Gaming Across Generations: How it Is Different and Why You Should Care
Team Streams
May 10th, 2022
Team Streams
May 10th, 2022
Since its inception, gaming has rapidly evolved. Over the past decade that evolution has sped up pace tenfold as platforms such as Twitch and YouTube have opened the way for streaming and as mobile games have developed.
Gaming has moved from a solo pastime, where users would play on consoles such as the N64 or Atari and have developed into a social platform for people to connect. The global gaming industry is now worth over $173 billion.
Gamers are now spread over all demographics. Across generations, you can find users playing games. But they aren’t necessarily playing the same types of games or using the same platforms. In this post, we will look at how different generations enjoy video games.
According to a report by Tapjoy, Gen Z makes up 14% of all mobile gamers.
According to the ESA, they make up 27% of all gamers (across all devices/consoles).
Gen Z is a digital native generation. They were born into a world where mobile phones were already a part of everyday life and have never experienced the world without video games.
Pew Research found that 81% of Gen Z own or have access to a game console. Gaming is incredibly popular in the Gen Z generation because of the connection that modern gaming allows.
Many in this generation use gaming as a way to socialise and connect with other like-minded teenagers across the globe.
According to YouGov, the most popular video games for Gen Z are:
According to the same Tapjoy study, millennials make up 21% of mobile gamers.
The same ESA report found that millennials make up 29% of all gamers – which is the largest segment across generations.
Pew Research found that 67% of those aged 18-29 play video games. However, millennials often do not consider themselves gamers. While over two-thirds play video games, only one in five would say the term “gamer” describes them.
A study conducted by PayPal and SuperData, found that millennials mainly play games on their mobiles or tablets, with their favourite categories being:
Gen X grew up with a different type of video game. They remember when playing games was for the arcade and when home consoles had wooden panels. Gen X makes up 19% of mobile gamers (Tapjoy) and 18% of all gamers (ESA).
Mobile and tablets are the most popular devices for Gen X to play on, with PC following. Their favourite categories include:
Pew Research found that video games are very popular among young adults. However, opposed to what many would believe, a substantial number of older adults enjoy video games as well with 58% of 30-49-year-olds playing video games.
Baby boomers, who are of age 55 and over, represent 23% of mobile gamers (Tapjoy) and 26% of all gamers (ESA). This makes them the largest segment of mobile gamers which might come as a surprise to many.
Games are popular across generations, even if many don't identify as “gamers”. Each generation has its way of enjoying games and may prefer different styles of games and play for different reasons. However, two things stay consistent across generations: everyone plays mostly on mobile and everyone enjoys games.
See inspirations here:
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