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ESA Leadership Desk: Why Video Games Matter More Than Ever

At a time when our world is facing so much uncertainty, video games are bringing us together more than ever.  In fact, it’s fair to say that video games are having a moment right now—a unique and extraordinary time by any measure. As we adapt to working, learning and being at home, people around the world are sharing how much they value being able to play video games together with family, friends and the larger community.

Parents, educators, journalists and players of all ages are sharing deeply personal stories about why video games matter on many different human levels, far beyond the simple, intrinsic value of play itself. These stories are happening almost every day and bring unexpected and interesting perspectives. This should not surprise us, yet we are feeling an important shift within the industry.

We know people in every demographic play video games.  For example, 46% of players in the United States are women, and just as many people under 18 play as those over 50.  But we’ve never seen the coalescing around video games and people who play games—at one time—as we are seeing right now. The cultural significance of this moment is important to recognize, though we may not fully understand its significance until much later.

As the head of the U.S. video game industry’s trade association, I am humbled and inspired by these stories.  I am also proud of what our member companies are doing to support efforts to end the pandemic—everything from sending health and safety messages to users to directing contributions to relief efforts around the globe.  We are even seeing global organizations, like the World Health Organization, recognize the important role of our community to help stop the spread of COVID-19.  That’s a significant development and something we welcome as we look to educate and advocate for the video game industry and people who play video games.

We have gathered a lot of the activity by our industry and others to fight the pandemic on our COVID-19 resource hub and will keep you updated there and on our social media channels.  We also invite you to share your stories and perspectives on your social channels or via Game Generation.

Let’s keep doing what we know works—stay home, practice social distancing, wash hands, attend to our minds and bodies, and stay connected with our family and friends.  And consider sharing your own stories so that we can understand each other better and appreciate this new paradigm where video game play matters like never before.

ESSENTIAL INDUSTRY FACTS 

2018 was a record-breaking year for our industry, with total video game sales exceeding $43.4 billion. Over 164 million adults in the United States play video games and three-quarters of all Americans have at least one gamer in their household. As the leading form of entertainment today, video games are an integral part of American culture.

It’s now more important than ever to understand who America’s video game players really are and what’s driving them. That’s why the Entertainment Software Association is thrilled to share the 2019 Essential Facts About the Computer and Video Game Industry. For the first time, we at the ESA have taken a comprehensive look at the individual Americans who enjoy video games in order to better understand their profiles and interests.

The resulting data speaks for itself. Video game players represent a diverse cross-section of the American population spanning every age, gender, and ethnicity.

Contrary to common misconception, they’re also generally healthy, civically engaged, college-educated, and socially active.

More than three-quarters of gamers surveyed report that video games provide them with mental stimulation (79%) as well as relaxation and stress relief (78%). The role of video games in the American family is also changing: nearly three-quarters (74%) of parents believe video games can be educational for their children, and more than half (57%) enjoy playing games with their child at least weekly.

The 2019 Essential Facts simply illustrates what we in the industry already know to be true: we are living in the golden age of video games, and video game players are thriving.