August 2026 Newsletter – The Entertainment Value of Video Games

Video game players may not be who you think, according to the 2026 report from The Entertainment Software Association. They may be your grandmother, your sister, your dad … or anyone!

While over 80% of Gen Alpha (ages 5-13) and Gen Z (14-29) play video games, a majority of adults are playing as well. Over 7 in 10 Millennials (ages 30-45), 56% of Gen X (45-61) and half of Baby Boomers (62-80) say they play weekly. Even 32% of the Silent Generation (ages 81-90) are joining in on the fun. To put this further into perspective, half of all people who play video games in the U.S. are 35 or older. Americans also find that video games offer tremendous entertainment value and they deliver the most value for their money compared to streaming services.

And, contrary to popular belief, playing video games is split fairly equally between men and women, with 53% of men and 46% of women actively playing.

Americans seem to feel overwhelmingly positive about video games. Most adults, including those who don’t play video games regularly, recognize the positive benefits that video games provide, including: fun (85%), joy (81%), stress relief (78%), and mental stimulation (79%). Younger players (Gen Z) especially believe video games offer a great way to bring people together (88%) and build relationships .

Overall, most adults agree that playing video games helps develop problem-solving skills (76%) and teamwork/collaboration (67%), plus adaptability and resilience (58%) and communication skills (52%). Americans also find that video games offer tremendous entertainment value.

Parents (81%) are getting in on the fun of games and making play time, family time.

Given the reality of who is enjoying video games in the U.S. today, it’s clear that many of the stereotypes around video game playing are outdated and look very different today.