“The first national survey of its kind finds that virtually all American teens play computer, console, or cell phone games and that the gaming experience is rich and varied, with a significant amount of social interaction and potential for civic engagement. The survey was conducted by the Pew Internet & American Life Project, an initiative of the Pew Research Center and was supported by the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation.
The primary findings in the survey of 12-17 year-olds include –
Game playing is universal, with almost all teens playing games and at least half playing games on a given day.
- 97% of American teens ages 12-17 play some kind of video game.
- 99% of boys say they are gamers and 94% of girls report that they play games.
Game playing experiences are diverse, with the most popular games falling into the racing, puzzle, sports, action and adventure categories.
- A typical teen plays at least five different categories of games and 40% of them play eight or more different game types.
- While some teens play violent video games, those who play violent games generally also play non-violent games.
Game playing is social, with most teens playing games with others at least some of the time.
- 76% of gaming teens play games with others at least some of the time.
- 82% play games alone at least occasionally, though 71% of this group also plays games with others.
- 65% of gaming teens play with others in the same room.”
