Gen Z is reshaping the gaming landscape with bold preferences and habits. They flock to mobile for convenience, lean into PCs and consoles for depth, and thrive in cross-platform worlds that offer choice and social sync. Real-world use cases span everything from mobile esports viewership rising 340% since 2022 to platforms like Roblox blending gaming with commerce, like Shopify integrations and virtual avatars, encouraging brands to meet Gen Z where they are. Dive into the full article to discover how these trends are shaping the gaming ecosystem.

Editor’s Choice

87% of Gen Z (ages 13–24) play games regularly.
Gen Z gamers play on mobile at 69%, PCs at 42%, and consoles at 38%.
Mobile remains dominant: 92% of Gen Z engage through mobile devices.
Digital gaming engagement among Gen Z in the U.S. is projected to reach approximately 73–75% by 2027.
Weekly gaming hours for Millennials and Gen Z average 10.3 hours, up from 8.2 overall in 2024.
Console revenue is projected to grow 7.0% from 2024 to 2027, compared with 2.6% for PC.
Gen Z gamers identify predominantly as “mobile gamers first” at 86% vs. just 29% for Gen X.

Recent Developments

Global gaming population will hit 3.5 billion by the end of 2025, up from 3.32 billion in 2024.
Console revenue growth outpaces PC, +7% vs +2.6% projected through 2027.
Subscribers: 52% of gamers in the U.S. subscribe to at least one gaming service. Console gamers, 74% likely subscribers, and PC gamers, 66%.
Cross-platform functionality has been shown to improve player retention, with some studies indicating players return up to 31% more often compared to single-platform users.
The average gamer now spends 8.6 hours per week gaming in 2025, up from 8.2 hours in 2024.
Mobile esports viewership has surged 340% since 2022, while console esports viewership fell 10-12%.
Roblox added Rewarded Video ads and signed a Google partnership, reaching 85.3 million daily active users at the end of 2024. Teen usage jumped from 34% to 46% year-over-year.

Gen Z Gaming Platform Overview

69% of Gen Z game on mobile, 42% on PC, and 38% on console.

92% access games via mobile.
Cross-platform users, consoles at 58%, PC at 54% for Gen Z.
Mobile gaming constitutes 79% of the total gamer base, 42% of mobile gamers also play on PC, 55% on console.
52% of Gen Z gamers make at least one in-game purchase, while only 42% of the overall gamer population do.
Average Gen Z gamer plays 6 hours and 10 minutes per day.
Mobile is “first” for 86% of Gen Z, far above Gen X’s 29%.

Gen Z Mobile, Console, and PC Gaming Preferences

86% brand themselves “mobile gamers first,” compared with 29% for Gen X.
Cross-platform engagement, console (58%), PC (54%).
Gaming subscriptions, console-heavy with 74%, vs PC at 66%.
Mobile esports viewership rose 340%, console declined 12%.
Average Gen Z session, about 6 h 10 m of play time daily.
Cross-play use bolsters retention, a 31% increase in daily return rate.
In-game spending, 52% of Gen Z gamers spend mostly on in-game currency, gear, and personalization.

How Gen Alpha’s Gamers Spend Their Time

Video games (playing, viewing, etc.): 5.2 hours/week for Gen Alpha game enthusiasts vs 4.1 hours/week for other generations.
Social media: 5.1 hours/week for Gen Alpha vs 6.1 hours/week for other generations.
Watching videos online (excluding gaming content): 4.7 hours/week for Gen Alpha vs 4.3 hours/week for other generations.
Watching TV/movies on demand: 4.4 hours/week for Gen Alpha vs 4.9 hours/week for other generations.
Watching broadcast TV: 4.0 hours/week for Gen Alpha vs 4.4 hours/week for other generations.
Listening to music: 4.0 hours/week for Gen Alpha vs 4.4 hours/week for other generations.
Reading: 2.8 hours/week for both Gen Alpha and other generations.

Tablet Gaming Usage Among Gen Z

Mobile and PC are core platforms, tablets likely fall between those footprints.
Overlap, many mobile gamers also play on PC or console, suggesting tablet inclusion in cross-platform trends.
No direct stat for tablets, but with mobile at 92% and PC at 42%, tablet likely holds a lower but meaningful share.
We can infer that as smartphone usage continues to rise, tablets may serve as an alternative for shared home device gaming.

Cross-Platform and Multi-Device Trends

58% of Gen Z gamers use consoles and 54% use PCs for cross-platform gaming, showing high platform fluidity.
Nearly 50% of all gamers play on more than one platform.
Approximately 13–15% of gamers engage across all three major platforms (mobile, PC, and console), demonstrating high device fluidity.
Mobile gaming still dominates, with 79% of gamers playing on mobile. Of these, 42% also game on PC and 55% on console.
In Q2 2024, tablet gaming usage rose from 17% (2020) to 22% among Gen Z.
Cross-platform players return 31% more often than single-platform users.
Gen Z picks games first, then device, preferring titles that work across mobile, PC, and console seamlessly.
Cloud gaming now supports streaming to phones, tablets, PCs, and smart TVs, reducing the need for specific hardware.

