The United States is one of the biggest games markets in the world. Last year, there were 190 million gamers in the country who generated game revenues of USD 42.1 billion. In this sense, among the different hobbies of the online population, gaming is an important part of life for all age groups.
According to respected research company Newzoo, in young age groups (21-35 and 36-50), gaming is the top entertainment activity when responding about their leisure time, even beating social media and streaming TV and movies. American respondents in the 36 to 50 age group dedicate 21% of their entertainment leisure time to games, while the 51 to 65 group spend 12%.
WHY DO U.S. GAMERS PLAY VIDEO GAMES?
Many gamers in the U.S. play to improve their lives. Of total respondents, three out of every five American gamers play to relax and unwind. Besides, 48% play to fill time and 40% to escape everyday life.
When considering the top gamer personas in the U.S., the study determines that 27% of gamers in the territory are Time Fillers (vs. 25% across all 33 markets covered), those who play games primarily to fill time; 22% are Bargain Buyers (vs. 20% across all 33 markets), who enjoy AAA titles and are always on the lookout for a sale; and 12% are Ultimate Gamers (vs. 10% across all 33 markets), those who live and breathe all things gaming.
PREFERRED GAMES, GENRES AND CONSOLES
The diverse mix of top personas means that the top games played in the U.S. are also varied. Roughly a third (or more) of U.S. gamers played the following franchises in the last six months: Candy Crush (39%); Call of Duty (36%); Mario (35%); Minecraft (32%), and Fortnite (32%).Some of them are free to play, making them easy to access for a wide array of players. CoD and Fortnite, both shooters, are available across console, PC, and mobile, and even feature cross-platform play. They are also huge franchises, especially among younger gamers. For the most part, these titles are accessible and have strong brand loyalty.
Looking at game features that gamers in the U.S. find appealing, puzzle-solving aspects is the #1 answer. This is no surprise, given Candy Crush’s prevalence in the country. Two in every ten gamers surveyed in the U.S. found exploration and open worlds appealing. Moreover, all three console platform holders, PlayStation, Nintendo, and Xbox, offer a range of narrative-driven single-player titles; especially PlayStation, which centers its whole PS5 and PS4 software strategies on such titles. This is also significant, as most of our U.S. respondents gravitated towards single-player titles across all platforms. However, the #2 and #3 answers for most appealing features in the U.S. were game theme and art style, respectively. Many U.S. gamers find realistic and cartoonish art styles appealing.
Interestingly, 84% of gamers in the U.S. regularly eat or drink while playing, which is higher than the average for all respondents globally. From that amount, 55% of American gamers reported they ate salty snacks while playing, 42% assured drinking soft drinks, and 39% said eating sweet snacks. Gamers in America (age 21 to 65) also tend to have a more positive attitude towards soft drinks and energy drinks than non-gamers. Some beverage brands have targeted gamers with their marketing, including partnerships with high-profile creators and Esports teams in the space, with successful results.