The Entertainment Software Association just released their latest update to their annual Essential Facts About the Computer and Video Game Industry. Nice title.

According to the Essential Facts About the Computer and Video Game Industry, or EFATCAVGI as I like to call it, the average age of gamers is now 33, or just two years younger than me. And the average age of the typical game purchaser is 40. Wait, does that mean that people are getting their older brothers to buy their games for them?

The industry sold 228.5 million games last year for a total of $7 billion and forty-two percent of Americans have purchased or plan to purchase one or more games in 2006.'

Hit the jump for more lid-drooping numbers. —Brian Crecente

Demographics: Sixty-nine percent of American heads of households play computer or video games. The average age of a game player is 33, while the average age of the most frequent game purchaser is 40. In 2005, twenty-five percent of game players were over the age of 50. The average adult gamer has played for 12 years. [1]
Game Content: Forty-nine percent of games sold in 2005 were rated "Everyone," while thirty-two percent were rated "Teen." Sixteen out of twenty of the best selling games were rated "E" or "T". [3] Eighty-nine percent of parents are present at the time their children purchase or rent games, and sixty-one percent believe games are a positive part of their children's lives. [2]
Parents and Games: Thirty-five percent of American parents play computer and video games. Among these gamer parents, eighty percent report playing video games with their children, and sixty-six percent say playing games has brought their families closer together. The typical gamer parent is 37 years old, and forty-seven percent of gamer parents are women. [2]
Online and Wireless Games: Forty-four percent of the most frequent gamers report playing games online, up from nineteen percent in 2000. Thirty-two percent of heads of households report playing games on wireless devices such as cell phones or PDA's, up from twenty percent in 2002. [1]
Industry Sales: The industry sold 228.5 million game units in 2005, for total sales of $7 billion. [3] Forty-two percent of Americans have purchased or plan to purchase one or more games in 2006. [1]