The number of U.S. video game players has increased 11.4 percent to 76.2 million, up from 67.5 million a year ago, according to a random survey of 1,500 households conducted by Ziff Davis Media. "We're seeing a broadening of the gamer base as gaming goes more mainstream, and simultaneously a heightening of intensity among core gamers," said John Davison, vice president and editorial director of Ziff Davis Media Game Group. The study also found that 24 percent of gamers reduced their TV watching over the last year, watching on average 16 hours per week compared with 18 hours per week in 2004. Console games are increasing their gains over PC games, after topping PC games in popularity for the first time in 2004. Currently, 62.6 million households play console games and 56.6 million play PC games, versus 54.5 million and 52.3 million, respectively, in 2004. In the mobile gaming sector, the survey found that 86 percent of gamers own a cell phone, up from 70 percent a year ago, and that 48 percent play games on their phones.
The global smartphone market closed 2025 with a story less about recovery and more about transformation. Premium product, ecosystem lock-in, and manufacturing scale are now the forces shaping competition. For business and technology leaders, the latest IDC market study data confirms that smartphones remain a critical indicator of consumer demand, supply chain health, and AI commercialization at the edge. Smartphone Market Development Global smartphone shipments grew 2.3 percent year-over-year in Q4 2025, reaching 336.3 million units and bringing full-year volumes to 1.26 billion units — a modest 1.9 percent annual increase, according to IDC. This smartphone growth emerged despite a memory shortage crisis, tariff volatility, supply chain disruption, and macroeconomic headwinds. What stabilized demand? Two factors: sustained growth in premium devices and strong foldable momentum, combined with accelerated purchases as consumers bought ahead of anticipated price increases. Buyers weren...