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 
20152.030 billion
20162.170 billion
20172.330 billion
20182.490 billion
20192.640 billion
20202.810 billion
20212.960 billion
20223.090 billion
20233.220 billion
20243.320 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
20160.140 billion
20170.160 billion
20180.160 billion
20190.150 billion
20200.170 billion
20210.150 billion
20220.130 billion
20230.130 billion
20240.1 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: 

ReasonNumber of GamersPercentage 
Relaxation and unwinding 2.04 billion66%
Fill time while taking a break, waiting or commuting1.61 billion52%
Entertainment 1.58 billion51%
Alone time with yourself 1.48 billion48%
Solve a problem, use my brain and think logically1.14 billion37%
Be comforted 0.99 billion32%

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 GameNumber of GamersPercentage 
Casual games1.95 billion63%
Action games1.21 billion39%
Shooter games1.21 billion39%
Racing games1.14 billion37%
Family games1.02 billion33%
Adventure games0.96 billion31%

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. 

RegionNumber of Gamers
Asia1.48 billion
Europe715 million
Latin America420 million
North America285 million
MENA168 million
Sub-Sahara African144 million
Oceania32 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: 

Country201720222027
Japan53%58%67%
UK50%58%70%
Sweden47%51%64%
South Korea45%57%64%
France43%
Mexico53%
Nigeria63%

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 GroupNumber Of GamersPercentage %
Under 18 years 618 million20%
18 to 34 years1.17 billion38%
35 to 44 years433 million14%
45 to 54 years371 million12%
55 to 64 years278 million9%
Above 65 years216 million7%

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: 

YearPercentage Of Male Gamers
200662%
200762%
200860%
200960%
201060%
201158%
201253%
201355%
201452%
201556%
201659%
201759%
201855%
201954%
202059%
202155%
2022Less 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: 

YearPercentage Of Female Gamers
200638%
200738%
200840%
200940%
201040%
201142%
201247%
201345%
201448%
201544%
201641%
201741%
201845%
201946%
202041%
202145%
2022More 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: 

DeviceShare In Market
Smartphones40%
Console Games28%
PC Games21%
Tablets Games9%
Browser PC Games2%

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 PlatformGame Developers
PC63%
PlayStation 531%
Android30%
iOS30%
Xbox series X/S29%
Xbox One (or One X)22%
PlayStation 4 (or Pro)21%
Nintendo Switch20%
Mac18%
Web Browser10%
VR Headset7%
Linux3%
Google Stadia3%

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:

CountryInternet Users Play Video Games
Philippines95.8%
Indonesia94.8%
Vietnam93.1%
Thailand93%
Turkey92.3%
India91.9%
Mexico91.3%
Taiwan91.3%
Saudi Arabia90.1%
South Africa89.7%
Brazil88.4%
UAE88.2%
Chile87.6%
Malaysia87.4%
Greece86.3%
Colombia84.8%
Portugal84.7%
Egypt83.4%
Romania83.3%
Hong Kong83.1%
The United States82.9%
Singapore81.7%
Poland80.9%
France80.8%
Italy80.6%
Argentina80.2%
Spain79.8%
Canada79.5%
Russia78.4%
Sweden78.4%
Israel78.3%
South Korea78.3%
Switzerland77.9%
New Zealand77.6%
Czechia75.9%
Austria75.5%
Netherlands75.2%
Australia75%
Germany74.6%
Denmark74.3%
Norway72.7%
The United Kingdom72.4%
China72.1%
Ireland72.1%
Belgium69.5%
Japan66.4%

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.

About GilPress

I'm Managing Partner at gPress, a marketing, publishing, research and education consultancy. Also a Senior Contributor forbes.com/sites/gilpress/. Previously, I held senior marketing and research management positions at NORC, DEC and EMC. Most recently, I was Senior Director, Thought Leadership Marketing at EMC, where I launched the Big Data conversation with the “How Much Information?” study (2000 with UC Berkeley) and the Digital Universe study (2007 with IDC). Twitter: @GilPress
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