Newzoo: How people engage with Games in 2024
Generation Alpha is the first to play more than use social networks.
The study is based on a survey of 73,000 people from 36 countries.
General Stats
80% of people play games.
64% of people watch gaming content; 35% engage in other ways (discuss with friends, are part of the communities, etc.).
The most engaged segments in gaming are Generation Alpha and Generation Z (over 90% of them interact with games). 94% of Generation Alpha plays games.
Generation Alpha is the first to spend more time on games (5.2 hours per week) than on social media (5.1 hours per week).
Adventure games are the most popular genre among Generation Alpha, Generation Z, and millennials. Older people prefer puzzle games.
Generation Z also loves shooters and fighting games.
Minecraft, Call of Duty, and Grand Theft Auto are the most popular franchises among Generation Z users.
PC and Console Players
For PC and console players, a large open world (66%) and an interesting story (65%) are important.
For younger players, motivations also include the ability to complete tasks with friends, fight with them, and socialize.
Time and Money Spent by Users
PC and console players play more per day on average — 2.1 hours, compared to mobile device players — 1.6 hours. However, on mobile devices, people play an average of 3.4 days a week, while on PC/consoles — 2.6-2.7 days a week. As a result, the total number of hours spent playing per week is almost equal.
More than half of console players spend more than average. 22% of them spend more than $25 per month on games. On PC, this figure is 15%; on mobile devices — 8%.
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Half of mobile device players do not pay for games.
Newzoo shows that 47% of PC players; 71% of mobile device players, and 36% of console players mainly play free games. For example, only 26% of people are willing to pay for games on consoles, and only 7% on mobile devices.
The percentage of the female audience willing to pay for games grows from generation to generation.
The audience that is looking for new titles
31% of PC and console players note that they are constantly looking for new games.
One-third of such active audience have 3 platforms; 45% have two. They are distinguished by the fact that they spend almost twice as much time playing games per week as the average player. The average age is 27.4 years, and 62% of such players are male.
82% of this audience have paid for games in the last six months. The majority of high spenders are on console.
These users prefer adventure games (59%); good graphics are important to them (38%); and among gameplay aspects, survival elements are important (42%).
At the same time, this audience continues to play global blockbusters.
More than 90% of this audience watches gaming content; 73% communicate with the community. Instagram (67%); YouTube (65%); Facebook (65%) are the main social networks.
Most users in search of new gaming experiences are in China, India, Thailand, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and Vietnam (more than 35% of the total volume). There are also many in the UAE, Philippines, Brazil, Singapore, Indonesia, Taiwan, Mexico, and South Africa. Overall, players from emerging markets (SEA; MENA; LATAM) tend to be more open to new projects.