Report: 56% of 117 Million U.S. Active Gamers Play Online; 64% are Women

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on October 5, 2006 - 3:34pm.

Los Angeles - A new report estimates that there are 117 million active games (defined as those who play upwards of five hours per week) in the U.S., more than half of whom (56%) play online games. Of all online gamers, the report from Nielsen Entertainment found that 64% are women. While teenagers still comprise the largest share of online gamers (40%), Nielsen found that 8%, or nearly 15 million active gamers, are 45 or older. "The expansion of next generation hardware and technology in the marketplace is simultaneously delivering new ecosystems of social exchange, interactive entertainment, media experiences and advertising models," said Emily Della Maggiora, senior vice president of Nielsen Interactive Entertainment. "We see everyday how important online gaming is in terms of connecting people and bringing communities of gamers together." The report also found that 64% of active gamers play on PC-based systems, while 59% owned a PlayStation 2, 33% have an Xbox, 30% own a GameCube and 15% have purchased an Xbox 360. During the past six months, active games have purchased, on average, four new games, with 90% purchased at retail and 10% downloaded online.
http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/061005/nyth091.html?.v=66
http://www.nielsen.com