Today's Gamers recently conducted a survey of over 13,000 internet users from the Netherlands, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, Belgium and the United States to see gaming trends across the various nations. According to their findings, a larger percentage of American respondents said they played video games of any kind: 87% of American males said they play games, versus 74% in the UK, 67% in Germany, and 66% in France. Not only are more Americans playing, they're spending much more time with games: the average American male spent 11.5 hours playing each week, versus 6.5 hours in the UK, 5.2 hours in Germany, and 7.1 hours in France. (Female respondents were less likely to game than males, but the ratios remain nearly identical.)
According to the survey, MMO games are vastly more popular in the US than in Europe, with 21% of respondents saying they play games in virtual worlds. In most other surveyed European nations, that rate is halved, at 10 or 11% percent, depending on the country.
While these numbers paint a very optimistic view of gaming as a whole, these results should -- as with all surveys -- be taken with a grain of salt. Considering internet access is a prerequisite for taking the survey, it excludes people most likely not to play video games. Regardless, the full report features a great deal of information ready for you graph-lovers to peruse through.
[Via IndustryGamers]
Reader Comments (55)
Posted: Oct 27th 2009 3:32AM senorwhoppy said
Scandinavia would've saved us. There's bugger all else to do up there :P
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Posted: Oct 27th 2009 3:36AM Baron Milton Von Crompton said
Here, down under, in Australia, we socialize more (not through gaming)...
Games are just a distraction to hold us out until the typical weekender comes along.
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Games are just a distraction to hold us out until the typical weekender comes along.
Posted: Oct 27th 2009 7:48AM AntiVillian said
Yes, I'm sure we socialize way more then people in other countries because you have traveled across the world and studied the social behaviors of their locals.
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Posted: Oct 27th 2009 3:38AM SpeeGold said
I wonder what type of games this includes. I know it's a pretty shitty stereotype, but 80% of the girls I know do not play console games. Do these games include random internet games and other stuff like that (like Farmville)?
EDIT: After typing my above comment I noticed the asterisk that said the stats were based on people who say they play "computer games." So I guess that could include anything (Farmville, flash games, etc.).
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EDIT: After typing my above comment I noticed the asterisk that said the stats were based on people who say they play "computer games." So I guess that could include anything (Farmville, flash games, etc.).
Posted: Oct 27th 2009 3:47AM Fullmetal Salchemist said
Americans play more games than Europeans?! This turns my entire world view on its head. Next you'll be telling me that water is wet and fire is hot. BALDERDASH, I SAY!
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Posted: Oct 27th 2009 4:12AM Spunky Monkey 190906 said
There are more female gaming nerds in America then there are male gaming nerds in the UK :D
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Posted: Oct 27th 2009 5:01AM RageOverdose said
Ugly? Some, but your comment is incorrect.
Although, considering the little disclaimer at the bottom, I doubt many of these females are "gaming nerds."
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Although, considering the little disclaimer at the bottom, I doubt many of these females are "gaming nerds."
Posted: Oct 27th 2009 5:01AM Spunky Monkey 190906 said
You telling me that that high number isn't made up of Megan Foxes? :O
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Posted: Oct 27th 2009 5:04AM RageOverdose said
You know, I noticed at the bottom that it states that all of the respondents confirmed that they play "computer games." My mom plays computer games, and would admit it, but she's no gamer. Take it as you will.
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Posted: Oct 27th 2009 5:13AM (Unverified) said
I think that what this survey implies is that probably more people in Europe do other things than gaming : wether it is working, studying, socializing or attending cultural events.
I'm French and from my experience the people I know play very little video game as opposed to going out with friends to bars, restaurants or expos.
The larger concentration of people living in city centers in Europe probably helps having a broader choice of activities outside of gaming.
Also Europeans do tend to spend their vacations away from home while I don't think it's the case for most Americans. Spending more time at home must somehow make you more enclined to play games on computer or home consoles.
Not facts just some hypothesis.
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I'm French and from my experience the people I know play very little video game as opposed to going out with friends to bars, restaurants or expos.
The larger concentration of people living in city centers in Europe probably helps having a broader choice of activities outside of gaming.
Also Europeans do tend to spend their vacations away from home while I don't think it's the case for most Americans. Spending more time at home must somehow make you more enclined to play games on computer or home consoles.
Not facts just some hypothesis.
Posted: Oct 27th 2009 5:49AM (Unverified) said
I'm wondering if these surveyors know that "Europe" is made up of more than 5 countries
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Posted: Oct 27th 2009 11:57AM Istari Spartan said
I dislike how the european flags seem to just copy each other and rotate the image 90 degrees. or swap the place of two colours. To this day i still have difficulty telling italy and ireland's flags apart.
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Posted: Oct 27th 2009 5:50AM JeezWhiz87 said
I wonder how many survey respondents heard about the survey through gaming blogs. That wouldn't skew the results AT ALL.
