Ten Software Sales Facts

These Ten Sales Facts help explain the affect that software (especially games like The Oregon Trail) have on America:

1.  U.S. computer and video game software sales grew four percent in 2004 to $7.3 billion -- a more than doubling of industry software sales since 1996.

2.  Seventy-five percent of American heads of households play computer and video games. 

3.  In 2004, more than 248 million computer and video games were sold, almost two games for every household in America .

4.  The average game player is 30 years old and has been playing games for 9.5 years.

5.  The average game buyer is 37 years old.  In 2005, 95 percent of computer game buyers and 84 percent of console game buyers were over the age of 18.

6.  Eighty-three percent of all games sold in 2004 were rated "E" for Everyone or "T" for Teen.  For more information on ratings, please see www.esrb.org.

7.  Eighty-seven percent of game players under the age of 18 report that they get their parents’ permission when renting or buying games, and 92 percent say their parents are present when they buy games.

8.  Forty-three percent of all game players are women. In fact, women over the age of 18 represent a greater portion of the game-playing population (28 percent) than boys from ages 6 to 17 (21 percent).

9.  In 2004, 19 percent of Americans over the age of 50 played video games, an increase from nine percent in 1999.

10.  Forty-two percent of game players say they play games online one or more hours per week. In addition, 34 percent of heads of households play games on a wireless device, such as a cell phone or PDA, up from 20 percent in 2002.

(Info Courtesy of the ESA: Entertainment Software Association)