So many unique experiences contribute to being a gamer, but have you ever wondered how many people play video games worldwide?

As the fastest-growing entertainment sector, the global video game market’s worth may reach over $300 billion by 2026. Due to its innovativeness and focus on accessibility, increasingly more people identify themselves as gamers with each passing year.

But how solid is that growth? Do mobile players even count as part of that ever-growing population? These statistics speak for themselves!

Gaming Population – Top Stats

  • As for 2023, there were 3.220 billion video game players worldwide.
  • As for 2024, this number has grown to approximately 3.32 billion.
  • The number of active players worldwide may reach 3.5 billion in 2025.
  • Asia has the highest number of active players (1.48 billion), followed by Europe (715 million).
  • Among the online population, 72% of women and 81% of men play video games.
  • 45% of all players are women and 55% are men.
  • The United States has the highest number of esports players, totaling 3,728. China follows closely with 2,070 esports players.
  • 52% of all players subscribe to at least one video game service.

Current Global Gaming Population

Since the number of players has grown to around 3.32 billion in 2024, it’s likely to hit 3.5 billion in 2025. That means more than 40% of the world’s population are active players. A full 2.82 billion of this group engage in online play (this includes PC, console, and mobile play), and 60% of this share are mobile players.

Given that the global video game culture has been steadily growing with each passing year, we can expect this number to increase even further. Here’s how it has grown over the last nine years:

  • 2016

Number of players – 2.17 billion Increase over the previous year – 140 million Increase in % – 6.9%

  • 2017

Number of players – 2.33 billion Increase over the previous year – 160 million Increase in % – 7.37%

  • 2018

Number of players – 2.49 billion Increase over the previous year – 160 million Increase in % – 6.87%

  • 2019

Number of players – 2.64 billion Increase over the previous year – 150 million Increase in % – 6.02%

  • 2020

Number of players – 2.81 billion Increase over the previous year – 170 million Increase in % – 6.44%

  • 2021

Number of players – 2.96 billion Increase over the previous year – 150 million Increase in % – 5.34%

  • 2022

Number of players – 3.09 billion Increase over the previous year – 130 million Increase in % – 4.39%

  • 2023

Number of players – 3.22 billion Increase over the previous year – 130 million Increase in % – 4.21%

  • 2024

Number of players – 3.32 billion Increase over the previous year – 100 million Increase in % – 3.11%

  • 2025

Number of players (estimated) – 3.51 billion

Source: https://explodingtopics.com/blog/number-of-gamers

Regional Distribution of Gamers

Asia has twice as many active players as any other region, with a total of 1.48 billion. Europe follows second with 715 million active players, and here you can see how those numbers compare to those in other regions:

  • Asia – 1.48 billion
  • Europe – 715 million
  • Latin America – 420 million
  • North America – 285 million
  • MENA – 168 million
  • Sub-Sahara African – 144 million
  • Oceania – 32 million

Source: https://whatsthebigdata.com/number-of-gamers/

Video Games by Device: Where Do People Play?

According to the Statista Global Consumer Survey, smartphones are the most preferred device for playing. Not without reason, as mobile games are the most accessible and, therefore, the most popular in the entire industry. Here, you can see which devices are most often chosen by the US players’ population to play video games (data from 2021):

  • Smartphone – 54%
  • Game console – 35%
  • PC/laptop – 32%
  • Tablet – 25%
  • Smart TV – 17%
  • Mobile game console – 17%
  • Streaming device – 10%

Source: https://whatsthebigdata.com/number-of-gamers/

Image generated using ChatGPT

Casual vs. Hardcore Players

According to a 2021 Consumer Technology Association (CTA) study, casual players make up the majority of the players’ population in the United States. They are closely followed by core players, while hardcore players rank third. Here are all the details about this category:

  • 40.9 million hardcore players (around 37 hours/week) – 25%
  • 55.6 million core players (around 29 hours/week) – 34%
  • 67.3 million casual players (around 13 hours/week) – 41%

Source: https://www.cta.tech/Resources/Newsroom/Media-Releases/2022/September/2022-CTA-Gaming-Study

Video Games as a Social and Economic Force to Be Reckoned With

The advancement of technology and innovation is constantly influencing the industry, creating new employment opportunities and fueling creativity.

This endless evolution greatly inspires more and more people to become creators, publishers, or players. Video game culture opens the door to many new experiences, including discovering one’s talents, enjoying favorite digital entertainment, or joining a safe place for social interactions.

A 2018 report by the Entertainment Software Association found that over 40% of players perceive video games as a great way to improve their emotional well-being. Another report conducted in the US on 2000 children found that kids who play for three or more hours daily perform better with tasks requiring cognitive skills.

Also, people who play MMO games for 30 or more hours a week experience a stronger sense of social identity, better self-esteem, and enhanced interpersonal skills.

Source: https://www.sae.edu/gbr/insights/the-social-impact-of-games-in-modern-society/

Conclusion

Statistics reveal that the video game industry is thriving – it’s constantly evolving, becoming an integral part of the lives of an increasing number of people. However, its further development depends entirely on how many individuals play video games.

Thanks to better accessibility and technology, video games cater to the demands and preferences of an increasing share of the global population.

Different types of gamers justify their desire to play with various motivations, like a sense of freedom, a thrill of competition, relaxation, social interaction, collecting in-game items, or simply the urge to escape everyday problems.

Whatever the motive, video games prove perfect as a safe space for fulfilling all these needs, and, for this reason, they outshine other entertainment alternatives like movies, music, or books in terms of popularity.

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