How Many Gamers Are There? (2024 Statistics)

Gaming is one of the most popular and cherished activities among people worldwide. Today, the gaming market is worth billions and is considered one of the largest markets in the entertainment industry. The number of gamers keeps on rising every year driven by various factors due to gaming device availability, diversity in genres, easy accessibility, and more. In fact, by 2027, the gaming industry is expected to reach $522 billion. This has led many people to wonder how many gamers are there.

Well, there were 3.220 billion gamers globally in 2023, and the gamer number is expected to reach 3.320 billion by the end of 2024. In this article, we are going to take an in-depth look at the statistics of gamers such as the type of gamers, demographics, platforms, largest gaming nation, and more. So, let’s get started. 

Top Statistics of Gamers in 2024

• As of 2023, there were 3.220 billion gamers worldwide. 
• The number of gamers worldwide is predicted to reach 3.320 billion by the end of 2024.
• Asia has the highest number of gamers 1.48 billion followed by Europe with 715 million. 
• 55% of the gamers are males in the United States. 
• 45% of the gamers are female gamers in the United States. 
• Game developers consider the PC as their favorite gaming platform. 
• 66% of gamers worldwide play video games for relaxation.  
• There are more than 3,000 esports players in the United States. 
• As of 2023, the gaming industry reached a revenue of $90 billion in the US. 
• 618 million gamers across the world are aged below 18. 

How Many Gamers Are There? 

In 2023, the number of Gamers worldwide was 3.220 billion and according to experts, the number is likely to reach 3.320 billion by the end of 2024. Below we have mentioned a table showcasing the number of gamers globally from 2015 to 2024: 

Year	Number of Gamers
2015	2.030 billion
2016	2.170 billion
2017	2.330 billion
2018	2.490 billion
2019	2.640 billion
2020	2.810 billion
2021	2.960 billion
2022	3.090 billion
2023	3.220 billion
2024	3.320 billion

Increase in the Number of Gamers from 2016 to 2024 

Each year there has been a significant growth in the number of gamers worldwide. The highest growth in gamers number took place in 2020 with 0.170 billion, the pandemic being one of the major reasons behind this growth. Below we have mentioned a table showcasing the increase in gamers number over the previous year: 

Year	Increase Over The Previous Year
2016	0.140 billion
2017	0.160 billion
2018	0.160 billion
2019	0.150 billion
2020	0.170 billion
2021	0.150 billion
2022	0.130 billion
2023	0.130 billion
2024	0.1 billion

Preference of Gamers 

3.2 billion people around the world are today playing games on their Smartphones, PC, Playstation, etc devices. However, the reason behind each gamer is often different as some just want to relax, unwind, or decompress, while some just want to be entertained, etc. Below we have mentioned a table showcasing different reasons behind gamers to provide you with a better idea of why people virtual gamers are so high in demand: 

Reason	Number of Gamers	Percentage
Relaxation and unwinding	2.04 billion	66%
Fill time while taking a break, waiting or commuting	1.61 billion	52%
Entertainment	1.58 billion	51%
Alone time with yourself	1.48 billion	48%
Solve a problem, use my brain and think logically	1.14 billion	37%
Be comforted	0.99 billion	32%

As we can see, relaxation is the leading reason with 66%. 

Distribution of gamers based on the type of games

There are a wide number of gaming types available in the market out of which Casual games are considered as the leading game type among gamers with 63%. Followed by Action games as the second most-loved choice among gamers with 39%. Here is a table showcasing the preferences of gamers regarding different types of games: 

Types of Game	Number of Gamers	Percentage
Casual games	1.95 billion	63%
Action games	1.21 billion	39%
Shooter games	1.21 billion	39%
Racing games	1.14 billion	37%
Family games	1.02 billion	33%
Adventure games	0.96 billion	31%

Distribution of Gamers based on Region

Asia is the leading region with the highest number of gamers 1.48 billion, followed by Europe in second place with 715 million. Below we have mentioned a table breaking down the number of gamers situated in different regions. 

