Gaming Habits

From mobile apps to traditional consoles, gaming has seen a substantial spike in revenue and activity as a go-to source of entertainment during quarantine. New releases are becoming immediate blockbusters, with Nintendo’s Animal Crossing: New Horizons selling 13.4 million copies in its first six weeks of launch, prompting millions of consumers to purchase a Nintendo Switch to get in on the action. ESports and competitive gaming tournaments have also risen in popularity, allowing new gamers and longtime fans to socialize and stay connected with friends while confined to their homes.

To get a better understanding of shifts in gaming behavior across generations, we asked our audience whether they’ve started playing new games since the start of quarantine and which devices they’re using most often. While overall spending across categories may be down, we compare those who have purchased new games and devices during the pandemic versus those who opt to play free games. We also explore the amount of time spent playing games daily as well as the likelihood of continuing to play these games as states lift stay-at-home restrictions. 

June 9, 2020

Have you started playing new games on your phone or other device during quarantine?

46% of Americans have started playing new games on their phones and other devices while observing stay-at-home orders.

A bar graph showing what devices Americans started playing new games on during quarantine

Women are 31% more likely than men to have added new games to their phones during quarantine. Men are 60% more likely to have added new games to other devices.

Two circle charts comparing what devices women vs men are using to play new games

Did you begin playing games specifically in quarantine, or did you play before?

81% of Americans began playing new games specifically while in quarantine.

81% of Americans began playing a new game specifically while in quarantine while 19% played before

Number of new games played:

A circle graph showing the number of new games respondents are playing during quarantine

How many hours per day do you spend playing games?

Over half of Americans are spending more than one hour playing games each day.

A circle chart breaking down the number of hours Americans spend gaming during quarantine

60% of women are spending over one hour playing games daily, compared to 56% of men.

A bar chart comparing the number of hours men and women spend playing games per day

Have you purchased any new games or gaming devices during quarantine?

Circle graph showing if respondents have purchased new games or gaming devices during quarantine

64% of women only play free games. Men are far more likely to have purchased new games or gaming devices during quarantine than women.

Bar graph comparing the gaming habits of men and women during quarantine

How much money have you spent on games or gaming devices during quarantine?

44% of those purchasing new games or devices have spent under $20. 14% of Americans have spent over $100 on gaming equipment during quarantine.

A chart showing how much money respondents have spent on gaming during quarantine

50% of women have spent less than $20 on new games and devices during quarantine while 62% of men have spent over $20.

A bar graph comparing how much women vs men have spent on new games and devices

Do you think you’ll continue to play the same games once restrictions lift restrictions?

67% of Americans plan to continue playing the same games even after states begin to lift stay-at-home restrictions.

67% of Americans plan to continue playing the same games after states begin to lift restrictions

Compared to other generations, baby boomers are most likely to continue using the same games they started playing during quarantine.

Bar graph showing how many people who started gaming during quarantine will contine after it ends

Gaming Behavior During Quarantine - Generational Trends

See what other insights we've gathered to date

General Sentiment

See Results

FAQs

How is this data collected?

‘Fluent Pulse’ reflects a daily online survey collected across Fluent’s portfolio of owned & operated websites.

Who is the audience?

Fluent attracts a massive audience across its network of owned media properties. While all segments of the US population are represented, the below are our most prevalent demographic skews:

Demographic Attribute Over Penetrated Among
Age Median: 38

61% between the age of 18 & 44
Gender 50/50 Male/Female
Education High School Degree or Some College
Homeownership 61% Renters
Households with Children 42% of Audience

How many people were surveyed?

On average, 150,000 – 175,000 consumers respond daily.

How often do you engage with this audience?

Daily

Is the data weighted?

No, but representative of the overall Fluent Audience.

How do you protect consumers data privacy?

All responses related to this survey are anonymized; only survey responses will be disclosed. At no point will consumer’s personal information will ever be disclosed.

What was your methodology?

Data has been collected from U.S. adults on a daily or weekly basis, dependent upon topic, since March 10, 2020. All data is sourced from Fluent’s portfolio of owned and operated media properties. Results are specific to the Fluent audience and not reflective of the general U.S. population.

The data presented on this site does not reflect the official opinion, policy or position of Fluent, Inc. This research is only meant to inform and illustrate, as an example, the rich data assets Fluent can derive insights from to drive in-market strategies.