More Americans are turning to video games to unwind, stay sharp, and spend time with family, according to new industry data.
The Entertainment Software Association’s 2025 Essential Facts report found that 205 million people in the US play video games, with adults over 35 now accounting for half of all players. The average gamer is 36, and nearly half of Boomers play weekly. While gaming remains a staple among kids and teens, the report points to a broader cultural shift: for many adults, video games are becoming part of everyday life, offering mental stimulation, social connection, and a shared activity across generations.
“Video games are a powerful cultural force due to their widespread appeal across every demographic as a fun and beneficial way to spend time,” said ESA President and CEO Stanley Pierre-Louis in a statement sent to Tech Times. “With nearly two-thirds of Americans regularly playing, it’s important to recognize that the nation’s most beloved form of entertainment also provides mental stimulation, stress relief, and meaningful social connection that extends well beyond the moment of play.”
According to the report, gaming is truly multigenerational, with half of the 5,000 respondents reporting being age 35 and older. Sixty percent of US adults play video games weekly, with an average age of 36. Even 49% of Boomers and 36% of the older Silent Generation play regularly, the study found, often for mental stimulation or relaxation.
Video Gaming Demographics
A parent and child play video games together on the couch—highlighting a growing trend of families using gaming as a way to connect across generations, as noted in the ESA’s 2025 industry report.
Vitaly Gariev/Unsplash
Gender is also split fairly evenly, with 47% of the study’s respondents identifying as women. Among Boomers, more women reported playing than men—52% compared to 46%.
The study found that 70% of parents play video games, and 82% play with their children, often weekly. Most cited it as a way to socialize and spend time together, reinforcing gaming’s role in modern family life. Seventy percent of parents said they’d rather their kids play games than use social media, and most use ESRB ratings and parental controls to help manage what their kids play.
There are several mental, emotional, and social benefits to gaming, the study found. Eighty-four percent of study participants said games bring them joy, 81% cited stress relief and mental stimulation as a reason to play, and 76% said that games bring people together.
Socially, 70% of Gen Z and 61% of Millenial respondents said they met people through video gaming that they wouldn’t have otherwise, and nearly half say they met a good friend or even a significant other through the pastime.
Gaming as Culture
The study also took a look at how younger gamers discover music, TV, and movies, and it is unsurprisingly via gaming. Among adult sports players surveyed, 56% said playing digital versions of their sport helped improve their real-life performance.
Accessibility Matters
One in five survey respondents reported having a disability, with more than half of those reporting that they find video games to be very accessible. Half of those with disabilities said that accessibility is extremely important to them. The biggest factors in terms of accessibility were adjustable text size, adjustable difficulty levels, camera comfort, and subtitles.