Top Game Genres Preferred by Gen Z

Gen Z gamers favor shooting and action/adventure games, especially those with online multiplayer features.
Social connection ranks among the top three reasons Gen Z plays games.
A 2024 ESA report found 63% of Gen Z prefer playing video games to watching films, 71% say gaming is a great way to socialize.
Gaming leads Gen Z’s leisure time, taking up 25%, more than social media (18%) or streaming video (17%).
Cozy games, like Stardew Valley or Animal Crossing, have fueled a 7.58% increase in new gamers since 2022.
A Roblox survey indicated that 84% of Gen Z users who engage in avatar customization report drawing fashion inspiration from their digital looks.
Title-based content often inspires discovery; 39% of Gen Z say they discovered new songs through the games they played.

Motivations Driving Gen Z and Gen Alpha Gamers

Gen Z players are most motivated by a vast open world or universe to explore (68%), followed by a deep or interesting story (67%).
Open storytelling is appealing to 62% of Gen Z gamers, while high-speed gameplay attracts 59%.
Facing off against other players in duels or matches is important for 59% of Gen Z gamers.
Gen Alpha players rank a vast open world or universe to explore the highest at 73%.
Facing off against other players in duels or matches motivates 71% of Gen Alpha gamers.
Shared objectives that allow players to cooperate appeal to 68% of Gen Alpha.
Lots of optional tasks engage 67% of Gen Alpha gamers.
A deep or interesting story is a motivator for 65% of Gen Alpha players.

Favorite Multiplayer and Social Gaming Experiences

58% of Gen Z consider gaming their main social space, outranking messaging apps and social media.
67% of multiplayer gamers use voice chat regularly to coordinate or socialize.
45% have made at least one real‑life friend through gaming.
Guilds and clans now include approximately 1.8 billion users globally, many active daily.
Social features like co‑op missions boost engagement time by 35%.
Gen Z enjoys low‑pressure “cozy” spaces for social connection.
Gen Z and millennials both report 70% met new people through gaming, and 63% of Gen Z say they met a good friend or partner this way.
They often discover music or shows via games; 28% say gaming led them to new TV shows or movies.

User-Generated Content (UGC) Platforms Popular With Gen Z

User-generated content has transformed gaming into a collaborative ecosystem, shifting culture toward creativity and participation.
Platforms like Roblox drive UGC, with daily active users hitting 85.3 million at the end of 2024. Teen usage rose from 34% to 46% over the year.
Games like Dress to Impress emphasize community‑driven fashion, with 84% of Gen Z deriving inspiration from their avatars.
UGC fosters self‑expression, and Gen Z values personalized environments, sharing their creative identities.
UGC strengthens brand interest, and immersive ad experiences tied to creative platforms help marketers tap Gen Z directly.
Analysis notes growing complexity in UGC types and tools, reflecting how players contribute to and reshape game worlds.

Social Features in Gaming

Gen Z uses games for social connection; 58% see gaming as their main social space.
Voice chat is crucial; 67% of multiplayer gamers use it to coordinate or socialize.
Social gameplay styles boost engagement by 35%.
70% of Gen Z met people through gaming, 63% formed close bonds.
UGC and creative spaces enhance social identity.
Multiplatform social sync encourages play across devices.
Multiplayer modes in cozy, low-pressure games nurture social bonds without competitive stress.

Parental Limits on Digital Device Usage

59% of respondents say their parents or guardians limit the number of hours they can use digital devices.
37% report having no restrictions on their device usage.
4% are unsure whether any limits are in place.

Time Spent on Gaming Platforms by Gen Z

Gen Z spends an average of 6 hours and 10 minutes gaming per day.
That totals roughly 43 hours and 10 minutes per week.
Newzoo reports 81% of Gen Z respondents play games, averaging 7 hours and 20 minutes per week.
Mobile players average 2.5 sessions per day, each around 22 minutes.
U.S. gamers overall play 12.8 hours per week across platforms, 75% of them play at least 4 hours weekly.
Gen Z leisure behavior: 25% of their free time goes to gaming.
Among Millennials and Gen Z, weekly engagement hits 10.3 hours, versus 8.2 for prior years.
Cloud streaming growth allows play on mobile, tablet, PC, or TV. More access means more total play time.

Gen Z Gaming and Online Communities

58% of Gen Z gamers now view gaming as their primary social space, surpassing messaging apps or social media.
Guilds, clans, and online groups include approximately 1.8 billion users, with many participating daily.
67% of multiplayer gamers use voice chat regularly.
45% have made at least one real-life friend through gaming.
The global online gaming population is around 3.43 billion in 2025.
Esports engagement grows fast, and Gen Z makes up 43% of the global esports audience in 2025.
Esports fans tend to be highly active, 58% tune in weekly, 30% watch documentaries, 29% engage with fan-created content, and 21% listen to podcasts.

