own a gaming console and often there are two consoles owned instead of one. With each console needing video games, plus micro-purchases from apps and social gaming through sites like Facebook, there looks to be an explosion of growth in video game sales.

  • Men just barely play more video games than women at 52% vs. 48%.
  • The average video game player in the United States today is 31 years old.
  • Women age 18 or older represent a significantly greater portion of the game-playing population (36%) than boys age 18 or younger (17%).
  • The number of female gamers age 50 and older increased by 32%from 2012 to 2013.
  • Men and women purchase video games at the same rate.
  • 44% of game players state that computer and video games give them the most value for their money, compared with DVDs, music, or even going out to the movies.
  • 21%. That’s the percentage of gamers who say that price is the most important factor to them when purchasing a new video game.
  • The average age of someone who purchases a video game: 39 years of age.
  • 46% of teens play games on mobile devices, and 71% use dedicated gaming devices.
  • 155 million Americans play games regularly from 3 or more hours per week.
  • 4 out of 5 households own a video game console.

The bullying that comes through video game sales makes no sense. Men and women not only purchase video games at an equal pace, but they are virtually equal in how often they play video games as well. It’s the type of video games that are purchased that may fuel this bullying behavior. Women tend to focus on social gaming while men tend to focus on more aggressive, war-based video games like Destiny or Call of Duty. In terms of overall sales statistics, however, the female gamer isn’t a myth. She’s very much a reality.

Mobile Video Games Are Growing Rapidly

  • 55%. That’s how much mobile video game sales grew from 2012 to 2013.
  • The percentage of gamers who play video games on their smartphones: 44%.
  • 1 out of 3 gamers will use a wireless device to facilitate their video game playing.
  • 46% of the video games that are played on mobile devices right now are social games.
  • 48% of people who are playing more video games today than 3 years ago are watching less television daily as a result.
  • 47% of people who play more video games today go out to the movies less often, but half of those who own a dedicated gaming console will play movies on it.
  • 77% of those who play video games regularly will play at least one hour per week with other people.

As lifestyles get busier, people still look to satisfy the video game habit that they have. This is what makes the game apps and social gaming options such an attractive, lucrative option. When Candy Crush Saga and make over $660,000 in daily revenues through micro-purchases alone, all video game makers are going to take notice. That’s why even console games like FIFA 15 offer in-game purchases to expand revenues.

How Many Video Games Are Being Purchased Today?

  • The number of video games purchased in 2013 was the fewest in the past 10 years. More than 80 million fewer units were purchased in 2013 when compared to 2003.
  • The number of actual units purchased by gamers has been decreasing every year since 2008 when 298.6 million units were sold.
  • At $15.4 billion in total sales, video game revenues in 2013 are more than double that of 2003 figure, despite selling millions of fewer units.
  • Those who purchased video games in 2013 also purchased $4.26 billion in hardware and $1.88 billion in accessories to support their playing habits.
  • Since 2010, the percentage of digital video game sales has grown from 29% of the market to 53% of the market.
  • 50% of the Top 10 selling video games of 2013 were rated M for Mature.
  • 14 out of the Top 20 selling video games for the computer were rated T for Teen.
  • The Sims 3 titles accounted for 7 of the Top 13 best selling computer games in 2013.
  • The world-wide video game industry grew 9% in 2013 and now exceeds $76 billion with projections it will reach over $86 billion by 2016.

8 out of 10 people who buy video games say that they find the ratings systems for the games to be helpful. The ratings on the best selling video games of the year are reflective of the fact that the average age of a gamer today is 31. Many video game manufacturers are taking this into consideration when designing video games today. There will always be Pokemon and sports games available, but adult titles will keep growing in popularity because the targeted gamer demographics want these games not for their kids, but for themselves so they can relax after a tough day.

Why Do Parents Play Video Games With Their Kids?

  • 88% of households that have children that play video games with their parents say they do so because it’s fun for the whole family.
  • 84% of parents say that they play video games with their kids because it’s what the kids want them to do.
  • 3 out of 4 parents say that play video games is a great way to spend social time with their children.
  • The percentage of parents who play video games with their kids to monitor the content of the game: 61%.
  • 47%. That’s the percentage of parents who say they play video games with their kids because they like gaming as much or more than their children.
  • 42% of American parents will play video games with their children at least once per week if their children play video games. 58% of parents will do so at least once per month.
  • The percentage of parents who say that video games are a positive component of their child’s routines: 56%.
  • 68% of parents believe that video games provide educational opportunities or mental stimulation.

Kids from the 1970s and 1980s who got to experience the first Atari systems and the NES are now raising families and their love of video games has never gone away. If anything, it has become even greater because of the intricacy, development, and graphics that the modern game can provide. They are teaching this love of the video game to their children and this is why video game sales have such a potential for growth. Communities are even formed around the modern video game, creating a network that encourages learning, social interactions, and skill development. Imagine if the modern classroom could have the same things?

How Strong Is The Influence On The Internet?

  • 3 out of every 4 households that have a gaming console will connect it to their local internet connection.
  • 1 in 4 Americans over the age of 50 plays video games on a regular basis.
  • 9 seconds. That’s how long there is in-between video game sales in the United States.
  • Halo 3 took in more revenues from its opening weekend of sales than the movies that were released. Video game sales are more than double of movie box office sales.
  • Mobile market penetration in the US is 101%, which means there is one phone for every American and that provides a chance to become a gamer.
  • In China, online gaming makes up 94% of the total video game market.
  • Only 3 billion people use the internet frequently today, but there are 6.5 billion mobile subscriptions that are active at any given time.

This data shows that not only are video games more popular than ever, but that people are purchasing multiple mobile options for video games as well. Some markets, like China, are seeing an explosion of growth. Japan’s growth is limited because of the influence of arcades in their culture, but the mobile video game market is booming thanks to lengthy commutes. As more of the Asia-Pacific region comes online and has access to the benefits of online gaming, video game sales could skyrocket. Many industries are trying to find ways to go “lean and mean.” Video game developers, on the other hand, are trying to come up with new ideas because great games just keep selling.

Video Game Global Market

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