At the height of its popularity, the gaming industry is valued at $197.11 billion. The industry shows no sign of stasis and will likely grow exponentially in the coming years, with 3.09 billion gamers worldwide.
By 2055, the sector will be worth more than $268 billion. To put that into perspective, that’s bigger than the entire GDP of Finland. However, the industry shows no sign of slowing down, with more and more gaming enthusiasts joining the fray every day.
In this article, we will check out the most recent statistics on the population of gamers worldwide.
Editor’s Choice
- There are over 3.09 billion active video gamers worldwide.
- The number of gamers is expected to reach 3.32 billion by 2024.
- Asia has more active gamers (1.42 billion) than Europe, Latin America, and North America.
- The video game industry is valued at $197.11 billion.
- Over 532 million Chinese adults report playing Internet games in some capacity.
- In 2016, men comprised more than 80% of e-sports viewers.
- There are over 1.7 billion male players in the world.
- Game night is an excellent method for 66% of families to spend quality time together.
How Many Gamers Are There in 2023?
There are roughly 3.09 billion active video gamers globally. The market for gamers and e-Sports is growing daily, accounting for an estimated $197.11 billion.
E-sports participants are progressively contributing to that total. In the past few years, the industry saw monumental growth. In 2019 alone, the industry saw a 48% increase in investments.
By 2024, the number of gamers is predicted to reach 3.32 billion. The rise in gaming shows to be steady and won’t stop soon. Check out how many people discover the beauty of gaming below:
| Year | Number of Gamers | Increase | Increase Rate |
| 2015 | 2.03 billion | – | – |
| 2016 | 2.17 billion | 140 million | ↑ 6.9% |
| 2017 | 2.23 billion | 160 million | ↑ 7.37% |
| 2018 | 2.49 billion | 160 million | ↑ 6.87% |
| 2019 | 2.64 billion | 150 million | ↑ 6.02% |
| 2020 | 2.81 billion | 170 million | ↑ 6.44% |
| 2021 | 2.96 billion | 150 million | ↑ 5.34% |
| 2022 | 3.09 billion | 130 million | ↑ 4.39% |
| 2023 | 3.22 billion | 130 million | ↑ 4.21% |
| 2024 | 3.32 billion | 100 million | ↑ 3.11% |
The US has more than three times the number of active e-sports competition players than any other country.
This is unsurprising, given that the US video gaming business is projected to be worth $90 billion. The US also has the same number of active e-sports players as the top five countries combined.
Gamer Number Statistics Around Major Countries in The World
More than twice as many people in Asia play video games as in any other area (1.48 billion). Asia has 1.42 billion active gamers, more than Europe, Latin America, and North America.
Look at this regional breakdown for details:
| Region | Number of Gamers |
| Asia | 1.48 billion |
| Europe | 715 million |
| Latin America | 420 million |
| North America | 285 million |
| MENA | 168 million |
| Sub-Saharan Africa | 144 million |
| Oceania | 32 million |
There are many reasons why gamers get into the immersive world of gaming. Aside from the million-dollar grand prizes for professional gamers, gaming also has many advantages for regular players.
While it does have a reputation for being an unhealthy lifestyle if kept uncontrolled, it also has benefits like better coordination, concentration, and problem-solving skills.
| 🎉 Fun Fact: As an unexpected result of COVID locking everyone in their homes, the gaming industry flourished. After reaching a compound annual growth rate of 8.9%, this profitable sector is expected to reach $545.98 billion by 2028. |
Professional Gamer Demographic Statistics
The prize pool of e-sports has grown significantly over the years, along with its popularity. 2021 the e-sports world reached an all-time high when Dota 2 esports tourney, The International 2021, announced its $40 million prize pool.
Team Liquid, an Eastern European team, won The International 2021’s legendary championship.
As underdogs, the team pulled one of the biggest upsets in e-sports history by beating the crowd’s favorite PSG.LSD. They went home with $18,208,300.
Now, more and more gaming organizations have popped up all over the world, raking in multimillion-dollar prize pools and brand deals, such as:
- OpTic Gaming
- Faxe Clan
- Team Liquid
- Fnatic
- 100 thieves
Check out how many professional e-sports players there are per country:
| Country | E-sports Players |
| The US | 4,550 |
| Brazil | 1,387 |
| China | 1,553 |
| South Korea | 1,064 |
| Russia | 1,059 |
| France | 1,057 |
| Germany | 1,047 |
| UK | 932 |
| Japan | 864 |
| Thailand | 827 |
1. The percentage of the population who play video games is highest in Japan (58%) and the United Kingdom (58%).
In 2027, the UK will have the most significant video gamer population. Take a look at the seven countries with the highest gaming penetration rates.
