Americans are bigger gamers than Europeans.

Thursday 5th November 2009 - 17:00


Survey 'proves' the US plays and spends more on games plus Braid PS3 screens



A new international games survey has finally shone some light on US gaming trends in comparison to their European counterparts. The survey, undertaken by an industry consortium, focuses on demographics, time and money spent, and gaming trends across Europe and the United States involving all game platforms.

According to the survey, American men and women spend significantly more time and money on video games than their European counterparts. Of the U.S. citizens polled, 83% play video games and many rank it as their favourite pastime ahead of popular activities like surfing on the Internet and watching television. By comparison, only 72% of Europeans polled play games, a percentage shared by American respondents aged 50 and above.

Despite popular misconceptions, the gap between genders is minimal in every age group, with 80% of U.S. females and 87% of U.S. males admitting to playing games. Platform popularity, however, varies widely between genders, with 54% of all American females polled playing on game portals, clearly outnumbering the men (44%). Of the female game portal players over 20 years old, 46% work full-time, part-time, or are self-employed, and 59% are married.

Of all money spent on games in the U.S., 57% is spent on games for the console platform. 36% of U.S. console game players spend more than $25 USD per month on this platform, versus 14% of U.K. console game players. Conversely, French and British players spend the most money per capita on MMOs, the total adding up to 10% and 11% of the nation-wide gaming budgets respectively. Germans are most likely to spend money on stand-alone PC titles, taking in 36% of the total German gamers' wallet.

The study also reveals that gaming on social networks and mobile devices is claiming a significant position among traditional game platforms, especially in the US. While only 10% of European game portal users see social networks as their preferred game destination, the number jumps to a stunning 24% in the U.S. - proof that social networks are quickly becoming an essential part of the gaming industry. Additionally, the research report reveals that 17% of Americans play mobile games, and 48% of those surveyed said they have paid for games. According to the study, 18% of U.S. mobile gamers spend more than $10 USD per month on games.

So the truth is there in black and white, Europeans, although we like to think differently, aren't the biggest gamers in the world. Time to redress the balance - quick, someone fire up the consoles!

Finally, we round off with some brand new screens of Braid, forthcoming on the PS3. The critically acclaimed time manipulating arcade adventure game was a roaring success on Xbox 360 - we imagine it'll do just as well when released via the PlayStation Network on November 12.