What comes to mind when you think of a gamer? You might imagine a young, male loner playing video games all night in their parents’ basement, but new research shows that’s not really accurate. A new study from Fandom finds the biggest gamer demographic is millennials, as 52% of those between the ages of 27 and 42 say video games are their top recreational hobby.
According to the study, a lot of parents see the value in gaming with their kids.
- Among moms and dads who play games with their kids, 83% agree “gaming fosters leadership skills,” 77% agree it “teaches important life skills,” and 38% agree it “establishes teamwork and collaboration.”
- 56% of parents who game with their kids do so as a fun activity to do together, while 44% do it because their kids ask.
- The top five games parents play with their kids are various Super Mario Bros games (50%), Minecraft (48%), Roblox (48%), Super Smash Bros (33%) and various Kirby games (32%).
Fandom’s research also finds:
- Over the last five years, 45% of gamers across every demographic, platform and genre are spending more time gaming than ever before.
- For millennial gamers, 40% spend over 22 hours a week gaming, compared to just 29% of tweens.
- Top reasons people enjoy gaming include stress relief (48%), relaxation (47%) and escapism (45%).
Source: The Wrap