Gen Z Spending Patterns and Monetization Preferences

Gen Z spending on video games dropped ~25% in 2025 relative to 2024.
Between January and April 2025, both online and retail game purchases fell 13% year-over-year.
Although overall spending declined, in‑game purchases still drive 76% of online gaming revenue globally in 2025.
52% of gamers make monthly in-game purchases, and mobile gamers contribute 57% of all microtransaction revenue.
The average gamer spends $147 annually on microtransactions, up from $132 last year.
Mobile gaming revenue in the U.S. reached $34.7 billion, up 7.6% year-over-year.
Free-to-play models generate $92 billion, more than 40% of total online gaming revenue.

Impact of Ads and In‑Game Purchases on Gen Z Gamers

In-game purchases now represent 76% of global online gaming revenue.
Cosmetics (non-functional items) account for 41% of microtransactions.
Gacha-style games, especially popular in Asia, contribute $12.4 billion to annual in-game revenue.
An estimated 60–65% of players in leading games like Fortnite and Call of Duty regularly engage with battle pass systems, reflecting a preference for structured progression and rewards.
In the U.S., mobile microtransactions led overall gaming spending with $34.7 billion, reflecting strong engagement with ad-driven and freemium models.
Despite lower spending, Gen Z continues gaming by shifting to free or affordable “friendslop” titles, priced under $10.
Among Japanese players aged 20–29, ~19% admitted that in-game purchases impacted their ability to pay for essentials, and microtransaction uptake rose ~6% year-over-year.

Gen Z Participation in Esports and Streaming

Gen Z makes up 43% of the global esports audience in 2025.
Esports viewership continues to grow, projected to reach over 640 million globally, including 318 million dedicated fans and 322 million casual viewers.
Mobile devices are now used for 56% of live tournament streams.
The 2025 Esports World Cup in Riyadh features a $71.5 million prize pool, the largest combined esports payout ever.
The 2025 League of Legends Mid-Season Invitational, held in Vancouver, featured the most “game-fives” in history, nine of nineteen series reaching the fifth match.
Roughly 52% of U.S. esports fans are aged 18–34, with an average viewer age of 26.
Esports betting trends show $2.5 billion in revenue with over 74 million participants, and Gen Z making up nearly half of all bettors.

Brand and Social Media Integrations in Gaming

Fashion and luxury brands increasingly use gaming to reach Gen Z. Roblox and Fortnite have become key marketing channels.
Digital fashion and in-game customization, particularly from brands like Louis Vuitton, Dior, and Gucci, accounted for three‑quarters of gaming revenue in 2021.
AI-powered virtual stores on platforms like Roblox and Google’s Gemini help brands sell merchandise in immersive, gamified spaces.
Gen Z responds when brands blend interactivity, authenticity, and identity, using gaming spaces to shape and express personas.

Reasons Gen Z Chooses Specific Gaming Platforms

Social connection ranks among the top three reasons Gen Z plays games; platforms that enable interaction win out.
Titles must work across mobile, PC, and console to attract Gen Z, who expect seamless cross-platform play.
Value and affordability matter; Gen Z gravitates toward free-to-play or inexpensive games, especially amid financial pressures.
Convenience of mobile access continues to be key; 82% of Gen Z play on phones.
Personalization and creative control, like avatar customization and UGC, strongly influence platform preference.
Brand integration, like fashion drops or digital goods, makes some platforms feel more relevant and engaging.

Changes in Gen Z Gaming Trends Over Time

Gen Z has become the most digitally penetrated gaming generation and is projected to reach 75% engagement by 2027.
Mobile gaming among Gen Z has grown 9% since 2020, cementing mobile-first habits.
In-game spending rose from $132 to $147 annually per gamer.
Esports viewership continues to skyrocket, from 435 million in 2020 to a projected 640+ million by 2025.
Despite economic pressure, platforms offering free or low-cost social gameplay, like “friendslop” titles, helped Gen Z maintain engagement.
The balance between gaming and offline connection grows, and some Gen Zers seek more IRL interaction and screen-time breaks.

Conclusion

Gen Z gaming is defined by social immersion, platform fluidity, and creative expression. They lead cross-platform play, dominate esports audiences, and value personalization, yet face real economic constraints that shape smarter spending. Microtransactions and virtual goods drive much of the industry’s revenue, but lower-cost, social-first games keep Gen Z engaged. As they intersect with fashion, AI, and virtual commerce, gaming becomes far more than play; it’s a lifestyle. Ultimately, understanding Gen Z’s evolving landscape is key for any brand, developer, or strategist aiming to stay relevant.