Smartphones Drive Gaming Uptake Worldwide

Video games are not only popular among kids. Around the world, millions of adults play video games too, using gaming consoles, computers and – to an increasing extent – their mobile phones. Recently, gaming also grew in popularity when the coronavirus pandemic increased time spent at home.

According to Statista's Consumer Insights, the Philippines is the country with the highest number of adult gamers out of a sample of 27 nations. 94 percent of residents say they game at least occasionally, with many fans of mobile gaming among them. Mobile gaming - a huge growth market – has won over people not previously invested in the activity by giving them easy access at low or no initial cost.

This phenomenon has been even more pronounced in the developing world. Countries in the Global South – aided by their younger demographics – produce more gamers. Vietnam, Thailand and South Africa also saw 90 percent or more of the population say they game, while Indonesia and Mexico came close.

The United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia have an equally high number of gamers. Frequent gaming, however, was most widespread in the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany and most of all China, which famously cracked down on gaming among children and adolescents. Japan, a country traditionally associated with video games, had one of the lowest engagement rates for gaming among adults.

In the U.S., the highest number of adults reported gaming on consoles instead of on computers and mobile phones. Consoles are also popular in Mexico and Latin America, while in European countries, computer gaming is more popular than consoles in many places.