29 Amazing Video Game Industry Statistics (2023)

Few industries have captured the hearts and minds of people worldwide like the video game business in the ever-changing world of technology. Over several decades, gaming has evolved from simple pixelated delights to awe-inspiring virtual landscapes that blur the barriers between truth and fantasy.

With innovative advancements, tremendous growth, and an insatiable thirst for innovation, the gaming sector is primed for even greater heights as we enter 2023.

These statistics provide a thorough look at the present and future of gaming, from the exponential expansion of esports and the astronomical revenue earned by gaming titans to the revolutionary impact of virtual reality and the ever-increasing diversity of players. Let's dive in.

Top Video Game Industry Statistics to Know

1. $100 billion is the value of the United States gaming market.
2. Active gamers in the world are one-third of the world's population.
3. The United States and China rule the global gaming industry.
4. Acquiring video games is now digital in the US.
5. By 2024, the global audience for electronic sports Esports will rise above half a billion spectators.

Video Game Industry Growth Statistics

1. The United States Gaming Market Sits at $106.8 Billion.

The worth of the gaming industry in the US has grown to $31.23 billion from 2012 till now. It has increased by 3x in value since 2012. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the number of people playing video games at home in the US increased, contributing to its market growth. An average of 49% of US gamers played video games during the first week of the lockdown period. As such, global video game sales also increased.

(Source: IBIS World)

2. By 2023, Active Gamers will be 3 Billion.

In 2020, there were 2.69 billion active gamers, rising from 1.99 billion gamers in 2015, representing approximately a 35% increase in 5 years. About 2.5 billion out of 2.69 billion gamers played games on mobile devices. Researchers predict that the overall growth will increase continually to pass 3 billion gamers in 2023

(Source: Exploding Topics)

3. The United States and China are the Top Leaders in the Global Gaming Market.

According to statistics, the Chinese gaming business was predicted to generate $50.18 billion in 2022, while the US gaming market was expected to generate $47.62 billion in the same year. The combined gaming businesses of the United States and China will generate more earnings than the top ten global gaming markets. Japan, the third largest gaming market, generates $22.01 billion, less than half of China's earnings.

(Source: New Zoo)

Video Game Industry Demographic Statistics

4. Out of the People Playing Video Games in the US, 79% are Adults.

In the United States, 79% of gamers are adults, whereas gaming is considered an activity for children and teenagers. According to studies, only one in every five gamers is a child. 38% of US gamers are between 18 and 34, while 6% are 65 and older.

(Source: Entertainment Software Association)

5. Three Males Out of Five People are Gamers.

According to statistics on video game consumption by gender, only 41% of gamers are female.

(Source: Entertainment Software Association)

Mobile Gaming Statistics

6. Over Half of the Total Gaming Revenue is Brought About by Mobile Gaming.

Research indicated that in the past decade, revenue from just mobile gaming has significantly increased the total gaming revenue. In 2021, mobile gaming contributed only 18% of the overall gaming industry revenue. But after five years, in 2018, the figure has grown year-over-year, exceeding the 50% spot. In North America, the worth of the mobile gaming market is predicted to grow beyond $25 billion.

(Source: New Zoo)

7. In 2021, the Mobile Game That Earned More Than Any Other 2021 was PUBG Mobile.

The highest-grossing mobile game in 2021 was PUBG (Player's Battlegrounds), bringing in $2.01 billion. Notably, the app's popularity has increased since then. Honor of Kings was the second-highest mobile game in 2021; it earned $1.65 billion. By bringing in $1.34 billion, Genshin's Impact game ranked third on the list. The confectionery-themed puzzle game Candy Crush Saga, which will turn 10 in 2023, was 7th on the list and brought in $856.57 in 2021.

(Source: AppMagic)

Home Gaming Console Statistics

8. The Revenue Reached by the Global Home Console in 2021 was $49.2 Billion.

Selling games, game items, and accessories that accompany home consoles created by Nintendo, Sony, and Microsoft will account for 28% of total gaming revenue in 2021. Data and research show that games played on the PC platform earned $35.9 billion, while games played on the console platform earned $49.2 billion. In comparison, annual revenue from mobile device gaming was $90.7 billion. Mobile gaming generated more revenue than PC and console gaming combined. During the COVID-19 outbreak, sales of all sorts of gaming increased.

