According to a report on a new study conducted by The Entertainment Software Association (ESA), Americans who play video games while commuting spend nearly one-third of their monthly travel time playing games.
The report, The Commuting Gamer: Gameplay On-the-Go, reveals that commuters typically play at least two different game genres during their commute, with puzzle, trivia and word games as the top choice (38 percent). Their game play habits also impact hardware purchases: 70 percent consider device support for game play to be extremely important when shopping for a new tablet or smartphone. The average game-playing commuter is 34 years old.
“Video games are a fixture in our daily lives. Everywhere you look – whether at home or on a bus, train or plane – Americans are playing games and sharing the fun with others,” said Michael D. Gallagher, president and CEO of ESA, the trade association that represents the U.S. video game industry. “Our industry leads the way in creating innovative entertainment, and remarkable advances in mobile technology enable people to enjoy their favorite games whenever and wherever they choose.”
Other notable findings include:
- Commuters use smartphones to play 80 percent of the time, nearly twice as much as tablets (43 percent), the next most used device.
- Commuting gamers spend an average of $32 each month on video game-related purchases; more than half pay for game upgrades and enhancements.
- Nearly all commuting gamers (95 percent) also play games when not commuting.
- Word of mouth, e.g., a recommendation from friends or family is the top source for games information (43 percent).
The NPD Group conducted the survey for ESA among a U.S. representative sample of 579 commuting gamers ages 18 and older. Respondents qualified as commuting gamers if they reported traveling for work, school, business or leisure at least one day per month and said they played video games while commuting.
SOURCE: ESA Press Release