Based on an accumulation of several different sources, around 2.7 billion people on the planet describe themselves as a ‘gamer’ – that’s around 38% of the world’s population.

To describe gaming as popular, then, would be something of an understatement.

From the latest console releases to the hottest new mobile games, and from the finest stores like Steam to the best NJ online casinos, there are just so many ways for an international audience to enjoy their favorite games that the continued growth of the industry is a certainty.

Research studies have found that China leads the way as far as consumers of gaming content are concerned – in 2019, they accounted for nearly 32% of all the global game sales. The USA (29%) and Japan (15%) were the next best, while the markets in the UK, Germany, Italy, and Spain continue to grow. The latter by a staggering 25% in gaming revenue in the year from 2017 to 2018 alone.

In short, gaming remains incredibly popular, transcending different cultural and geographical differences and, therefore, bringing people together.

So why is gaming so popular in North America and parts of Europe and Asia, whereas other regions aren’t quite so taken with the small screen action?

Affordability

With new console releases costing as much as $60-$70, it’s no wonder that people in some regions simply can’t indulge their passion for gaming.

What is interesting is that there are more mobile gamers – remember, mobile games tend to be a lot more affordable than their console counterparts in Latin America than in North America, while the ratio between Sub-Saharan Africa (126 million) and North America (207 million) is also a lot closer than we might expect.

The conclusion we can take is that the relative wealth of the region will determine how many gamers there are, and the type of games played there.

Availability

Following on from the question of affordability is that of ‘availability’ – that is, the presence of fast internet infrastructure in each region.

These days, a lot of gamers are eschewing traditional single-player action for sprawling online-based gaming, but that is only the case where super-fast broadband is a) available and b) affordable for the average Joe and Jane.

Clearly, there are going to be more gamers in the developed world than in less-well-off areas as a result, and that’s why wealthier regions like North America, Europe, and parts of Asia are the most concentrated when it comes to the gamer-per-person ratio.

Lifestyle

Regular gaming hints at what we might call a sedentary lifestyle – that is, people enjoying their downtime from school/college/work by playing their favorite games in the evenings and weekends.

In some cultures, that is considered par for the course, however, in other regions – the oceanic countries like Australia and New Zealand immediately spring to mind – there is more of an ‘outdoors’ culture that prevails, whether it’s hitting the beach and taking in the surf for the day or simply making the most of the (often) glorious weather.

In some of the bigger cities in North America and Asia, the heat can be stifling and almost unbearable, while in India – another huge gaming market – and China, people are often encouraged to stay indoors – such is the level of pollution. That, naturally, encourages a lengthy session of gaming.

So there are many different factors that encourage the popularity of gaming in certain regions, even if it remains a truly global phenomenon.

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