During the COVID-19 lockdowns, everyone found their own ways of coping. Some made excessive amounts of bread, others binged Tiger King on Netflix. But a new report shows that there was one thing in particular that brought many residents of the UK comfort: video games. The report, which was published by Ofcom and reported on by GamesIndustry.biz, shows that over half of people in the UK used video games to get through lockdown restrictions.
The purpose of Ofcom’s report was to explore the way people engaged with online platforms in 2020, focusing on areas like entertainment, shopping, keeping in touch, working, and schooling. One of the most important findings was the extent to which people had taken part in online gaming. According to the report, 62 percent of UK adults and 92 percent of 16 to 24-year-olds spent time playing video games in 2020. The most used device across all age groups was smartphones, although younger players preferred consoles and PCs. Men and women were also shown to have enjoyed gaming at equal rates. This comes as no surprise, as other reports have shown a massive increase in female gamers in recent years.
Overall, online gaming revenue saw an 11 percent increase in 2020. When it comes to gamers’ particular spending habits, over one third of gamers spent money on in-game items, virtual currency, or battle passes, and the amount spent on these transactions surpassed those for full games or subscriptions. PlayStation Plus was by far the most popular subscription service, with around three million total subscribers. Xbox Live Gold, Xbox Game Pass, and Nintendo Switch Online all had somewhere between one and two million subscribers.
Young people were a particular focus of the report, and the data show some interesting trends. 75 percent of 5 to 15-year-olds played online games in 2020, and that number rises to 80 percent when you narrow the range to 12 to 15-year-olds. As far as the games children reported playing, Roblox, Minecraft, and Fortnite were most popular overall, although older children opted for 18+ titles like Call Of Duty, Grand Theft Auto, and Rainbow Six Siege. When considering trends by gender, girls preferred creative games like Roblox and Minecraft, while boys tended toward competitive games like Call Of Duty and Fortnite. There were also some concerning data regarding online bullying—Almost half of 8 to 11-year-olds and a third of 12 to 15-year olds were bullied online. In particular, younger children were more likely to be bullied while playing online games than older children.
Although some of the trends found in the report were certainly caused by the pandemic and the resulting increase in time spent at home, the data overall show a promising future for the gaming industry. Now that more people have entered into the world of gaming, it’s very likely that many won’t want to leave it behind.
