In celebration of Video Games Day 2019, here’s 24 fun facts about our industry that might surprise you:
#1. Video game history goes back as far as the 1950s, when computer scientists started designing simple games and simulations for fun.
#2. Video games didn’t become popular with the mainstream until the 1970s and 1980s. Pong, released in 1972, was the first commercially successful video game.
#3. The first generation of video game consoles started with the 1972 Magnavox Odyssey and lasted approximately 12 years.
#4. The ESA Foundation has provided over 350 scholarships to women and minority students pursuing video game and science-related degrees.
#5. 38% of adults aged 50+ are gamers.
#6. 90% of parents pay attention to the games their child plays. 77% regularly use the ESRB ratings.
#7. 57% of parents play games with their child at least once a week.
#8. Of the 2,768 games assigned ratings by the ESRB in 2018, most games (42%) were rated E for everyone.
#9. The U.S. video game industry generated a record-high of $43.4 billion dollars in revenue in 2018.
#10. The U.S. video game industry employs more than 220,000 people across all 50 states.
#11. 65% of American adults play video games.
#12. 75% of Americans have at least one gamer in their household.
#13. The average age of a gamer is 33 years old.
#14. 46% of gamers are female.
#15. Video game players are more likely to have a creative hobby, meditate, and play a musical instrument than the average American.
#16. Three-dimensional video games can boost the formation of memories substantially.
#17. According to a Harvard study, kids who play sports games are frequently motivated to take up athletics in real life.
#18. Playing action-oriented games gives players better vision, better attention and better cognition.
#19. Girls who play video games are three times more likely to study STEM degrees.
#20. 59% of gamers are certain they will vote in the next presidential election.
#21. 78% of video game players report that video games provide them with relaxation and stress relief.
#22. By some estimates, global esports revenues will hit $1.1 billion USD in 2019. Esports audiences are expected to grow to 454 million.
#23. Over $16 million in esports college scholarships have been awarded since 2016.
#24. The prize pool for The International 9, the largest Dota 2 tournament of the year, exceeded $34 million. The winning team took home over $15 million.
