Americans aged 50 and over now account for 29% of US video game players, against 21% aged under 18. This page sets out verified older gamer demographics for the United States, 21 countries, Canada, Australia and the United Kingdom, covering participation rates, gender, motivation, genre choice and on-screen representation. Every figure names what it measures and the period it covers.
Older Gamer Demographics
Older Gamer Demographics In The US
The ESA’s 2026 Essential Facts report places players aged 50 and over at 29% of the US player base, level with the 18-34 band and eight points above the under-18 share.
YouGov fielded the survey from 11 to 25 February 2026 among 13,545 respondents, 9,932 of whom qualified as players by spending at least one hour a week on a smartphone, tablet, PC, console or VR headset. Those five devices sit inside one headline number, which hides the platform split covered in these mobile and console player comparisons.
212.3 million Americans aged 5 to 90 clear that bar, up 3% on the 2025 report. The average player age is 37.
| Age band | Share of US players |
|---|---|
| Under 18 | 21% |
| 18–34 | 29% |
| 35–49 | 20% |
| 50+ | 29% |
Source: Entertainment Software Association, 2026 Essential Facts About the U.S. Video Game Industry, among total players ages 5–90, surveyed 11–25 February 2026. Shares are rounded and total 99.
Weekly play rates by generation
Participation falls 15 points between Millennials and Gen X, then six more between Gen X and Boomers. It does not collapse: 32% of the Silent Generation, aged 81 to 90, still play weekly.
| Generation | Age range | Play 1+ hours weekly |
|---|---|---|
| Millennials | 30–45 | 71% |
| Gen X | 46–61 | 56% |
| Boomers | 62–80 | 50% |
| Silent | 81–90 | 32% |
Source: Entertainment Software Association, 2026 Essential Facts, percentage of Americans who play video games one or more hours per week on any platform, surveyed February 2026.
Older Gamer Demographics By Gender
Boomers are the only generation in which more women play than men. Across all US players the split runs 53% male and 46% female.
| Generation | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| Gen X (46–61) | 58% | 54% |
| Boomers (62–80) | 47% | 52% |
| Silent (81–90) | 35% | 30% |
Source: Entertainment Software Association, 2026 Essential Facts, percentage playing one or more hours per week within each generation and gender, surveyed February 2026.
Australia records the same reversal. Among players aged 65 and over, 53% are female and 47% male, per IGEA’s Australia Plays 2025 report.
Older Gamer Demographics Worldwide
Power of Play 2025 surveyed 24,216 active players aged 16 and over across 21 countries, with fieldwork by AudienceNet and a minimum of 1,000 players per country. Players aged 45 and over make up 38% of that sample, more than double the 14% aged 16 to 24.
One limit matters: the survey floor is 16, so children are excluded and the older shares would be smaller if under-16s were counted. Mobile is the favourite device for 55% of players, against 21% each for computers and consoles, so desktop play stays a minority of first choices worldwide, a pattern set out in these PC gaming market figures.
| Age band | Share of players |
|---|---|
| 16–24 | 14% |
| 25–34 | 26% |
| 35–44 | 23% |
| 45–54 | 16% |
| 55–64 | 12% |
| 65+ | 10% |
Source: Entertainment Software Association, Power of Play: 2025 Global Video Games Report, among 24,216 active players aged 16+ across 21 countries, published September 2025. Figures are rounded and total 101.
Older Gamer Demographics By Country
Canada splits its player base almost evenly across age. ESAC reports 35% of Canadian players aged 16 and over are 55 or older, drawn from 1,521 Canadian respondents in the Power of Play survey.
| Age band | Share of Canadian players |
|---|---|
| 16–34 | 27% |
| 35–54 | 37% |
| 55+ | 35% |
Source: Entertainment Software Association of Canada, Power of Play, among 1,521 Canadian active players aged 16+, released 8 October 2025. Figures are rounded and total 99.
Australia measures participation rather than player share. IGEA found 67% of Australians aged 65 and over play, and reported that more adults aged 85 and older play than children aged 1 to 4. Players aged 65 to 94 are 10% of all Australian players, a base that includes children.
Source: IGEA and Bond University, Australia Plays 2025, 1,241 households and 2,549 individuals, fielded May 2025, margin of error 2.7%.
In Great Britain, 36% of adults aged 75 and over played a video game on a console, computer, tablet or smartphone at least monthly in 2026, against 74% of 16-to-24s. Across all GB adults aged 16 and over the figure is 56%.
Source: Ofcom, Media Nations UK 2026, citing IPA TouchPoints SuperHub 2026, GB adults aged 16+, published 29 July 2026.
