“Teens and Tweens love gaming, and they’re likely to carry their hobby into adulthood. Young gamers look to gaming as a social opportunity, brands that facilitate that type of play can attract gamers at a young age, potentially finding passionate fans for life.”
– Brian Benway, Gaming and Entertainment Analyst

This Report looks at the following areas:

  • The impact of COVID-19 on teen and tween gaming behavior
  • Key players in the gaming market for teens and tweens
  • Parental involvement in teen and tween gaming
  • Teen and tween interest in after-school activities
  • Teen and tween behaviors and attitudes toward gaming
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  1. Overview

    • What you need to know
      • This Report looks at the following areas
        • Definition
          • Market context
          • Executive Summary

              • Top takeaways
                • Market overview
                  • Figure 1: Global video game revenue, 2019-24
                • Impact of global events on video gaming
                  • Figure 2: Video gaming outlook, 2022-27
                • Opportunities and challenges
                  • Gaming restrictions tighten in China
                    • Benefits of edutainment
                      • Young gamer entrepreneurs
                        • Key consumer insights
                          • Larger families allow more gaming, many with Nintendo
                            • Figure 3: Parental assessment of COVID-19 impact on playing video games, by number of children, 2022
                          • Gaming social media represents an opportunity for brands
                            • Figure 4: Ideal after-school activities, by number of children in household, 2022
                          • Games with local cooperative features help families game together
                            • Figure 5: Gaming perceptions – Socializing and status, by age, 2022
                          • Teens and tweens want quality games that cater to group tastes
                            • Figure 6: Video gaming behaviors, by gamer segment, 2022
                          • Girls get less time to game, and gaming isn’t always leisurely
                            • Figure 7: Parental assessment of COVID-19 impact on playing video games, by child gender and age, 2022
                          • Girls have more gaming restrictions from parents at home
                            • Figure 8: Parental involvement with gaming, by gender, 2022
                        • Global and US Gaming Market

                            • Figure 9: Global video game revenue, 2019-24
                            • Figure 10: Global video game revenue, by segment, 2022
                        • Teens & Tweens by the Numbers

                            • Figure 11: US population of teens and tweens age 10-17, 2017-27
                            • Figure 12: US population distribution of teens and tweens age 10-17, by age and race/Hispanic origin, 2021
                        • Factors Impacting Teen & Tween Gamers

                          • Chinese teen and tween gaming crackdown
                            • Teen and tween harassment online
                              • Continued COVID-19 impact: Shanghai lockdown, longer console lifespans
                                • Inflation – Consumer’s chief worry in 2022
                                  • Figure 13: Mintel consumer financial health assessment, 2022
                                  • Figure 14: US Consumer Price Index changes by month, 2007-22
                              • Competitive Strategies and Market Opportunities

                                • Key players in the teen and tween multiplatform space
                                  • Figure 15: Key multiplatform games, by player count and revenue, 2020-21
                                • Roblox
                                  • Figure 16: Chipotle Roblox collaboration virtual items, 2021
                                • Fortnite
                                  • Figure 17: Wendy’s gaming stream award, 2019
                                • Minecraft
                                  • Benefits of gaming in education
                                    • Twitch and a new age of entrepreneurs
                                    • Teen & Tween Gamers: Fast Facts

                                      • 53% of families with three or more children allow more gaming
                                        • 66% of young gamers prefer to relax with video games after school
                                          • 57% spend one hour gaming, but three-hour sessions are the average
                                            • 84% of teens and tweens own digital games
                                              • 58% of parents comfortable letting their children play online with friends
                                                • 74% of teens and tweens talk to their parents about gaming
                                                  • 93% of 10-11 year old gamers enjoy playing games with family members
                                                  • Video Game Player Overview

                                                    • Video games aren’t just for kids, but they really do love them
                                                      • Figure 18: Any video gameplay in the past three months, by age, 2021-22
                                                    • Mobile gaming’s status challenged by young gamers’ console usage
                                                      • Figure 19: Overall gaming device usage, 2022
                                                      • Figure 20: Console brand usage, by age and gender, 2022
                                                    • Most play weekly, designing for segments may improve engagement
                                                      • Figure 21: Gaming frequency, 2022
                                                      • Figure 22: Gaming frequency, by age and gender, 2022
                                                    • Motivations for playing and gamer segments
                                                      • Figure 23: Top reasons for playing video games – Grouped by motivations, 2022
                                                    • Mintel gamer segments
                                                        • Figure 24: Gamer segments, 2022
                                                      • Achievers – Characteristics and demographics
                                                        • Explorers – Characteristics and demographics
                                                          • Socializers – Characteristics and demographics
                                                            • Competitors – Characteristics and demographics
                                                            • Parental Assessment of COVID-19 Impact on Gaming

