Americans play video games every week
That is 67% of Americans ages 5 to 90, based on ESA and YouGov research released in June 2026.
Source: ESA Essential Facts 2026, June 2026 ↗Reference desk / updated October 26, 2026
U.S. VIDEO GAME
STATISTICS, 2026.
A source-led snapshot of the people, community, and business behind games. Built for writers, researchers, creators, and anyone who wants numbers worth sharing.
Jump to sources ↓The numbers at a glance
12 sourced factsis the average age of a U.S. player
The player base spans generations, from Gen Alpha through older adults.
Source: ESA Essential Facts 2026, June 2026 ↗of players are women
ESA reports a near-even split among players: 53% men and 46% women.
Source: ESA Essential Facts 2026, June 2026 ↗of players age 8+ play with other people
Games are a social space, not simply a solo pastime. The figure includes online and offline play.
Source: ESA Essential Facts 2026, June 2026 ↗of U.S. teens say they play video games
In Pew Research Center's survey, 41% of teens said they play at least once a day.
Source: Pew Research Center, May 2024 ↗was spent on video games in the U.S. in 2025
ESA’s current industry data lists the total across content, hardware, and accessories.
Source: ESA Data & Insights, 2025 total ↗direct jobs were in the U.S. video game industry
ESA’s 2025 industry database identifies the roles directly employed across the sector.
Source: ESA Economic Impact Report, April 2026 ↗U.S. jobs were supported by the video game industry
The estimate includes direct, indirect, and induced jobs tied to the industry in 2025.
Source: ESA Economic Impact Report, April 2026 ↗was the industry's total U.S. economic impact
ESA's 2026 report estimates this impact for 2025, including direct, indirect, and induced effects.
Source: ESA Economic Impact Report, April 2026 ↗was contributed to U.S. GDP by the industry in 2025
The figure is the value-added impact in ESA’s national economic analysis.
Source: ESA Economic Impact Report, April 2026 ↗in labor income was supported across the U.S. economy
The estimate includes salaries, wages, and benefits tied to the industry’s 2025 economic activity.
Source: ESA Economic Impact Report, April 2026 ↗in federal, state, and local taxes was generated in 2025
ESA’s estimate combines tax revenue across all levels of government.
Source: ESA Economic Impact Report, April 2026 ↗What these figures say
Games are where people meet, make, and move culture forward.
The numbers make one thing clear: gaming is not a narrow interest or a single kind of audience. It is a cross-generational, deeply social part of American culture with an economic footprint to match.
That is the space Jams and Joysticks cares about. We make room for the creators, builders, and community behind the work, because the stories around games are bigger when more people get the mic.
Meet the people behind the work →Methodology and sources
Every number has a trail.
This page uses publicly available research from named organizations. Each statistic links directly to the source that supports it. Figures are kept in the language and scope used by their original publisher.
Entertainment Software Association, Essential Facts 2026
Player population, age, gender, and social-play figures. Research was conducted with YouGov from February 11 to 25, 2026, among 13,545 U.S. respondents.
Read the 2026 player data ↗Entertainment Software Association, 2026 Economic Impact Report
U.S. jobs, GDP contribution, tax revenue, and total economic impact estimates for 2025.
Read the economic impact report ↗Entertainment Software Association, Data & Insights
The current ESA industry total for U.S. consumer video game spending in 2025.
Read the current industry data ↗Pew Research Center, Teens and Video Games Today
A nationally representative survey of U.S. teens ages 13 to 17, fielded September 26 to October 23, 2023.
Read the teen gaming study ↗Cite this page
Jams and Joysticks. “U.S. Video Game Statistics, 2026.” Updated October 26, 2026. https://jamsandjoystick.com/video-game-statistics