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Posted: Oct 27th 2009 6:32AM falcomadol said
Stands to reason. Less people play games when they're on vacation, and those Europeans..are ALWAYS on vacation.
Between that and the 35 hour workweek, it makes you want to learn German.
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Between that and the 35 hour workweek, it makes you want to learn German.
Posted: Oct 27th 2009 6:52AM (Unverified) said
Posted: Oct 27th 2009 6:35AM SecondTomorrow said
*looks down at gut* Yeah, statistic seems right.
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Posted: Oct 27th 2009 8:01AM Danthok said
Ok so let see ... US population is 304,059,724 as of July 2008. Now lets take the low female numbers of 80% at 8.7 hours/week.
That is 2,116,255,679.04 man hours/ week "wasted" on gaming in America alone. Just think if this time was utilized towards something more important.
Just for the record, I think this study is skewed severely in the choice of people polled. I think the number is much lower percentage wise.
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That is 2,116,255,679.04 man hours/ week "wasted" on gaming in America alone. Just think if this time was utilized towards something more important.
Just for the record, I think this study is skewed severely in the choice of people polled. I think the number is much lower percentage wise.
Posted: Oct 27th 2009 8:07AM Peter Moore said
You're on a gaming blog.
You have no right to talk about other people wasting time.
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You have no right to talk about other people wasting time.
Posted: Oct 27th 2009 8:37AM Danthok said
Notice the quotation marks around wasted.
Don't get me wrong I love gaming and I am on the high side of the America numbers with 12 -15 hours per week. Regardless of your stance it is a lot of resources that is allocated elsewhere could get a lot accomplished.
I'm sure the numbers for just TV watching are much higher both percentage and time/week.
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Don't get me wrong I love gaming and I am on the high side of the America numbers with 12 -15 hours per week. Regardless of your stance it is a lot of resources that is allocated elsewhere could get a lot accomplished.
I'm sure the numbers for just TV watching are much higher both percentage and time/week.
Posted: Oct 27th 2009 8:47AM Peter Moore said
Yeah, you put quotations around the word, but you then went on to continue with:
"That is 2,116,255,679.04 man hours/ week "wasted" on gaming in America alone. Just think if this time was utilized towards something more important."
Once again, you are on a gaming blog...
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"That is 2,116,255,679.04 man hours/ week "wasted" on gaming in America alone. Just think if this time was utilized towards something more important."
Once again, you are on a gaming blog...
Posted: Oct 27th 2009 10:01AM Danthok said
Thanks for pointing that out .... again.
I love video games, I have played them since I was 5 when NES entered my life and will continue playing them until my hands are crippled with arthritis. That being said I will probably in total spend about 5 years of my life playing a video game.
I do not consider them a waste of time, but also realize that they are only for entertainment purposes.
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I love video games, I have played them since I was 5 when NES entered my life and will continue playing them until my hands are crippled with arthritis. That being said I will probably in total spend about 5 years of my life playing a video game.
I do not consider them a waste of time, but also realize that they are only for entertainment purposes.
Posted: Oct 27th 2009 12:36PM Mr Numeros said
Check the fine print: respondents had to be 8 years or older and have internet access. Your numbers assume all of the USA meets these two criteria which is clearly wrong.
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Posted: Oct 27th 2009 8:34AM (Unverified) said
There is no way 80% of US girls play games unless its Sims or Facebook type games for time wasters. I'd like to see this survey broken down even more
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Posted: Oct 27th 2009 8:42AM (Unverified) said
Of course. Video games are still an incredible social taboo over here. Can't possibly admit in public to enjoying them lest one be labeled some kind of retarded manchild by equally ashamed people.
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Posted: Oct 27th 2009 8:53AM ChomskyKnows said
finally we lead in something other than war and illiteracy. why are asians (esp. japan) left out of the survey?
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Posted: Oct 27th 2009 9:23AM (Unverified) said
Noam does know! Don't forget #1 worst health care too!
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Posted: Oct 27th 2009 4:37PM Mopo said
That is because we all know that 100% of Koreans play Star Craft, so it is not necessary to poll them.
You forget we lead in obesity too... USA does not lead in war, not sure where you get that, but there are countries that have been fighting for years pretty much nonstop...
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You forget we lead in obesity too... USA does not lead in war, not sure where you get that, but there are countries that have been fighting for years pretty much nonstop...
Posted: Oct 27th 2009 4:26PM Mopo said
I think you misunderstood the article (maybe a language barrier?). It is not the type of games or quality of games we play, but the amount of time we play them. Yes, we like playing our lower quality games for longer periods of time!
I still can't believe they base this only on 13,000 Internet users across six countries, really?
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I still can't believe they base this only on 13,000 Internet users across six countries, really?
Posted: Oct 27th 2009 6:05PM GoonieGooGoo said
Then explain why GUITAR HERO 5 outsold ROCK BAND : BEATLES..........
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