17 Interesting Stats on PC Gamer Demographics You May Not Know [2023]

People often think of kids sitting in front of a PC when they hear about gamers. Surprisingly, this isn’t the case anymore, as PC gaming has become popular among all age groups worldwide. 

In fact, in the US alone, 8% of PC gamers are aged 60 to 64, while only 6% are 18 to 19. 

Explore the essential facts and statistics behind PC gamer demographics to learn about the massive gaming industry and see the distinct profiles of gamers worldwide.

Highlights of the Article

• The digital PC game market shall reach $12.67 billion by 2023.
• An estimated 38% of “dedicated PC gamers” use laptops as their main gaming device.
• Gaming duration for average PC gamers lasts around 7.6 hours weekly.
• 2023 saw 1.83 billion individuals worldwide to be PC gamers.
• More than a third of PC gamers globally are from Asia.
• 31% of American PC gamers in 2021 are between 30-39 years old. 
• Experts see video gaming community in the US to increase to 240 million by 2027.
• Millenials dominate the PC gaming population worldwide, at 56%.
• In 2023, 46% of US gamers are female.
• With over 1 million monthly active users, Minecraft maintains its spot as PC gamers’ favorite title.

Overview of PC Gamer Demographics

Anyone can enjoy PC games, regardless of age, gender, and ethnicity. However, there is still a wide gap regarding race, with 67% of video gamers being Caucasians.

Males still dominate the gaming world, but with females accounting for 46% of the gaming population, it’s only a matter of time before the PC gamer gender distribution is equal.

The statistics below show the diverse and exciting world of PC gaming. 

Side Note

Aside from PCs, mobile games and video games have shattered records regarding demographics and revenue.

The mobile gaming revenue was worth $92 billion in 2022, while the video game industry is expected to reach a whopping $268 billion by 2025.

Facts and Insights on PC Gamers Demographic Worldwide

Nowadays, mobile apps enable top-performing games in just one click. But with these innovations, gamers still prefer to play it on their gaming PC at approximately 90%.

Find out how PC gamers change the course of the gaming industry with these fascinating general statistics.

1. The global PC game market is predicted to reach $12.67 billion in revenue in 2023.

(GlobeNewsWire)

The global PC game market continues its steady growth. From $10.86 billion in 2022, the market is expected to have a 16.7% compound annual growth rate (CAGR) this 2023, equivalent to nearly $13 billion. By 2027, a projected $22.7 billion revenue is predicted for the PC game market. 

Other factors contributing to the steady market revenue of PC games include in-game purchases and new features such as voice recognition, 3D graphics, GPS tracking, and more, making the gaming experience even more immersive.

2. Most players make PC game purchases digitally at 83%.

(Global X ETFs, BBC)

In the UK alone, digital sales accounted for an estimated 90% of video games sold in 2022. It shows that PC gamers are likelier to download games than purchase at a physical game shop. 

Convenience and accessibility are the main factors contributing to increased digital sales or purchases from PC games. 

For gaming companies, making their games digital means saving enough money on packaging, manufacturing, and shipping.

3. PC gaming (52%) is more popular than Console gaming (43%) in Eastern Europe.

(Newzoo, VentureBeat)

A report by Newzoo shows that in 2022, there were 1.1 billion PC players and 611 million console players.

Gamers also tend to play across three major gaming platforms, such as PCs, consoles, and mobiles, at 23%.

However, the reason why players prefer PCs over consoles, especially in Eastern Europe, is due to the player’s ability to watch films and TV series and listen to music while playing. 

4. Around 38% of dedicated PC gamers use laptops as their main gaming PC.

(Newzoo)

Newzoo surveyed 9,000 gamers across the US, UK, Germany, France, China, and Japan. 

The survey defined a “dedicated PC gamer” as someone who plays at least weekly and is willing to spend on hardware. Its findings revealed that 40% of the dedicated PC gamers are women. 

Moreover, dedicated PC gamers aged 21 to 30 are the biggest age group who use a laptop as their primary gaming device. 

Fun Fact

A career in gaming is possible! In fact, in China, nearly two million people are highly needed for employment in 2024 for the eSports industry.

Check out these 12 ways a gamer makes money in 2023. 

5. An average PC gamer spends 7.6 hours playing video games weekly.

(Midia Research, ExpressVPN)

An average gamer plays for more than one hour daily. US gamers spend the longest hours playing video games at 1 hour and 9 minutes, while Germans spend the least time at only 40 minutes. 

A study found that among gamers aged 30 to 40, 68% play video games daily. In contrast, only 20% of gamers in their 20s admit to doing so. 

The increase in hours spent on video games is due to the game’s features, such as graphics, music, and video, and psychological reasons, such as socialization and self-expression.

Interesting PC Gamers Statistics by Country and Region

The PC gaming industry is rapidly growing, especially in market size. Nearly two billion PC gamers are recorded in 2023 alone, with 700 million from the Asia Pacific.

Get a closer look at how PC gamers are growing through these global statistics.

Side Note

eSports have come a long way since its establishment in the early 2000s. China is the world’s number one in the eSports market, with nearly 800 million registered eSports players.

6. There are around 1.83 billion PC gamers worldwide in 2023.

(Statista)

The number of PC gamers in 2023 saw a 1.6% increase from 2022, which has nearly 1.8 billion gamers.

By 2024, studies forecast PC gamers worldwide to reach 1.86 billion.

Even though revenue growth is slowing down, PC gaming is still very popular and attracts more players. Digital stores like Steam and Epic Games allow gamers worldwide to buy their desired games.

