Gaming was the domain of children. Mostly in the bedrooms of teenage boys. The image had lingered on for many years, but the reality has changed entirely. There are 3.32 billion video gamers today globally. The median age of the players is 36, with women constituting 46% of people who play in the U.S.
Gaming grew up. Or more accurately, it spread everywhere and welcomed everyone.
Smartphones Changed the Game
You don’t need a PlayStation or an expensive PC anymore. Your phone works fine. Mobile gaming brought in $92.6 billion last year—that’s 49% of all gaming revenue worldwide. About 57% of U.S. gamers now use their smartphone more than any other device.
This opened gaming to people who would never buy a console. Someone waiting for a bus can play. Parents kill time during soccer practice. Retirees do crosswords and card games on their tablets. Gaming became no longer a hobby requiring special equipment. It’s something you can do anywhere and anytime, and you already own a device.
Women Play Just as Much as Men
The numbers don’t lie. Women comprise 46% of all American gamers, and the numbers keep rising. Over half of boomers are female gamers: 52% to 46%. According to PS statistics, 41% of PS4 and PS5 owners are females, and they comprise 63% of the players on mobile.
The “gaming is for boys” concept does not hold anymore. Women shoot, play strategy games, role-playing games, everything. They use money on games, buy services, and get involved in online communities.
Money Follows the Players
Gamers spend on more than just games. Subscriptions, in-game purchases, new hardware, accessories—about 52% of players pay for at least one gaming service. But the spending goes beyond gaming itself.
Younger players feel comfortable with digital platforms and new technologies. They’re used to learning complicated systems and putting in time to master them. Gaming taught them that long before they thought about applying it anywhere else.
Gaming communities and financial technology circles overlap more than you’d expect. Players who figure out complex game economies sometimes get interested in real-world trading, in part due to how the gaming world was an early successful adopter of cryptocurrency. The skills match up well—risk management, pattern spotting, quick decisions under pressure. Some competitive gamers take those abilities to crypto margin trading exchanges, where they can leverage positions on digital assets like Bitcoin and Ethereum with ratios up to 200x, applying the same strategic thinking and risk assessment they use in ranked matches.
Older Players Are Everywhere
Here’s what surprises people: 30% of U.S. gamers are over 50. Half of Gen X plays weekly. Almost half of boomers play games on a regular basis, as well as over a third of the Silent Generation. These are not individuals who are attempting to relate with their grandchildren—they play because it is fun.
Older players say games keep their minds sharp. About 65% of boomer and Silent Generation gamers play in order to stimulate the mind. They prefer challenges, word games and strategy games that can challenge their minds. National Institute on Aging indicates that video games may enhance hippocampal-based memory and cognitive well-being of geriatric patients with age-associated cognitive impairment.
Asia dominates with 1.48 billion gamers, China contributing 742 million alone. The Philippines shows the highest penetration rate globally—97.1% of internet users there play games. Europe adds 715 million players, while Latin America contributes 420 million to the total.
North America has under 9% of global players but generates over $97 billion in revenue. That’s the highest per-capita spending of any region, reflecting wealthier markets with established gaming cultures and higher disposable incomes.
Devices and Habits
Mobile is the new king of gaming, and consoles are not yet dead. About 73% of players in America are console players which translates to about 139 million. Some of the genres that PC gaming is still firmly rooted in are strategy games, MOBAs, competitive shooters.
Many players use different devices for different situations. Mobile during breaks or commutes. Console in the evening at home. PC for specific games that work better with mouse and keyboard. Gaming fits into daily life now rather than being a separate activity you set aside time for.
Video game industry statistics show that the global gaming market earned a revenue of $187.7 billion in 2024, while by 2025, that number is estimated to be about $188.9 billion. This expansion makes gaming to be among the strongest entertainment industries and it has been doing better than filmed entertainment and recorded music in total annual income.
What It Means
Three things made this happen. Phones removed the need for special hardware. Free-to-play games eliminated upfront costs. Social features made gaming something you do with other people instead of alone.
Games need to serve this audience now. Older players want different pacing than teenagers. Women want better representation. Gaming reached everyone. The numbers prove it.
