A new generation of gamers has entered the chat and is dominating the gaming market, which implies shifts in the future gaming landscape.
Born between 1997 and 2012, Generation Z is considered the world’s digital natives since they grew up in an internet-centric society. It’s no surprise some of the best gamers are from that pool. For example, a 12-year-old gamer recently became part of the 1% of Valorant players who have ever reached the esteemed Radiant rank.
While few people are willing to dedicate about 2500 hours toward a specific game, many casual gamers within this age group still exist. The Entertainment Software Association’s 2024 Essential Facts About the U.S. Video Game Industry Report confirms as much.
The ESA report on Gen Z gaming reveals that 82% of males in this group play video games for over an hour weekly. Around 68% of women in the same generation engage in the same activity level. Many cite that the main benefits of these video games are how they bring people joy and provide accessible experiences for people with different abilities.
Gen Z gamers are between 12 and 27 years old. Since the report finds that 24% of players are under 18, a huge portion is still from this crowd. Frankly, it is starting to change the market in various ways.
The Entertainment Software Rating Board, which assigns age ratings, found that 47% of games are appropriate for people of all ages. Rated E video games are ideal for families with young children. Content for teens was also up 23%, which hints at how developers may be pandering to the younger age group.
Gen Z gaming also champions gender identity and sexuality. About 17% of gamers in this age group self-identified as LGBTQ+, the most significant percentage across previous generations. As the gaming community works toward inclusivity and positivity, a new wave of voices advocating for this visibility is huge.
Visual novels and relationship simulators were the main hubs for LGBTQ+ content in gaming, which is understandable as these genres focused on romance the most. However, developers are bringing visibility by branching out to combat-based adventures, survival horror, and all sorts of other categories.
A few years ago, The Last of Us Part II made headlines for featuring gay, bisexual, and transgender characters in Ellie, Dana, and Lev. Just recently, Life is Strange: Double Exposure saw the long-awaited return of Max Caufield, continuing the sci-fi series’ trend of elevating queer characters into starring roles. As Gen Z gaming continues to persist, there will surely be even more newer LGBT characters to love.
There’s also a slight shift in how gaming developers interact with gamers off their platform. For example, about 45% of Gen Zers are motivated to engage with transparent brands. Indie developers often share their process behind creating a game with short-form videos, updates on social media, and comment replies to draw interest in the development process.
Younger gamers are similarly expecting studios to take accountability for missteps. For example, Tekken 8 Director Katsurido Harada requested feedback from players to improve the character design of Native American fighters Michelle and Julia. The community’s noticing of how stereotypical their appearances had prompted the request.
Gen Z gaming trends may also influence the types of games being developed. The ESA report reveals that mobile gaming is the most popular platform among U.S. households. The popularity may stem from how accessible cell phones are compared to computers and consoles for players with limited funds. This specific games market is projected to reach a revenue of $98.74 billion in 2024.
Many original mobile titles, like the classic Temple Run or Angry Birds, have continued to grow in popularity. Due to popular demand, games like Call of Duty and PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds have already been adapted into this format as well.
While Gen Z is particularly fond of mobile gaming, they are also among the biggest users of PCs and consoles. Their future spending power could be a major force in retaining investment and interest in console gaming. The introduction of crossplay, in which game data is accessible via the cloud, allows players to transfer their game between multiple consoles and smart devices.
Games allowing mobile crossplay like Among Us and Brawlhalla are also likely to continue gaining traction. The ESA report provides so many profound insights into the gaming market. If there’s anything to be confident about, it’s how Gen Z gaming will set the stage for what the gaming industry will look like in the near future.
Editor Bio
Jack Shaw is the Games editor of Modded Magazine, having spent six years writing in the entertainment and tech space. During this time, he’s covered everything from new releases, deep-dive reviews, pop culture developments and tech innovations. In addition to his work on Modded, Jack’s writing has been published in EEPower, YFS Magazine, Parent Co. and more.
