Gamers who just can’t seem to get enough of their favorite pastime can now take solace in knowing that they’re in good company globally, as a new report reveals that nearly half of the people on the planet play video games in one form or another. While some previous studies have sought to determine the most popular video game franchises or platforms, this study examined the total number of people who make up the global consumer gaming market.
The gaming industry has come a long way since the first commercial video game hit the market with 1971’s coin-operated cabinet, Computer Space. In the over 50 years since that bulky machine first wowed players with its simple graphics and unwieldy controls, the gaming industry has undergone a revolution, with consumers now enjoying video games on all manner of devices. While dedicated gaming PCs and consoles are what first comes to mind when many people think of video games, the total reach of the global gaming industry includes everything from the latest hardcore-focused console releases to cozy video games and titles designed for the mobile market.
According to a new report from industry analysts at DFC Intelligence, a group that researches the gaming industry with the goal of delivering “analysis and forecasting that reflects market realities instead of hype and wishful thinking,” there are now 3.7 billion game consumers globally. Although this number may seem surprising on its face, comprising just under half of the planet’s total population, it does come with some caveats. While there are nearly 4 billion game consumers on the planet, the report states there are only around 300 million “hardware-driven consumers” responsible for driving the demand for dedicated gaming PCs and consoles like Sony’s popular PlayStation 5.
The report also highlighted other interesting findings about the makeup of the consumer game market. The study showed that, while the hardware-driven console gamers are heavily concentrated in North America and Europe, it is actually players enjoying mobile games that are “representative of the global population” when it comes to where players spend their screen time. For developers releasing titles primarily for PCs and consoles, this shows that there is a massive untapped market of potential gamers just waiting to be reached, with the report noting that “there is definitely an opportunity to expand the video game hardware business.”
This good news about growth in the global gaming market comes only months after another report reached some disheartening conclusions about many of those actually playing games, finding that self-identified gamers are more likely to be racist and sexist. As more people worldwide begin to embrace the love of gaming that has brought joy to so many over the last half-century, hopefully, they’ll also help bring some much-needed positivity and change to the worst aspects of gamer culture.
Source: DFC Intelligence (Via GamesIndustry.biz)