                                                              • Larger families more relaxed on gaming time during lockdown
                                                                • Figure 26: Parental assessment of COVID-19 impact on playing video games, by number of children, 2022
                                                                • Figure 27: Parental assessment of COVID-19 impact on playing video games, by gaming console brand, 2022
                                                              • Parents may hold girls back from equal participation in the gaming industry
                                                                • Figure 28: Parental assessment of COVID-19 impact on playing video games, by child gender and age, 2022
                                                            • After-school Activity Aspirations

                                                              • Teen and tween interests are clear, gaming and entertainment dominate
                                                                • Figure 29: Ideal after-school activities, 2022
                                                              • The common teenage boy gamer image isn’t a stereotype for nothing
                                                                • Figure 30: Ideal after-school activities, by gender, 2022
                                                              • Gaming social media represents another opportunity for brands to engage
                                                                • Figure 31: Ideal after-school activities, by number of children in household, 2022
                                                            • Time Spent Playing and Watching Games

                                                              • Teen and tween gamers don’t have time for epic hours-long play sessions
                                                                • Figure 32: Active and passive time engaged with video games, 2022
                                                              • Younger gamers most drawn to shorter gaming sessions
                                                                • Figure 33: Active and passive time engaged with video games, by age, 2022
                                                              • As a leisure hobby, gaming isn’t leisurely; a case for more casual fun
                                                                • Figure 34: Active and passive time engaged with video games, by gender, 2022
                                                            • Physical and Digital Gaming Libraries

                                                              • Teens and tweens trust digital libraries are equal to physical purchases
                                                                • Figure 35: Physical and digital game ownership, 2022
                                                              • Teen and tween gamers could benefit most from gaming subscriptions
                                                                • Figure 36: Physical and digital game ownership, by number of children in household, 2022
                                                              • Device affordability always matters for younger gamers and families
                                                                • Figure 37: Games ownership, by devices used, 2022
                                                            • Parental Controls and Involvement with Gaming

                                                              • Moral concerns on the dangers of gaming mostly just make headlines
                                                                • Figure 38: Parental involvement with gaming, 2022
                                                              • Companies looking to boost appeal among parents should watch Nintendo
                                                                • Figure 39: Parental involvement with gaming, by console brand ownership, 2022
                                                              • Girls face more gaming restrictions from parents at home
                                                                • Figure 40: Parental involvement with gaming, by gender, 2022
                                                            • Gaming Behaviors

                                                              • Most have a positive relationship with their parents and gaming
                                                                • Figure 41: Video gaming behaviors, 2022
                                                              • Gaming media and brands supporting women help normalize girl gamers
                                                                • Figure 42: Video gaming behaviors, by gender and age, 2022
                                                                • Figure 43: Bungie, Destiny 2, support for RvW reproductive rights for employees, 2022
                                                              • Socializers want multiple quality games that cater to group tastes
                                                                • Figure 44: Video gaming behaviors, by gamer segment, 2022
                                                            • Attitudes toward Gaming

                                                              • Games featuring local cooperative play keep families gaming together
                                                                • Figure 45: Gaming perceptions – Socializing and status, by age, 2022
                                                              • Teens and tweens are happy sharing and know when too much is too much
                                                                • Figure 46: Gaming perceptions – Comparisons to other kids, by age, 2022
                                                              • Tech in the classroom has the go-ahead from teens and tweens
                                                                • Figure 47: Gaming perceptions – Benefits and innovations, by age, 2022
                                                              • Teens and tweens enjoy gaming without spending
                                                                • Figure 48: Gaming perceptions – Gifting and spending, by age, 2022
                                                            • Appendix – Data Sources and Abbreviations

                                                              • Data sources
                                                                • Sales data
                                                                  • Consumer survey data
                                                                    • Abbreviations and terms
                                                                      • Abbreviations

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