The Entertainment Software Association provides advice for parents and caregivers so they can feel confident gifting video games this holiday season.
WASHINGTON, Nov. 12, 2024 – The Entertainment Software Association (ESA) surveyed U.S. kids (ages 10-17) to find out what they will be asking for this holiday season, revealing that video game related-gifts are at the top of kids’ wish lists – 76% of kids are asking their parents or caregiver for video games. Trailing behind video game-related gifts are requests for money/gift cards (67%), clothes/accessories (66%) and electronics/tech items, such as phones and smartwatches (62%).
The majority of both girls (67%) and boys (85%) plan to ask for video game gifts this holiday season. These figures track closely with the demographic data shared in ESA’s 2024 Essential Facts About the U.S. Video Game Industry report – 68% of Gen Z girls and 82% of Gen Z boys say they play video games weekly.
The top five specific video game-related requests for children are for video game consoles (47%), game subscription services (43%), console games (41%), video game gear (41%) and in-game currency (38%). And it appears that America’s kids will be happy when they unwrap their presents – U.S. adults who are planning on purchasing video game gifts this year say they plan to spend $312 on average for themselves or others this holiday season.
“Video games and video game technology have evolved quite a bit since today’s parents were kids themselves, but the fun and joy created by gameplay for families remains the same,” said Stanley Pierre-Louis, president and CEO, Entertainment Software Association. “Parents see video games as more than simply a gift. With 83% of U.S. parents who play saying they play video games with their kids, games serve as a powerful tool for families to connect with one another, especially during the holidays.”
As parents look to give their kids the joy of video gameplay this holiday season, it’s important for them to learn about the tools available to them, and the steps the video game industry has taken to foster safe and responsible gameplay. ESA encourages parents and caregivers to ask themselves three important questions before they purchase video game gifts for their kids.
- Did I check the age rating and is it appropriate for my family? The Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) assigns age and content ratings to video games and mobile apps to help parents decide which are appropriate for their kids. Parents have the key information they need with ESRB’s three-part rating system, consisting of:
- Rating Categories – Suggest age appropriateness. Ratings include E for Everyone, E10+ for ages 10 and older, T for Teen, M for Mature for ages 17 and older or AO for Adults Only.
- Content Descriptors – Highlight the content that led to the assigned age rating. ESRB has more than 30 Content Descriptors to let parents know when a video game contains language, humor, violence and more.
- Interactive Elements – Provide upfront notice about interactive features that may be important to parents. For example, the In-Game Purchases label lets parents know when a game offers the ability to spend money for additional in-game content; Users Interact lets parents know when a game allows user-to-user communication.
ESRB rating information is located on the front and back of all video game boxes and on product detail pages before purchase or download on digital storefronts. Parents can also look up rating information by conducting a search using a game’s title on ESRB.org and the ESRB mobile app. Search results include Rating Summaries that provide more detailed information about the content of a game and the context in which it is experienced by the player (rating summaries are only available for physical games sold in stores).
- Have I set up parental controls on my game device? Tools exist on virtually all game devices to help parents, caregivers and individual players easily and efficiently manage the gameplay experience for their family. Parents can set up parental controls for their home, giving kids permission to experience games in a way that makes the most sense for them. Parental controls can include:
- Filtering games by ESRB age rating
- Managing time spent playing games
- Controlling – or preventing – spending
- Limiting – or blocking – communication with other players
- PIN and password settings to prevent unwanted changes
- Regular playtime reports
- Have I had a conversation with my child(ren) about playing online with other people? Video games are a positive and meaningful outlet for billions of players worldwide. Establish and communicate clear household rules around time limits (time of day and duration of play), types of games allowed and when it’s appropriate to spend money – and then set up parental controls around these rules.
“Start a conversation with your kids about how to play responsibly,” said Alanna Powers, Research and Program Specialist, Family Online Safety Institute (FOSI). “You can check out FOSI’s Unlocking Video Games resource and Safer Gaming Guide for tips on how to initiate this conversation. I encourage parents to play games with their children to learn about their interests. When parents give their child a video game related gift for the holidays, they may also be giving the gift of family bonding. Check out our FOSI Holiday Gift Guide: Tech Edition for more tips on digital parenting during the holidays.”
Games increasingly allow interaction with others online. Decide if family members should be able to interact with other players and, if so, with whom. Parents can activate parental controls to block online communications. In some cases, parents can curate their kids’ friends list to only allow communications with people they know in real life. If children are allowed to interact with others online, remember to discuss appropriate behavior, including treating other players kindly and respectfully, and have conversations with children about interacting with strangers online. If allowed to talk to strangers, make sure children understand what to do if they encounter another player behaving inappropriately. Remember: kids can always mute, block and report a player, and if they’re unsure about someone’s actions, they should talk to an adult they trust for advice.
To learn more about nurturing an ongoing conversation around video games in your home, visit ESRB’s Family Gaming Guide and follow the ESRB blog. Explore this advice and the data at TheESA.com/holidayguide. Steps the video game industry is taking to help protect its player community can be found on the ESA website.
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About the ESA
Founded in 1994, the Entertainment Software Association (ESA) has served as the voice and advocate for the U.S. video game industry for more than 30 years. Its members are the innovators, creators, publishers and business leaders that are reimagining entertainment and transforming how we interact, learn, connect and play. The ESA works to expand and protect the dynamic marketplace for video games through innovative and engaging initiatives that showcase the positive impact of video games on people, culture and the economy to secure a vibrant future for the industry for decades to come. For more information, visit the ESA’s website or follow the ESA on X @theESA or Instagram @theesaofficial.
About the Survey MethodologyThese are some of the findings of an Ipsos poll conducted between September 25-October 4th, 2024, on behalf of the Entertainment Software Association. For this survey, a sample of 505 adults ages 18-65 and a sample of 501 children ages 10-17 (recruited through their parents) from the continental U.S., Alaska, and Hawaii was interviewed online in English. The survey sample was designed to be nationally representative using quotas for age, gender and region, with targets from the U.S. Census. Statistical margins of error are not applicable to online non-probability polls. All sample surveys and polls may be subject to other sources of error, including but not limited to coverage error and measurement error. Where figures do not sum to 100, this is due to the effects of rounding. The precision of Ipsos online polls is measured using a credibility interval. In this case, the poll has a credibility interval of plus or minus 6.2 percentage points for both adults and children surveyed.
