Travis Petersen | September 6, 2023

How much time do Americans spend gaming in 2023?

Last Updated on September 19, 2023 by Zoi Walker

Contents

Since the early days of video games, when Gen Xers and Millennials who grew up playing them may remember being told it’ll rot their brains, video games have grown from their humble bit-based beginnings into an interactive art form with the depth of novels and the visual appeal of film and television. Games build skills in literacy, problem-solving, and socializing. And, on top of that, they’re a lot of fun.

CenturyLinkQuote, a provider of the fiber internet speeds gamers love, presents its second annual survey detailing gaming habits in the U.S. for people 16 and older. Read on to learn how much time Americans spend gaming, how gaming makes Americans feel, and the differences in gaming habits between generations.

Time Spent Gaming in the U.S. in 2023: Gaming Habits in Americans 16 and Up

an infographic showing the gaming habits of Americans 16 and up

2023 Gaming Habits in the U.S. by Generation

an infographic showing gaming habits by generation

Overall Findings

In 2023, 63% of Americans play mobile or console games regularly. Gen Z boasts the highest percentage of regular gamers at 66%.
42% of Americans have been playing video games for 20 years or more.
25% of Americans game 3-7 hours a week, 25% play 8-12 hours a week, and 25% 13 hours or more.
If you game for an average of 5 hours per week, that totals 11 days a year and 2.3 years in the average lifetime. For the 25% of people who game 10 hours a week, that total goes up to 22 days a year and 4.5 years in the average lifetime.
Among respondents, the highest percentage of Millennials game 13+ hours per week, the highest percentage of Gen Z and Gen X answered 3-7 hours per week, and Boomers 1-3 hours per week. For those Millennials who game more than 13 hours a week, that’s approximately 30 days a year and 6.3 years over the average lifetime.
The amount of time Americans spend gaming per week declined from last year’s study. The 2022 average was 8-12 hours per week.
49% of Americans game in moderation, spending no more than 3 hours gaming in a row. Only 6% of Americans report regularly marathoning games for more than 13 hours.
When it comes to gaming consoles, 35% of Americans prefer PlayStation, the top-selling gaming console brand of all time. Gen Z and Millennials play on PlayStation the most, with Gen X and Boomers preferring PC gaming.
In 2022, Americans answered that they play video games because they enjoy the mental stimulation and strategic thinking it encourages. This year, 38% of Americans say they choose gaming because they love it and it’s one of their favorite pastimes. The top answer for Gen X and Boomers differed from the majority—they prefer gaming for stress relief and disconnecting from the “real world.”
67% of Americans say playing video games makes them feel engaged, that they get bored easily and games help them pass the time.
47% of Americans say the time they spend gaming is just enough. This was consistent across generations even though the different age groups spend different amounts of time gaming.
In the past year, 38% of Americans spent $0-$100 on video games and consoles. 10% spent $500-$699, and only 5% spent $900 or more. The average PlayStation console retails for $450.
37% of Americans stated they play games about the same amount as before the pandemic. 46% of Gen Z said they play more video games now.
Virtual reality games have been trending for a while but 35% of Americans state they have not played any VR games yet (but would like to). 31% of Millennials reported that they have played VR games and own a VR console.

Methodology

To gather data about how much time Americans spend gaming, we used Pollfish, a leading market research software, to survey 1,000 Americans on their gaming habits. We divided the results into the following generations:

Gen Z (16-24 years old)
Millennials (25-44 years old)
Gen X (45-54 years old)
Boomers ( >54 years old)

About CenturyLinkQuote

CenturyLinkQuote is an authorized sales agent of CenturyLink products.

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