That video gaming is seemingly always on the rise isn’t a surprise. After all, with mobiles truly ubiquitous, these days each of us is only ever seconds away from our next new game.
But new research by consumer privacy company ExpressVPN has revealed the real intensity of the UK’s gaming obsession, finding that almost three out of four people play games daily. Furthermore, close to one in five think about games “all the time”.
Thinking about games
ExpressVPN’s data comes from a poll of 1,000 adults in the UK, with various categories depending on gender and age range. Of the sample, 72 percent stated that they play games every day of the week and consider it “a key form of stress relief and social connection”. This matches up with Calm’s findings that gaming has a positive impact on mental health.
18 percent think about video games all the time and 53 percent have given up other hobbies since starting to game. In total, 74 percent of people were found to be content with the amount of time they play for.
Notably, whereas more women in the UK play games than men – 98 percent compared to 95 percent – it is men who are more likely to play daily; two out of three men play games each day, whereas slightly less than half of women do.
When it comes to making in-game purchases – present largely in the mobile gaming sector – men are also more likely to spend. ExpressVPN found that whilst 84 percent of those surveyed had made at least one in-game purchase, and more than 25 percent have spent more than £50 in one session, it was 90 percent of men who spent in-game versus 78 percent of women.
When analytics and research company Newzoo looked at revenue generated by different segments in gaming in 2022, the dominance of mobile was clear: $92.2 billion was generated by mobile games compared to $51.8 billion on consoles.
“Gaming has evolved dramatically since the days of Pac-Man, Sonic, and Super Mario Bros. Today, with online multiplayer capabilities connecting players from all around the world, gaming has become more immersive and engaging than ever before—and every millisecond counts,” ExpressVPN privacy advocate Lauren Hendry Parsons said.
The full report includes further data on age groups in the UK’s gaming market, such as millennials having more dedication to their gaming than Gen Z.
