A new study by ISFE has delved into the mobile gaming industry in Europe, showing that 52 per cent of the continent’s population between 6 and 64 play games.

The median age of gamers in Europe is 31.3, with 76 per cent of players being over the age of 18. Gamers in every age demographic are playing more games than they were in 2020. In part, this is likely to be the result of the pandemic, as people sought out new forms of entertainment.

Of respondents to the study, players in the 45-64 age group made up 24 per cent, making them the largest demographic. This was followed by the 15-22 bracket (22 per cent), while players aged 35-44 per cent made up 16 per cent, making them the smallest group.

In contrast, only 35 per cent of people aged 45-64 play games – an increase of 4 per cent compared to 2020, making it the group with the smallest number of active players. 80 per cent of people aged 11-14, making it the demographic where gaming is the most popular – an increase of 1 per cent compared to 2020.

Mobile continues its dominance

Mobile is the most popular platform, with 63 per cent of respondents gaming on their smartphones or tablets. This is followed by consoles at 54 per cent, and PC at 52 per cent.

Approximately 47.8 per cent of European gamers are women, with a median age of 32. Female gamers make up 52.8 per cent of smartphone gamers, singling them out, albeit narrowly, as the primary consumer of mobile games in Europe.

Interestingly, the study shows that girls who play video games are three times more likely to pursue STEM careers than girls who don’t.

78 per cent of gamers play for at least one hour every week. On average, players spend 9 hours a week playing video games.

Brain/Puzzle games are the most popular genre across both genders, accounting for 20 per cent of male players and 26 per cent of female players. This was followed by trivia (12 per cent and 16 per cent) and word games (11 per cent and 16 per cent).

Apps made up 45 per cent of gaming revenue for the year, a 45 per cent increase from 2020. Online revenue came to 36 per cent, a decrease of four per cent year-on-year, while physical revenue fell 1 per cent to 19 per cent.

The market share of mobile platforms is in line with other studies, with one study, in particular, claiming that mobile revenue is set to exceed 50 per cent of all gaming revenue in 2022.