Mobile games have become a more popular past time among the older generation in the US.

According to a new report by the AARP, 73 per cent of adults over the age of 50 who play games are doing so on mobile, compared to 57 per cent back in 2016.

Older PC gamers fell from 59 per cent in 2016 to 47 per cent in 2019, while only 13 per cent of older games chose to play on a home console.

Last year, 44 per cent more people aged 50 and over play games at least once a month. In 2016, 38 per cent of people from that age group admitted to playing games.

Between 2016 and 2019, the amount of older players has increased from 40.2 million to 50.6 million. On top of the increased number of people playing games, there has been an increase in the amount of money those over 50 spend on games.

Show me the money

In six months last year - between January and June - the older generation are projected to have spent $3.5 billion, an increase from the $523 million generated in 2016.

On average, individuals spend around $70 on the hobby, with more than half of that spent on games, virtual items, and in-game customisation.

Women have continued to be more likely than men to play games on a daily basis. In 2019 men were 39 per cent likely to game daily, while 53 per cent women would play games every day. Overall, 49 per cent of women aged 50-to-59 claim to be gamers, while only 40 per cent of men in that age group claim the same thing.