The global gaming industry continues to grow, with an estimated 3.41 billion active gamers in 2025. This means that 42% of the world’s population and 61% of internet users regularly play video games. While the growth rate has slowed in recent years, gaming remains one of the most popular forms of entertainment across all regions, age groups, and platforms.
If you are a marketer, researcher, or industry professional, this data offers valuable insights into how the gaming audience is evolving and where future opportunities may lie.
Key Highlights From The Post
- In 2025, there are 3.41 billion active gamers worldwide, which is 42% of the global population.
- Asia has the largest gaming population with 1.57 billion players.
- Mobile gaming is the most popular platform, with 79% of gamers playing on smartphones.
- Women now make up 46% of the global gaming community, showing steady progress toward closing the gender gap.
- The Philippines has the highest gaming penetration in the world, with 96.6% of internet users playing video games.
Number Of Active Gamers Globally
As of 2025, there are 3.41 billion active video gamers globally, which is equivalent to 42% of the world’s population and 61% of the internet population.
Although the number of active video gamers has been increasing over the years, the rate of growth is slowing down. Between 2015 and 2016, the gaming population grew by nearly 7%, but by 2023 to 2024, the growth rate had slowed to around 3%.
| Year | Number Of Gamers Globally | Change From the Previous Year |
| 2015 | 2.03 billion | +6.8% |
| 2016 | 2.17 billion | +6.9% |
| 2017 | 2.33 billion | +7.4% |
| 2018 | 2.49 billion | +6.9% |
| 2019 | 2.64 billion | +6.0% |
| 2020 | 2.81 billion | +6.4% |
| 2021 | 2.96 billion | +5.3% |
| 2022 | 3.09 billion | +4.4% |
| 2023 | 3.22 billion | +4.2% |
| 2024 | 3.32 billion | +3.1% |
| 2025 | 3.41 billion | +2.7% |
One key reason for the slowdown in growth is that the global gaming market is reaching a point of saturation. Most people who are interested in gaming and have access to the internet and devices are already part of the gaming community. In many regions, especially developed countries, almost everyone who wants to play video games is already doing so.
However, even though growth is slowing, the number of gamers keeps rising as existing players continue to stay engaged. Gaming has become a regular form of entertainment for billions.
Number Of Active Gamers By World Regions
There are 1.57 billion gamers in Asia, making it the region with the most gamers globally. This means the region has 46% of the world’s active gamer count, with China and South Korea being the biggest markets in the region.
Europe ranks second with 757 million gamers, followed by Latin America in third place with 445 million gamers.
Oceania has the least number of active gamers, with a count of 34 million.
| World Region | Number Of Gamers |
| Asia | 1.57 billion |
| Europe | 757 million |
| Latin America | 445 million |
| North America | 302 million |
| Middle East and North Africa | 178 million |
| Sub-Saharan Africa | 152 million |
| Oceania | 34 million |
Number Of Gamers By Platform
Mobile gaming remains the most popular way to play, with 79% of total players using mobile devices. Console gaming accounts for 41% of gamers, while PC gaming is close behind at 43%.
Looking at platform overlap, 35% of gamers play only on mobile. Smaller groups stick to a single platform, with 9% playing only on console and 8% only on PC. Around 16% of gamers use both mobile and PC, while 13% use mobile and console. A smaller 4% play on both console and PC. Notably, 15% of gamers play across all three platforms.
In total, 52% of gamers play on just one platform, 32% use two platforms, and 15% are active on all three.
Source: NewZoo Global Gamer Study.
Gender Split of Gamers
Around 46% of gamers worldwide are female, which comes to about 1.56 billion players. In comparison, there are roughly 1.80 billion male gamers. 1% of gamers do not associate themselves with either gender, falling into the nonbinary section, which accounts for 34 million.
While men still make up the majority, the gap between male and female gamers has narrowed a lot over the past decade or two.
| Gender | Share Of Gamers | Number Of Gamers |
| Male | 53% | 1.80 billion |
| Female | 46% | 1.56 billion |
| Non Binary | 1% | 34 million |
Smartphones have been key to increasing female participation, as studies show women are more active in casual and social gaming, which dominate the mobile space. In addition, esports and streaming have also seen rising female engagement. Data from Interpret suggests that women now make up about 35% of esports viewership globally, up from just 23% five years ago. This shows not only growing participation but also stronger engagement with competitive gaming ecosystems.
Gamer’s Gender Split by Platform
Women make up a slightly larger share of single-platform players, accounting for 50%, while men make up 49% of this group.
Men, however, are more likely to play across all three platforms. They represent 64% of multi-platform gamers, compared to 35% for women.
The study also shows that gaming is not just about playing. While 76% of people say they play games, 54% also watch gaming content like live streams, videos, or esports.
Source: NewZoo Global Gamer Study.
Ethnicity of Gamers In The United States
In the United States, the gaming population reflects the country’s racial diversity. White players make up the largest group, accounting for 72% of all gamers. Hispanic gamers represent 10%, while Black gamers make up 8%. Asian and Pacific Islander players account for 6% of the gaming population.
Source: Entertainment Software Association.
Age of Gamers In The United States
Gen Z, aged between 11 and 26, makes up the largest share of gamers, accounting for 28% of the total gaming population. Millennials, who are between 27 and 42 years old, follow closely with 25%.
Gen X, aged 43 to 58, and Boomers, aged 59 to 77, each represent 18% of gamers, showing that gaming remains popular across older generations as well. Gen Alpha, made up of children aged 5 to 10, accounts for 10%, while the Silent Generation, aged 78 to 90, makes up just 1%.
| Generation | Age Group | Share of Gamers |
| Gen Alpha | Ages 5 to 10 | 10% |
| Gen Z | Ages 11 to 26 | 28% |
| Millennials | Ages 27 to 42 | 25% |
| Gen X | Ages 43 to 58 | 18% |
| Boomers | Ages 59 to 77 | 18% |
| Silent Generation | Ages 78 to 90 | 1% |
Source: GamesBeat.
Gaming Penetration Among World Regions
More than 60% of internet users worldwide play games on a smartphone, console, or computer. The Philippines leads the world in gaming penetration, with 96.6% of internet users playing games. Indonesia follows closely with 94.8%, and Vietnam ranks third with 93.1%.
The global average for gaming penetration stands at 81.9%.
| Country | Gaming Penetration (%) |
| Philippines | 96.6% |
| Indonesia | 94.8% |
| Vietnam | 93.1% |
| Thailand | 93.0% |
| Turkey | 92.3% |
| India | 91.9% |
| Mexico | 91.3% |
| Taiwan | 91.6% |
| Saudi Arabia | 90.1% |
| South Africa | 89.7% |
| Brazil | 88.4% |
| UAE | 88.2% |
| Chile | 87.6% |
| Malaysia | 87.4% |
| Greece | 86.3% |
| Colombia | 84.8% |
| Portugal | 84.7% |
| Egypt | 83.4% |
| Romania | 83.3% |
| Hong Kong | 83.1% |
| United States | 82.9% |
Source: Statista.