(Statista)
| Country | 2017 | 2022 | 2027 |
| Japan | 53% | 58% | 67% |
| UK | 50% | 58% | 70% |
| Sweden | 47% | 51% | 64% |
| South Korea | 45 | 57% | 64% |
| France | 43% | – | – |
| Mexico | – | 53% | – |
| Nigeria | – | – | 63% |
2. The number of Chinese video game players exceeds 666 million
(Statista)
China’s video game market is expected to double in size between 2010 and 2020, making it the largest market in the world.
Over 532 million Chinese adults report participating in some form of online gaming every day.
3. Most millennial gamers (56%) prefer playing on a personal computer.
(Statista)
Over half of all three generations of gamers play games on personal computers.
Surprisingly, those ages 10 to 22 make up a sizable portion of PC gamers, as it is commonly assumed that this age group plays video games almost exclusively on mobile devices.
That’s not exactly a shocker, considering that games account for 43% of all smartphone use.
4. Approximately 70% of spectators in e-sports are male.
(Dept)
Despite the nearly equal number of female and male gamers, most e-sports viewers are men. However, this perception of e-sports as a “boy’s world” is slowly shifting. In 2016, more than 80% of e-sports viewers were men.
5. By 2023, 15.5% of all US internet users are expected to have watched an e-sports stream.
(Statista)
In the US, Overwatch, League of Legends, DOTA2, and other major tournaments are held in this country. Analysts believe that e-sports will soon become the next big thing in the US, even though the Asia-Pacific region is the largest market of the e-sports industry.
| 🎉 Fun Fact: Twitch is currently the biggest streaming platform on the market for games. It was estimated to have increased the gaming industry’s total revenue by $50 million. If you want to be the next Twitch star, check out our beginner-friendly streaming guide to kickstart your streaming career. |
Statistics on the Global Gamer Community
There are roughly 1.7 billion male players worldwide. In the US, male players make up the bulk of gamers, around 55%.
Let’s look at more statistics and data on the global gamer community:
6. 75% of American homes have at least one gamer resident.
(Entertainment Software Association)
Playing video games is a popular pastime and activity in the U.S. According to studies, gamers in American households are likely to play a handheld gaming device, home console, or computer.
7. Over half of American parents engage their kids in video gaming.
(Entertainment Software Association)
The generation that grew up playing video games is now the parenting generation in the US, helping to improve the general public’s perception of the medium.
75% of parents surveyed think video games are instructive. In comparison, 66% say that game night is a terrific way to spend quality time as a family.
8. In the UK, personal computers account for about 25% of all players.
(Statista)
About 10.4 million individuals play video games on a personal computer in the UK. Until GPU costs come down, this gaming subsector is expected to expand, but fortunately, there are optimization tools to help.
Although there are currently difficulties in acquiring PC components, the popularity of PC gaming continues to grow. Experts estimate that by half a quarter of 2023, there will be more than 1.8 billion PC gamers worldwide.
Final Words
The gaming business has grown significantly over the years, with the number of gamers expected to reach 3.09 billion by 2023. With more active e-sports competition participants than any other country, the US has emerged as a significant player in the e-sports sector.
Gaming has become an essential aspect of culture and economy, with the sector expected to be valued at more than $268 billion in 2025 and giving rise to a new generation of gamers.
FAQs
Why is gaming popular?
Gaming doesn’t involve physical activity; therefore, its popularity increased during the pandemic.
Does gaming improve your brain?
The researchers found that gaming can improve brain activity in specific ways. Games that include puzzles and strategies help exercise the brain.
Who is the top gamer in Asia?
Everyone enjoys seeing Syafiq Aiman play video games. He has millions of subscribers on YouTube thanks to his inventive gaming talents, which he uses to entertain his audience.
Sources
Timeline Of The Article
By Harsha Kiran
Harsha Kiran is the founder and innovator of Techjury.net. He started it as a personal passion project in 2019 to share expertise in internet marketing and experiences with gadgets and it soon turned into a full-scale tech blog with specialization in security, privacy, web dev, and cloud computing.