PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — The coronavirus pandemic has kept many of us in our homes looking for different downtime activities, and some experts say more Americans than ever are using that time to play video games.
Trend expert Jenna Shailynn says it's no surprise there was a rise in gameplay in 2020 as it is a good way to meet and connect with new people.
She said her recent study with reviews.org shows gaming dominated many homes throughout the country over the last year, and it wasn’t just the kids getting in on the action — screen time among adults is also on the rise.
“We saw that 76% of Americans are actually playing video games, and 26% of Americans said they were more interested in esports content than they were in traditional sporting events,” she said.
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Shailynn said 30% of Americans preferred streaming video game footage over watching film or TV, and 70% of gamers watch gaming content that includes esports tournaments.
She added as we see more interest in these games, we'll also see higher payouts on the professional level, so parents might want to encourage their kids a little more next time they see them gaming.