US Gaming Trends: 2022 Market Report

This report provides comprehensive and current information and analysis of gaming trends in the US market including US Gaming Trends market size, anticipated market forecast, relevant market segmentation, and industry trends for the Gaming Trends market in the US.

Gaming Industry – Current Market Trends

The gaming industry continued to expand in 2021, even exceeding the explosive growth from 2020. However, supply chain issues continue to impact the gaming industry, and rising inflation in the US could impact consumers’ interest and ability to make expensive entertainment purchases. To combat this, major console manufacturers are already extending console lifespans; they are also shifting more focus toward cloud gaming to offset consumers’ hesitancy to purchase physical goods in stores. Meanwhile, gaming subscription services are evolving to provide consumers a greater value than individual purchases. Through these efforts, game sales and in-game transactions should continue to see growth in 2022.

Gaming Industry – Consumer Trend Statistics

• 55% of adult gamers play on a smartphone
• 27% of gamers play to socialize with friends, the top gaming motivator
• 46% of adult gamers play on a daily basis

Future market trends in the US video game industry

Of course, the new year brings exciting new games, but with COVID-19 continuing to push many industry events to digital spaces, it will be interesting to see how the industry reacts. E3 has long been a staple gaming event in the US but continues to show signs of decline. New gaming films in 2022 will bring more gamers to the theaters and streaming services will introduce nongamers to some of the gaming industry’s hottest franchises. From classics such as Dragon’s Lair and Super Mario to new gaming IPs like Cuphead and The Last of US, the gaming industry is set for a packed cinematic year.

The metaverse and NFTs became buzzwords in the last months of 2021. While they’ve both certainly excited many business executives and individuals already enthusiastic about crypto, the response from the gaming media and gamers has been largely negative. New tech shouldn’t be dismissed outright, but the discussion needs to move beyond speculative concepts and investment opportunities into something that offers practical value to consumers.

Read on to discover more about the US gaming trends consumer market, read our US Evolution of Technology in Consumers’ Lives Market Report 2021, or take a look at our other Gaming market research reports.

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Quickly understand

• Gaming industry marketing during the winter holiday shopping period of 2021.
• Acquisitions, issues, and trends throughout 2021, along with predictions for 2022.
• What player characteristics influence device preferences and time commitments.
• Consumer interest in gaming hardware upgrades and other gaming-related purchases, including food and beverage preferences.
• Attitudes toward the gaming community, monetization, and viewership.
• US gaming industry market size and US gaming market growth

Covered in this report

Brands include: PlayStation, Xbox, EA, Ubisoft, Take-Two, Square-Enix, AMC, Ticketmaster, Activision, Blizzard, Sony, Amazon, NVidia, GeForce, Ubisoft, Discord, Nintendo, Nintendo Switch, YouTube, Meta (Facebook), Instagram, Twitter, ESPN.com, Reddit, Twitch.tv, Riot Games, miHoYo, Rockstar Games, Virtual Gaming Worlds, Humble Bundle, DraftKings, Epic Games, Apple, Microsoft, Arkane Studios, Bethesda Games, Pokémon, Netflix.

Games include: Sonic the Hedgehog, Super Mario, Fallout, Resident Evil, Cuphead, Dragon’s Lair, Assassin’s Creed, Neopets, Club Penguin, Kongregate, League of Legends, Valorant, Fortnite, Call of Duty: Black Ops 3, Halo Infinite, Forza Horizon 5, Deathloop, Minecraft, Roblox, Starfield, Doom, Elder Scrolls, Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II, Quake, God of War: Ragnarok, Horizon: Forbidden West, Gran Turismo 7, Pokémon Legends: Arceus, Final Fantasy.

Expert analysis from a specialist in the field

This report, written by Brian Benway, a leading analyst in the Gaming and Entertainment sector, delivers in-depth commentary and analysis to highlight current trends and add expert context to the numbers.

The gaming industry continues to grow even as COVID-19 variants shut down major industry events and hardware shortages limit stock in stores. Gamers themselves remain interested as both players and as viewers, motivated by their desire to see gaming crossover with other forms of entertainment.

Brian Benway
Gaming and Entertainment Analyst