Region	Number of Gamers
Asia	1.48 billion
Europe	715 million
Latin America	420 million
North America	285 million
MENA	168 million
Sub-Sahara African	144 million
Oceania	32 million

Top 7 largest gaming nations based on user penetration: 

In 2022, Both Japan and the UK had an equal user penetration rate of 58%. But by 2027, the UK is predicted to be the leading gaming nation with the highest user penetration of 70% followed by Japan with 67%. Below we have mentioned a table showcasing the user penetration rate in different regions: 

Country	2017	2022	2027
Japan	53%	58%	67%
UK	50%	58%	70%
Sweden	47%	51%	64%
South Korea	45%	57%	64%
France	43%	–	–
Mexico	–	53%	–
Nigeria	–	–	63%

Gamers Demography Statistics

Based on a report by Statista, around 20% of the gamers population are below the age of 18 which is 618 million gamers. The largest population of gamers worldwide comes under the age group of 18 to 34 years with 1.17 billion. While there are only 7% of gamers who are above the age of 65. Below we have mentioned a table showcasing the number of gamers worldwide based on age group: 

Age Group	Number Of Gamers	Percentage %
Under 18 years	618 million	20%
18 to 34 years	1.17 billion	38%
35 to 44 years	433 million	14%
45 to 54 years	371 million	12%
55 to 64 years	278 million	9%
Above 65 years	216 million	7%

Apart from age group, talking about the gender of gamers around 55% of the gamers in the United States are males and 45% of gamers are females. Here is a table showcasing the percentage of male gamers in the US over the years: 

Year	Percentage Of Male Gamers
2006	62%
2007	62%
2008	60%
2009	60%
2010	60%
2011	58%
2012	53%
2013	55%
2014	52%
2015	56%
2016	59%
2017	59%
2018	55%
2019	54%
2020	59%
2021	55%
2022	Less than 55%

There are 45% of female gamers in the United States as of 2022. Below we have mentioned a table showcasing the percentage of female gamers in the US over the years: 

Year	Percentage Of Female Gamers
2006	38%
2007	38%
2008	40%
2009	40%
2010	40%
2011	42%
2012	47%
2013	45%
2014	48%
2015	44%
2016	41%
2017	41%
2018	45%
2019	46%
2020	41%
2021	45%
2022	More than 45%

Gamers’ Statistics Based on Device 

There is no surprise that smartphones are the most preferred device with 40% of the share when it comes to devices. Followed by console games, and PC games. Here is a table showcasing the most used devices among gamers: 

Device	Share In Market
Smartphones	40%
Console Games	28%
PC Games	21%
Tablets Games	9%
Browser PC Games	2%

PC is considered as the leading gaming platform among the people with 63%. Followed by PlayStation 5 with 31%, Android 30%, and iOS 30%. Below we have mentioned a table showcasing the demand for gaming platforms among gamers: 

Gaming Platform	Game Developers
PC	63%
PlayStation 5	31%
Android	30%
iOS	30%
Xbox series X/S	29%
Xbox One (or One X)	22%
PlayStation 4 (or Pro)	21%
Nintendo Switch	20%
Mac	18%
Web Browser	10%
VR Headset	7%
Linux	3%
Google Stadia	3%

Distribution of countries with the highest number of internet users who have played video games in 2022

The Philippines is the country with the highest number of internet users playing video games in 2022 with 95.8% followed by Indonesia with 94.8%. Here is a table showcasing the percentage of internet users who play video games in different countries:

Country	Internet Users Play Video Games
Philippines	95.8%
Indonesia	94.8%
Vietnam	93.1%
Thailand	93%
Turkey	92.3%
India	91.9%
Mexico	91.3%
Taiwan	91.3%
Saudi Arabia	90.1%
South Africa	89.7%
Brazil	88.4%
UAE	88.2%
Chile	87.6%
Malaysia	87.4%
Greece	86.3%
Colombia	84.8%
Portugal	84.7%
Egypt	83.4%
Romania	83.3%
Hong Kong	83.1%
The United States	82.9%
Singapore	81.7%
Poland	80.9%
France	80.8%
Italy	80.6%
Argentina	80.2%
Spain	79.8%
Canada	79.5%
Russia	78.4%
Sweden	78.4%
Israel	78.3%
South Korea	78.3%
Switzerland	77.9%
New Zealand	77.6%
Czechia	75.9%
Austria	75.5%
Netherlands	75.2%
Australia	75%
Germany	74.6%
Denmark	74.3%
Norway	72.7%
The United Kingdom	72.4%
China	72.1%
Ireland	72.1%
Belgium	69.5%
Japan	66.4%

Wrapping Up 

Gaming is probably one of the most loved activities among individuals as it helps them relax and get entertained by entering the virtual world. The number of gamers keeps on growing every year and with advanced technology and new methods companies keep on introducing exciting launches that keep gamers on the hook. Today, the gaming industry has become a multi-billion industry that is expected to keep on rising with absolutely no sign of decline.