7. Asia accounted for over a third of global PC gamers in 2021.

(Statista)

Out of 1.75 billion PC gamers worldwide in 2021, Asia ranked first, with a gaming population of nearly 690 million. 

Asia has the most PC gamers due to significant technological advancements, including high-speed internet and a solid and competitive gaming culture.

8. China had the highest PC gaming reach at 40%.

(Business Wire)

China continues to be a dark horse not only in the eSports scene but in the PC gaming market as well. In the latest report by Business Wire, China contributed 39% of the PC games revenue worldwide.

Thanks to the Chinese gaming companies who continue to expand their global reach, they will continue to be responsible for one-third of the domestic PC gaming revenue.

9. The number of video gamers in the US will grow to around 240 million by 2027.

(Statista)

Statistics show that the number of video gamers in the US will continue to increase from 2023 to 2027 by 20.2 million gamers. 

The most significant jump recorded was during the outbreak of the pandemic from 2019 to 2020, when the gaming population rose by more than 7%, from 188.2 million to 201.9 million.

This increase shows that video gaming is continuously gaining popularity across all age groups in the US.

More people use video games as a pastime, spending large amounts of money buying games, accessories, and peripherals.

Demographic Data of PC Gamers

The gender distribution among PC gamers is just as diverse as the games. More people in their 40s, who make up 19% of the total PC gamers in the US, are playing. 

Surprisingly, gamers aged 18 to 19 only account for 6% of the PC gamers. 

Read on to know what makes up the exciting world of PC gamer demographics with the statistics below.

Side Note

As anything can be accessible by anyone nowadays, it’s no surprise that some eSports tournaments set age restrictions in PC and mobile gaming.

Most games set their limit at age 13, and those with too much violent content are only accessible to 18-year-olds and above.

10. In 2021, 31% of American PC gamers are between 30 to 39 years old.

(Statista)

Around one-third of American PC gamers are adults aged 30 to 39, and only 8% are 60 to 64.

The significant age distribution of PC gamers in the US surprisingly shows that all age groups play video games, contradicting the common belief that only young people play video games.

11. More than half of PC gamers are millennials.

(Statista)

Studies reveal that 56% of active PC gamers globally were millennials (aged 23 to 38). 

Another survey run by Newzoo targeted only the Western countries (the US, UK, Sweden, France, Germany, and Poland) revealed almost the same results:

1. Millennials – 42%
2. Generation Alpha – 19%
3. Generation Z – 20%
4. Generation X – 19%.

Millennials have more spending and purchasing power than other demographics, so the gamer demographics mainly comprise this generation.

12. 46% of US gamers in 2023 are female.

(Statista)

Gaming is often presumed to be a boys-only activity, which is as far from the truth as can be. In the US, 46% of PC gamers identified as females, while 53% as males. 

Studies predict the numbers to rise in the following years. The women demographic may take over the industry due to numerous companies designing and marketing their games to women.

13. With 9.4 million followers, Imane “Pokimane” Anys remains the most followed female gamer.

(ESTNN)

Women are rising to the occasion regarding PC gaming, as the top five most-followed and highest-earned female gamers suggest. On average, a female gamer can earn $7 million as a gamer.

One of them is Imane Anys, also known as “Pokimane” to the gaming community, who is the most followed female gamer and the highest earner, with an estimated net worth of $25 million. 

Pokimane is a Twitch streamer and YouTuber focusing on League of Legends and Fortnite, two of the world’s top-grossing and largest gamer bases.

Below are some of the highest-earning female gamers on Twitch:

Popular PC Games Among Gamers

Game sales make up most of the gaming revenue in China alone in 2023 at 82%. It’s safe to say that without these games, the PC gaming experience will not be complete.

Check out the latest statistics on the games that change PC gamers’ lives.

14. Roblox is PC gamers’ favorite game, with over one million monthly active users.

(Newzoo, Active Player, KJC eSports)

Data obtained in May 2023 indicates the top 10 most popular games PC users play based on the monthly active user count or concurrent players.

Factors including accessibility, constant updates, and a sense of community make Roblox still so popular among PC game users.

Side Note

Minecraft and Roblox both made half a billion in revenue since their creation.

In 2021 alone, Minecraft has gathered $380 million in revenue. Roblox made twice as much at $665 million in the first quarter of 2023.

15. Lost Ark peaked at 1.3 million concurrent players, the highest in Steam 2022.

(Statista)

Steam is the most popular online digital retailer for PC gaming, with over 120 million monthly active users and a significant contributor to PC gaming’s popularity.

In 2022, MMO Lost Ark ranked the highest concurrent player, with over 1.3 million. It was launched in 2019 and was co-developed by Tripod Studio and Smilegate.

Other games that made it to the list are:

• Counter-Strike: Global Offensive – 1,132,038
• DOTA 2 – 1,029,897
• Elden Ring – 953,426
• PUBG – 693,588
• Apex Legends – 511,265

16. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II was the best-selling game in the US in 2022.

(Statista, Activision Blizzard)

Unsurprisingly, another game from the Call of Duty franchise made it to the top list for best-selling video games by dollar sales in the US. 

Modern Warfare II is the latest in its collection, which came out in October 2022. It has reached over $1 billion sell-through worldwide and 200 hours played in the first 10 days. 

Look at the US’s top 10 best-selling video games in 2022 by dollar sales.

The Endgame

The gaming industry has expanded its reach. It is no longer just targeting a single demographic but across all ages. 

Gaming companies ensure that their games’ features touch the needs of their target market and potentially other age groups. After all, games can be played by anyone for whatever reason.

As this industry continues to flourish, so does the audience that supports it from all walks of life.