A NATION AT PLAY: An estimated 155 million Americans--nearly half of the entire US population--play video games, according to the Entertainment Software Association's latest annual report on the gaming industry (PDF). Based on a survey of more than 4,000 US households, the study examines demographics of the "average" gamer and lists the most popular games (Call of Duty and The Sims 4) and genres (action and strategy of 2014. Overall, consumers spent over $22 billion on games, hardware and accessories last year.
The report also looks at family gaming habits, finding that "59 percent of parents whose children are gamers play computer and video games with their children at least weekly." Although 63 percent of parents say video games play a positive role in their child's life, "parents impose time usage limits on video games more than any other form of entertainment."
