Who is Really Playing Video Games in the U.S.?

If you close your eyes and imagine someone playing video games, a specific picture may enter your mind, but most video game players are probably not who you think, according to the 2026 report from The Entertainment Software Association.

The report finds that playing video games is more popular than ever. More than two-thirds of Americans (67%) play at least one hour each week. The number of Americans who play video games every week totals 212.3 million, up 3% from last year.

Not Just for Kids

While over 80% of Gen Alpha (ages 5-13) and Gen Z (14-29) play video games, a majority of adults are powering up as well. More than seven in ten Millennials (ages 30-45), 56% of Gen X (45-61) and half of Baby Boomers (62-80) say they play weekly. Even 32% of the Silent Generation (ages 81-90) are joining in.

To put this into perspective, half of all people who play video games in the U.S. are 35 or older.

Video Games and Gender

Contrary to popular belief, playing video games is split fairly equally between men and women, with 53% of men and 46% of women actively playing. Slightly more boys and men play than girls and women across all generations, with one notable exception: 52% of Boomer women play games, compared to 47% of men in that generation.

Playing video games is more popular than ever with more than two-thirds of Americans playing at least one hour each week.

Typical video game players are employed full time, using games as just one of their leisure activities. Adult players (18 and up) are more likely to be employed full-time (39%) or to have children (35%), when compared to the general U.S. population (34% and 30%, respectively).

The survey also found that players spend roughly 20% of their weekly screen time playing games, with most game play occurring in the evening or later, skewing highest on weekends.

According to the survey, Americans feel overwhelmingly positive about video games.

Most adults, including those who don't play video games regularly, recognize the positive benefits that video games provide, including:

• Being fun (85%)

• Bringing joy (81%)

• Offering stress relief (78%)

• Providing mental stimulation (79%)

Younger players (Gen Z) especially believe video games offer a great way to bring people together (88%) and build relationships (87%).

Overall, most adults agree that playing video games helps develop problem-solving skills (76%) and teamwork/collaboration (67%), plus adaptability and resilience (58%) and communication skills (52%).

A majority of players (63%) say video games deliver the most value for their money, compared to streaming services for music, TV and movies.