(Source: New Zoo)

9. Xbox Live Users are More Than 100 Million Worldwide.

There are over 100 million Xbox Live subscribers worldwide, increasing by more than twofold between the first quarter of 2016 and the fourth quarter of 2020. The number of Xbox Live users increased from 39 million in the first quarter to 49 million in the fourth quarter of 2016. It increased year after year, reaching 100 million in December 2020.

(Source: Microsoft)

10. The Number of People Using PlayStation Plus was Expected to Hit 50 Million.

According to research, 47.4 million PlayStation customers will be in March 2022. The figure increased from 5.9 million in March 2020 to 11 million in March 2019. Between October 2014 and March 2021, PlayStation Plus subscribers climbed by 39.5%.

(Source: Sony)

11. The Nintendo Switch has Sold 100 Million Units to Date.

The Nintendo Switch has sold 107.6 million units since its second release in March 2017, improving on the 3.9 million units sold on its earlier release in 2014. Nintendo properties include Super Mario, Legend of Zelda, and Pokemon.

(Source: Video Games Chronicle)

12. Over $70 Billion of Market Revenue Per Year was Generated by Free-to-play (F2P) Games.

2018 research figures show that F2P generated $15 billion, which grew to 73.8 billion in 2020.The F2P games in recent years have become more popular.

(Source: Super Data Research)

13. Streamers Support and In-game Downloads are What Gamers Prefer to Spend Their Money on Than on Full Games.

Research has found that an average of $123.54 is spent by gamers globally. Video game players 2018 spent $49.14 on full game releases, while $36.31 was spent on in-game downloads and $38.09 on streamer support.

(Source: Super Data Research)

Popular Video Game Industry Statistics

14. The Best-selling Game of All Time by Some Margin is Wii Sport.

According to research, Wii Sports has sold more units than any of its closest competitors. Wii Sports sold 82.65 million copies worldwide in January 2021, 2x more than other games.

(Source: VG Chartz)

15. The Switch's Best-selling Game is Mario Kart 8 Deluxe.

With 45.33 million copies sold, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe was the best-selling Switch game in March 2022.

(Source: NintendoLife)

16. Grand Theft Auto V is Twitch's Most Popular Video Game.

Research shows that by November 2021, Grand Theft was the top-streamed video game on Twitch.

(Source: New Zoo)

17. The Most-played Type of Video Game Worldwide is the Casual Single-player Game.

According to a research survey, 87.9% of people played casual single-player games in 2021. Mobile app games like Clash of Clans and Candy Crush Saga are popular in casual single-player games. 93.8% of people in China played casual single-player games, 93.6% in China, and 92.6% in Vietnam.

(Source: Animation Xpress)

Video Game Innovations Statistics

18. The Acquisition of Most Video Games is Made Digitally in the US.

In the US, the procurement of video games is through digital platforms. Researchers illuminate the rapid increase in the number of video games sold digitally. 2009 one out of five video games were sold digitally in the US. The percentage of digital video games sold has gone up year-over-year ever since. Yearly digital sales outgrew physical sales in 2013. In 2018, the % of all video games sold digitally in the US was 83%.

(Source: Entertainment Software Association)

19. The Estimated Worth of Video Games Worldwide in 2021 was $7.5 Billion.

The fastest-growing section within the gaming industry is video game subscriptions. According to researchers, an estimated 13.5% annual growth in 2021 was possible. In 2022 a more negligible 4.5% growth was predicted, while a 9.4% growth was expected in 2023. In 2023 the growth rate is predicted to grow further, reaching 13.7%. And it is expected to increase further in the successive year to 14.7%

(Source: Juniper Research)

20. The Global Revenue Gotten From Online Gaming is Over $23 Billion.

A recent report showed that in 2022, online gaming revenue constantly improved to reach $23.56 billion. The increased expenditure on home entertainment during the pandemic is mainly responsible for increased gaming revenue. By 2027, online gaming revenue will surpass $32.98 billion.

