In this blog post, let's explore these questions and discover each segment of the gaming community. Planning to be part of the gaming ecosystem means looking at the data and strategically analyzing it. So let's answer together: how big is the gaming community?

How Big is the Gaming Community?

The gaming community is huge and growing rapidly. According to recent estimates, there are 3.2 billion gamers worldwide in 2022. This growth has been driven by the rise of mobile gaming, increased access to internet-connected devices and consoles, as well as the emergence of new genres such as battle royale games like Fortnite and Apex Legends.

Moreover, the global games market generated $184.4 billion in 2022, with mobile games taking up more than half of that revenue share at $103.5 billion.

Let's look at gamer demographics, starting with regional data.

Asia Pacific leads the way when it comes to regional player growth with 1.7 billion players in 2022. This makes it home to almost 55% of all gamers worldwide!

China alone accounts for nearly 30% of all gamers globally while Japan follows closely behind at 11%.

North America also shows strong growth with an estimated 219 million players – representing 7% of total global players – while Europe’s gamer population stands at 430 million or 13%.

Latin America and The Caribbean have seen significant increases over the past few years too; their combined player base is estimated to have reached 313 million people last 2022 or 10% of the total gamer base.

Regarding age groups playing video games, adults aged 18-35 make up a large portion (38%) followed closely by children under 18 (32%), while older adults aged 36+ account for 31%.

The gender divide is also getting blurry, with more female gamers last 2022: 59% male gamers vs 41% female gamers.

Gaming Industry Statistics by Platform

How big is the gaming community? Let's take a look at the data per platform.

Mobile gaming overwhelms 49% of the total market,  for a total revenue of $86.3 billion for 2020. Console games have seen an increase in revenue by 4% YoY to reach $51.2 billion while PC games grew by 6% to reach $37.4 billion.

Mobile Games

Smartphone and tablet gaming continues to be the most popular platform for gamers around the world, accounting for 49% of all game revenues in 2020 ($86.3 billion).

This was driven mainly by increased engagement from casual players who prefer mobile games due to their convenience and accessibility. Compare this to console or PC games which require more expensive hardware investments as well as higher levels of skill and knowledge about how they work.

Smartphones also benefit from being able to offer free-to-play titles that can generate large amounts of income through microtransactions such as loot boxes or other virtual items.

Console Games

Gaming consoles continue to be popular among hardcore gamers who prefer playing on dedicated consoles like PlayStation or Xbox. This is due to their improved graphics capabilities, better controllers designed specifically for playing video games, and exclusive titles only available on these platforms.

In 2020, console game sales reached $51.2 billion globally - a 4% year-over-year growth. This is thanks largely due to its popularity among core gamers who tend to spend more money per title than casual players do on mobile devices.

PC Gaming

PCs remain one of the oldest platforms used for playing video games but remain relevant today despite competition from newer technologies such as smartphones and tablets.

In 2020, PC game sales saw an overall growth rate of 6%, reaching 37.4 billion dollars worldwide. This was largely driven by digital downloads rather than physical copies sold at retail stores.

The decline in browser-based PC gaming has been attributed primarily to increased competition from mobile apps. These offer similar experiences without requiring users to download additional software onto their computers first before they can play them.

A Look at VR and AR Statistics

VR, AR, and mixed-reality platforms are fairly novel, but essential to the metaverse gaming communities. How big is the gaming community that uses VR and AR?

The gaming industry related to virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) is growing at an incredible rate. The worldwide market for VR and AR games will reach $3.2 billion by 2024, a 44% compound annual growth rate (CAGR).

This impressive growth can be attributed to two major factors: The increasing number of users and their increased spending on these games.

As more people gain access to VR headsets, they are becoming increasingly popular among gamers.

For example, Sony’s PlayStation VR headset has sold over 4 million units since its launch in 2016. HTC Vive has sold over 1 million units since its launch in 2015. Oculus Rift has sold over 2 million units since its launch in 2012.

The availability of affordable headsets such as Google Cardboard is also helping drive adoption rates among casual gamers who may not have previously considered using VR or AR technology for gaming purposes.

In addition to the increasing install base of VRAR devices, the average spend per user is also rising significantly due to improved content quality and additional features being added with each new game release.

As developers continue creating more immersive experiences with higher production values than ever before, players are willing to pay more money for them. Furthermore, many companies are now offering “in-game purchases” where players can buy items such as weapons or costumes within the game itself.

Overall, there is no doubt that the gaming community that uses virtual reality and augmented reality technologies is rapidly expanding both in terms of size and spending power – something that should make any developer excited about prospects!

With continued advancements in hardware capabilities coupled with innovative content creation techniques being developed every day; it looks like this trend will only continue upward from here on out!

Is the Gaming Community Ready for the Metaverse?

Gaming communities are on the brink of a revolution when it comes to involving the metaverse.

This concept has been gaining traction in recent years as virtual reality technology continues to develop and become more accessible. But is the gaming community ready for this new era?

The Benefits of Metaverse Gaming

The potential benefits of metaverse gaming are numerous. For starters, it allows gamers to interact with each other in ways that weren't possible before.

Players can explore entire worlds together, engaging in activities such as shopping or exploring dungeons side-by-side without ever leaving their own homes.

It also provides an opportunity for players to create their content within these virtual worlds—from customizing avatars and clothing to designing levels and game modes. This allows them to express themselves creatively while playing with friends from around the world.

Are Gamers Ready for the Metaverse?

As exciting as all these sounds, there's still one big question: are gamers ready for this kind of experience? After all, many people have grown accustomed to traditional console or PC games over the years. Switching over may be difficult at first.

How big is the gaming community that is open to the possibilities of the metaverse?

Research suggests that most gamers are open to trying something new when it comes to video games. Almost three-quarters of players sometimes get together in-game worlds while not playing the game and 44% of non-players do so too.

Furthermore, surveys show that consumers plan on socializing even more in games without actually playing them in upcoming years – suggesting they're willing (and eager) to give metaverse gaming a try!

All things considered, then it seems safe to say that yes, the gaming community is indeed ready for the metaverse!

With its potential for creative expression and collaboration between players across different platforms, metaverses could very well be our next step into a future filled with innovative gameplay experiences.

Conclusion

The gaming community is an ever-growing and evolving group of people who share a passion for playing games. It’s no surprise that the gaming industry has grown so much in recent years, as it offers players a unique way to connect and explore new worlds.

With more gamers joining every day, and with metaverse innovations continuously being accessible, there's no doubt that metaverse adoption will continue to grow.

The gaming community is ever-growing and full of passionate players who are always looking for new experiences. MetaEngine provides the tools to build games that people will love, connecting them with a larger metaverse where they can interact with others in creative ways. Our mission is to provide an engaging platform that fosters growth and innovation within the gaming community. We invite all developers, gamers, content creators, and enthusiasts alike to join us on our journey toward building better experiences for everyone involved!

The gaming community is growing bigger and more diverse by the day. From PC to console, mobile to virtual reality, the possibilities for gamers of all ages are ever-expanding - and with it comes a big challenge: how can we make sure that our games stand out in this crowded market? We start by answering the question: how big is the gaming community?

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