VR headset adoption

VR headsets are slowly and unsteadily working their way onto the heads of online adults. This TUPdate shows how penetration has expanded (and contracted) since 2018. By reviewing the activities that VR headset users do with their other connected devices – smartphones, PCs, tablets, or game consoles – this TUPdate profiles just who these VR headset early adopters are. Their creative, fun, collaborative, and educational activities point the way to possible hotspots of VR headset adoption.

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Fun and games-devices versus consoles

Fun is a core activity drawing many people to use and enjoy their connected devices. While game consoles get a lot of focused attention, a substantially larger number of people regularly play games with their smartphones, PCs, and tablets. This MetaFAQs report details the number of adults playing games with connected devices as compared to those using game consoles. Furthermore, it splits these by age group.

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Profile of Americans playing games using a connected device

Game-playing is more widespread than many people realize; a regular activity of 128.8 million online Americans. Those who only follow game consoles may not realize the extent of game-playing extending to smartphones, PCs, and tablets. Game-playing is an everyday activity for 59% of online Americans. This MetaFAQs profiles the group of game-players using connected devices, detailing the critical demographic and behavioral factors distinctive from the average American online adult: age, age within gender, employment status, household size, and life stage.

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Profile of American tablet game players

For most Americans, tablets are used for passive activities, from watching videos to web browsing. Game-playing is a regular activity for many. This MetaFAQs profiles the group of tablet game-players, representing 11% of online Americans, detailing the critical demographic and behavioral factors distinctive from the average American online adult: age, gender, age within gender, life stage, and number of PCs used.

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Profile of American smartphone game-players

Fun is essential, even when standing in line, and a unique segment of game-players reach for their smartphones to play. This MetaFAQs profiles the sizable, if a casual, group of smartphone game-players, the 32% of online Americans using a smartphone to play games, detailing the critical demographic and behavioral factors distinctive from the average American online adult: age, gender, age within gender, employment status, household size, and life stage.

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Profile of Americans using gaming PCs

Dan Ness, Principal Analyst, MetaFacts, October 9, 2021

Profile of Americans using gaming PCs

  • All online American adults who regularly use a gaming PC
    • They number 25.3 million – 12% of all online American adults
    • Defined as using a “Gaming desktop or gaming notebook – designed for playing video games, such as with special video cards and extra memory”
  • Profiled by characteristics that are distinctive
    • Only profiled by those characteristics which have an index of 80 or below and 120 and above – those which are 20% above or below the average by category 
  • Expressed as market penetration – the percentage of online adults within each group
  • Distinctive characteristics profiles
    • Age, gender, age within gender
    • Employment status
    • Presence of children
    • Household size
    • Life stage (age, employment status, presence of children)
    • Number of home PCs used
    • Technology ecosystems
  • Characteristics examined and not found to be distinct
    • Educational attainment

Americans who regularly use a gaming PC by age group

  • Gaming PC users skew younger
    • Game console use is strongest among the youngest American adults – aged 18-44
    • Penetration among online Americans aged 18-44 is 19%-20%
  • Beyond age 45, the rate drops steeply
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Profile of American game console users

Dan Ness, Principal Analyst, MetaFacts, October 2, 2021

Profile of American game console users

  • All online American adults who regularly use a game console
    • They number 77 million – 35% of all online American adults
  • Profiled by characteristics that are distinctive
    • Only profiled by those characteristics which have an index of 80 or below and 120 and above – those which are 20% above or below the average by category 
  • Expressed as market penetration – the percentage of online adults within each group
  • Distinctive characteristics profiles
    • Age, age within gender
    • Employment status
    • Presence of children
    • Household size
    • Life stage (age, employment status, presence of children)
    • Number of home PCs used
    • Technology ecosystems
  • Characteristics examined and not found to be distinct
    • Educational attainment

Americans who regularly use a game console by age group

  • Game console users skew younger
    • Game console use is strongest among the youngest American adults
  • Penetration among online Americans aged 18-34 is 58%-59%
  • Beyond age 45, the rate drops steeply
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Activities for PCs versus smartphones

Users with a choice of devices choose home PCs over smartphones more often for certain entertainment and shopping activities. Conversely, users choose smartphones over home PCs for other activities such as listening to paid streaming music. This MetaFAQs reports on which activities out of over 80 activities are done with smartphones, home PCs, or game consoles versus any of the other types of devices.

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Usage guidelines: This document may be freely shared within and outside your organization in its entirety and unaltered. It may not be used with a generative AI system without separate licensing and express written permission. To share or quote excerpts, please contact MetaFacts.