(Source: Statista)

21. The Global Value of the Virtual Reality (VR) Gaming Industry is Approximately $6.26 Billion.

Virtual reality gaming (VR gaming) offers a three-dimensional (3D) artificial environment for players of computer games. The game is played on virtual reality hardware. As presented by researchers, VR gaming is growing tremendously and has consistently increased its revenue year-on-year. In 2017, VR gaming generated $0.4 billion; in 2018, the figure went up to $0.6 billion and $0.8 billion in 2019. Between 2021 and 2028, the VR gaming revenue is predicted to grow by a CAGR of 31.4%. It will reach $53.44 billion in revenue in 2028.

(Source: Fortune Business Insights)

Esports Growth Statistics

22. The Global Electronic Sports Esports Generate Over $1 Billion in Revenue Annually.

Esport, short for Electronic sports, is a type of competition using video games. According to research, the Global revenue generates yearly by Esport is over $1 billion. From 2019 to 2020, the global market revenue from Esport dropped from $957.5 million to $947.1 million, mainly due to the COVID-19 pandemic when Esport events were canceled. But in 2021, the global market revenue increased, surpassing $1.08 billion. In 2024, the esports industry is predicted to produce $1.62 billion in revenue.

(Source: Dot eSports)

23. The World's Top Sports Event Obtains a Prize Pool Exceeding $30 Million.

Research has found that from $18.43 million in 2015 to $34.33 million in 2019, the prize pool in the Esports space has grown year over year. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, cancelation in 2020 led to zero income, but in 2021, the International returned with a prize pool surpassing $40 million. The Fortnite World Cup Finals in 2019 enhanced the large prize pool in Esport.

(Source: e-Sports Earnings)

24. By 2024, the Global Audience for Electronic Sports Esports will Rise Above Half a Billion Spectators.

Research has revealed that the high number of viewers and spectators of Esports is making it the fastest-growing part of the gaming industry. In 2019, the number of people who watched an Esports event was 397.8 million. In 2023, the number of spectators during Esport events is 474 million. 2024 predicted that the number of spectators will be 577.2 million, exceeding the 100 million mark.

(Source: Venture Beat)

25. Over $100 Million is the Value of Some Esports Organizations.

According to research, the increased value of Esports organizations is due to people's increased interest in Esports. The elite Electronic sport organization matches significant sports teams in terms of value. The most valuable Esport Organization in 2020 was TSM, worth $410 million. Other Esport organizations with high value over $300 million: Cloud with $350 million, Team Liquid with $310 million, and FaZe Clan with $305 million.

(Source: Forbes)

Some Gaming Statistics

26. People Playing Video Games Globally are About 3 Billion.

Data from 2021 research shows that the number of people who play games on smartphones, tablets, consoles, and PC will exceedand reach 3.32 billion by 2024.

(Source: Truelist)

27. In 2025, Over 1.3 Billion People will Play Video Games Online.

Research reports that online gamers will exceed 1.3 billion by 2025. The highest section of gamers globally is from China, Japan, and South Korea.

(Source: Truelist)

28. Available on Steam are More Than 50,000 Games.

Over 50,000 games are accessible on Steam, an online platform for playing, downloading, discussing, and creating games. The Steam platform enables creators to publish their games on their websites for a set fee and a revenue cut.

(Source: Steam Powered)

29. People who Spend One or Few Hours on Video Games in the US are up to 227 Million.

According to video game research figures, 74% of families in the United States have someone who plays video games, 76% of people under 18, and 67% of adults play games. Furthermore, 7% of persons over 65 like playing video games.

(Source: ESA)

Conclusion

Statistics show that the gaming industry is growing higher and higher with no sign of slowing down.$100 billion is the estimated value price of the United States gaming market. Active gamers in the world are one-third of the world's inhabitants. The United States and China rule the global gaming industry. With new gaming platforms like the PS5 and the latest gaming technology like AR/VR, it is evident that the industry will see upward growth in the next five or more years.

FAQsWhat is the video game industry's other name?

Media and Entertainment, Video Games Sector, refers to the video game industry as interactive entertainment involving the marketing, development, and sale of computers and video games to people worldwide.

What is the difference between gaming and the gambling industry?

Gaming is taking part in legal wagering, risking a sum of money or a valued item against someone based on the outcome of an unpredictable event. Gambling is illegal wagering at different locations or online platforms.

Which country has the best gaming industry?

The biggest gaming market worldwide is the United States; the second is China.