Educational Games Research

ESA Survey: Male/Female Gamer Ratio is 60/40; Average Age is 35

A new survey by Ipsos MediaCT for the Entertainment Software Association (ESA) indicates 40% of gamers are female and the average age of gamers is 35. Other findings:

- 65% of US households play videogames

- 38% of US households own a console

- Women over 18 make up a larger percentage of gamers than boys under 17 (33% to 18%)

The new 2008 “Essential Facts” booklet by the ESA is available in PDF format here.

References:
Heflinger, M. (2008, July 17). Survey: Average U.S. gamer age is 35; 40% are women. [Online]. Available: http://www.dmwmedia.com/news/2008/07/17/survey:-
average-u.s.-gamer-age-35%3B-40%25-are-women

Update:
Click here for info on new games designed for female players and how software companies are tackling this emerging market.

Tags: Entertainment Software Association, ESA, female gamers, Ipsos MediaCT, video game statistics

Gaming Statistics, Gender Studies, Research, Surveys, Video Game Research | John Rice | July 23, 2008 7:24 pm

17 Comments

By James, September 27, 2008 @ 2:48 pm

Don’t you mean 40% of all gamers are “Supposedly” females?
By Really, August 13, 2009 @ 10:28 am

Really? I don’t buy it.
I play on Xbox LIVE every day, several hours a day, and from what I’ve seen, average gamer age is about 15.
Male/female distribution is more like 90/10.

The other thing… I didn’t get this survey, nor did anyone I know. I also posted this link in several gaming forums, where hundreds of people replied, no one ever filled out any gaming survey. So who was surveyed? Obviously not hardcore gamers. Did the surveyors go and sit at a mall and survey all the parents buying their kids games?

I call utter BS on your numbers.
By John Rice, August 13, 2009 @ 11:03 am

@Really: Ipsos MediaCT’s numbers, not mine. Representative sampling and statistical extrapolation probably accounts for why you and your friends were never surveyed.

Your screed reminds me of the anecdote following a presidential election, when someone said, “I don’t know how he won. Nobody I know voted for him.”
By DK, August 31, 2009 @ 12:45 pm

@really Of course you’re seeing 90/10. Do you think in an environment where female players are virtually gang banged, sexually harassed, and bombarded with racist and homophobic slurs that they’d reveal themselves? I play Xbox Live every day too and you’d never recognize me as a 28 year old female because I will never let you know.
By Reality, September 28, 2009 @ 3:42 am

come on people, taking this a little to far. No Questionire will be accurate as if you question 100 people, the chances of finding any gamers willing to want to do a questionaire will be dramaticlly low. so this website is wrong, also the boy “Really” is wrong and “DK” is very wrong. the fact that she has brought up the fact of race and gender into this conversation is lame.

There is a higher propotion of male gamers. No debate
In this case the facts are wrong.
But dont whine about it.

Its just gaming

Reality
By John Rice, September 28, 2009 @ 7:06 am

No one denies there are more male players. But 40% female seems a reasonable number, based on current research from respectable firms. This is across all game types, not just the “hardcore” latest titles.
By NC, September 30, 2009 @ 4:07 pm

@reality.
“…“DK” is very wrong. the fact that she has brought up the fact of race and gender into this conversation is lame.”

Wait, correct me if I’m wrong, but I clearly see gender being displayed in this survey’s heading so I don’t see anything deemable as “lame” in DK’s comment as far as mentioning gender goes. And she’s not wrong either. Just because you haven’t experienced harassment playing games online soley based on your gender doesn’t mean SHE hasn’t. Women DO have terrible online game-playing experiences because of those immature male gamers who end up trolling them and asking for sexual favors. It happens whether or not you notice or acknowledge it. DK’s not wrong at all. Majority of female gamers will never admit to being female gamers…it’s common knowledge.
By DK, October 1, 2009 @ 10:11 am

It has everything to do with race and gender. Why wouldn’t I bring it up? Try turning your headset on and let me know what you hear.
By Concerned Gamer, December 3, 2009 @ 3:20 pm

I completely agree with DK i am a male age 20 and my girlfriend used to play on my account so i decided to get her one. on my account she didnt hear any insults when she would have a good game, on her own account she is usually called a fat lesbian or some kind of variation. If you dont believe its true go out and spend the 10 bucks on a new xbl account or create a new PS3 account that is a girls name and just listen to what people say. As for 40% of women playing games, its feasible, just because men dont hear women play doesnt mean they arent playing. And as one male gamer speaking to all other male gamers, dont give a girl crap for playing a game. Swallow your pride when you lose and just say good game
By for real, December 9, 2009 @ 9:58 pm

keep in mind this is educational video games not fun ones normal people play
By John Rice, December 12, 2009 @ 2:09 pm

LOL. No, this is all gamers. 60/40 is a reasonable estimate of female players. Yes, even for the fun games.
By chingy, January 23, 2010 @ 7:42 am

It says 40% of gamers are females which is easy to say since in a survey like this you can say “I play tetris” and be considered a “gamer” To prove my point it also says 44% of online “gamers” are female and goes on to list that 47% of online gamers are puzzles/boardgame/etc 14% are games like bejwelled. Now i don’t know about you, but i don’t consider playing those games makes someone a “gamer”.
By George, January 23, 2010 @ 5:54 pm

‘Really’, I play on XBox Live also, and what you’re saying is: “. . .from what I’ve seen, average gamer age is about 15.
Male/female distribution is more like 90/10.”

That is only relevant to what you have seen on Xbox Live, which is merely a wing in the vast library of gaming.
By Kostenlos Wahrsagen, February 22, 2010 @ 12:34 pm

Seems like you are a real expert. Did ya study about the matter? haha..
By Halo Gamer, March 1, 2010 @ 9:42 pm

I find these statistics very believable. Surveys are nameless, so, coworkers that before would never have admitted to gaming can do so safely within a survey. Thus, more women are shown, and older men admit to things. The reason people on Halo servers tend to believe more kids are online than 35+ adults is because the majority of kids use headsets because they feel “cooler.” Gender is also exploited. Being a woman, I tend not to play Halo by myself, I have a group of guy friends that go in with me and shout at any jerk that comes after my female status. Although, I have found that I am discriminated against more so before they find out I am a girl. This is a direct result of my high voice. I am assumed to be a hated fifteen yearold player, and cursed off the court till I end up screaming, “I’M A CHICK!” Then there’s an unavoidable, “Oooh, so that’s why you suck.” Hahah, forget feminists, I would rather be treated with respect then equality.