Why Do Older Adults Play Video Games?
Keeping the mind sharp rises from 15% among Gen Z to 60% among Boomers and the Silent Generation, a 45-point spread. Having fun runs the other way, down 16 points across the same range.
| Motivation | Gen Z | Millennials | Gen X | Boomers/Silent |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pass the time or relax | 60% | 62% | 71% | 74% |
| Have fun | 70% | 72% | 63% | 54% |
| Use my brain / keep my mind sharp | 15% | 24% | 40% | 60% |
Source: Entertainment Software Association, 2026 Essential Facts, motivations for playing among total players age 18+, surveyed February 2026. Respondents could give more than one answer, so columns do not total 100%.
The 21-country survey records the same ordering at global level, with 66% naming fun, 58% stress relief and 45% keeping the mind sharp, among players aged 16 and over.
What Games Do Older Gamers Play?
Puzzle titles top the list for US players aged 62 to 90 at 74%, fifteen points above the all-player figure of 59%. Skill and chance games follow at 53%. Action and shooter titles sit in single digits, well away from the young-skewing competitive scene described in these League of Legends player demographics.
| Genre | Boomers/Silent (62–90) | All players 8+ |
|---|---|---|
| Puzzle | 74% | 59% |
| Skill & Chance | 53% | 35% |
| Arcade & Other | 21% | 46% |
| Action | 10% | 43% |
| Shooter | 9% | 37% |
| Sports | 6% | 26% |
Source: Entertainment Software Association, 2026 Essential Facts, genres played regularly in the past year among total players age 8+, surveyed February 2026. Respondents could name more than one genre.
Australian players aged 65 and over rank board and card games first, then puzzle, sport, action/adventure and strategy, per IGEA. Preference for older and simpler formats also shapes the market covered in these online retro gaming statistics.
Competitive play rises with age in Australia
IGEA asked social players whether they prefer collaborative or competitive games. The preference for competition climbs steadily from 19% among under-18s to 45% among players aged 65 and over.
Source: IGEA and Bond University, Australia Plays 2025, multiplayer preferences among Australian players who play socially, fielded May 2025. Each age group totals 100%.
Older Gamer Demographics In Game Design
AARP ran a content analysis of the 49 bestselling 2023 titles on Steam, a platform whose catalogue and player base are covered in these Steam platform statistics. Just 7% of human and humanlike preset characters were aged 50-plus.
| Measure | Figure |
|---|---|
| Preset characters aged 50+ | 7% |
| Preset characters aged 20–49 | 55% |
| Older characters who are male | 94% |
| Older characters who are white | 67% |
| Games allowing visible ageing in customisation | 43% |
Source: AARP Research, Aging in Play: Representations of Age in Video Games, content analysis of 49 bestselling 2023 Steam titles, data collected 9 December 2024 to 31 January 2025, published March 2025.
A separate AARP survey of 1,005 US adults aged 40 and over who play at least monthly found 66% had experienced an age-related decline affecting play, and half hit at least one accessibility issue across technical, visual, auditory or cognitive categories. Three in four, 74%, said inclusive design should be a priority.
Source: AARP Research, Gaming for All, online survey of 1,005 US adults aged 40+, fielded 22–27 February 2024, unweighted.
AARP projects around 100 million US players aged 50 and up by 2045.
FAQs
What percentage of gamers are over 50?
29% of US video game players are aged 50 or older, per the ESA’s 2026 Essential Facts report surveyed in February 2026. Across 21 countries, 38% of players aged 16 and up are 45 or older.
Do more older adults play video games than children?
In the United States, yes. Players aged 50 and over are 29% of the player base against 21% under 18, an eight-point gap, based on ESA data collected in February 2026.
What games do older gamers play most?
Puzzle games. 74% of US players aged 62 to 90 played puzzle titles regularly in the past year, followed by skill and chance games at 53%, per the ESA’s 2026 survey.
Do Reddit threads reflect older gamer demographics?
No. Reddit discussions about older players are self-selected anecdotes, not measured samples. Use the ESA’s 2026 survey of 13,545 US respondents or the 21-country Power of Play survey of 24,216 players instead.
How many older gamers will there be by 2045?
AARP projects around 100 million US players aged 50 and up by 2045. That is AARP’s own projection, published in its March 2024 research on accessibility and older gamers.
Sources
https://www.theesa.com/resources/essential-facts-about-the-us-video-game-industry/2026-data/
https://www.theesa.com/resources/the-global-power-of-play-report/
https://igea.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/AP25-Report-28_08-WITH-LINKS.pdf
https://www.aarp.org/pri/topics/technology/internet-media-devices/gaming-age-representation/