Industry Information
Industry information from the Entertainment Software Assciation (ESA): Top Ten Industry Facts
1. U.S. computer and video game software sales grew in 2005 to $10.5 billion
2. Seventy-five percent of American heads of households play computer and video games.
3. In 2004, more than 248 million computer and video games were sold, almost two games for every household in America.
4. The average game player is 30 years old and has been playing games for 9.5 years.
5. The average game buyer is 37 years old. In 2005, 95 percent of computer game buyers and 84 percent of console game buyers were over the age of 18.
6. Eighty-three percent of all games sold in 2004 were rated "E" for Everyone or "T" for Teen. For more information on ratings, please see www.esrb.org.
7. Eighty-seven percent of game players under the age of 18 report that they get their parents’ permission when renting or buying games, and 92 percent say their parents are present when they buy games.
8. Forty-three percent of all game players are women. In fact, women over the age of 18 represent a greater portion of the game-playing population (28 percent) than boys from ages 6 to 17 (21 percent).
9. In 2004, 19 percent of Americans over the age of 50 played video games, an increase from nine percent in 1999.
10. Forty-two percent of game players say they play games online one or more hours per week. In addition, 34 percent of heads of households play games on a wireless device, such as a cell phone or PDA, up from 20 percent in 2002.
A new research study released by the Entertainment Software Association (ESA) shatters myths about the profile of typical American video game players, revealing that they regularly volunteer, exercise, and attend religious services. Forty-five percent of gamers volunteer at an average 5.4 hours per month and research found that 79 percent of all game players report exercising or playing sports at an average of 20 hours a month.
- Ninety-three percent of game players read books or daily newspapers, while sixty-two percent often attend cultural events, such as concerts, museums, or the theater.
- Fifty percent spend time painting, writing, or playing an instrument.
- Ninety-four percent follow news and current events, and 78 percent report that they vote in most of the elections for which they are eligible.
The poll was conducted in September 2004, for the ESA by Peter D. Hart Research Associates, Inc., and surveyed a random national sample of 802 adults. To fully understand the debate about violence in games and place it in some rational context, it is important to first understand basic facts about the industry.
- The average American video game player is 30 years old. The average game buyer is 36 years old.
- Parents are involved in the purchase or rental of games 83 percent of the time, according to a September 2000 FTC report, and industry research in the
U.S.
shows that 90 percent of games are actually purchased by adults over 18. In other words, in an overwhelming majority of instances, parents are ultimately making the decisions about what games their kids acquire.
- Ninety-two percent of parents report that they monitor the content of the games their children are playing.
- Game players under the age of 18 report that they get their parent’s permission 83 percent of the time before purchasing a computer or video game.
- Computer and video games are rated by the Entertainment Software Ratings Board (ESRB) whose system includes age recommendations and content descriptors. Even entertainment industry watchdogs such as Senator Joseph Lieberman and the National Institute on Media and the Family, call the ESRB system the best media rating system in existence. In short, if people object to games that contain violence, the information is available so they can avoid buying them for themselves and their families.
- Just as there is a wide spectrum of movies, music and books available to consumers, the video game industry provides a variety of entertainment choices for people of all ages. In 2004, only 16% of games sold were rated “Mature (M),” as compared to the 83% of games sold rated “Everyone (E)” or “Teen (T)” [53% rated “E” and 30% rated “T”].
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