Australia Plays: 2025

Key insights

6 takeaways

01
Video games are played in 88% of Australian households in 2025, a figure the report describes as having remained within the margin of error for the past 15 years.See it on page 6
02
Contrary to common perception, children are not the primary audience for video games: 71% of players are working-age adults, 19% are children and 10% are older adults.See it on page 9
03
The average age of video game players in Australia is 35 years, and the report notes this figure has risen slightly by a few months since the 2023 report.See it on page 9
04
Social play is inversely related to age, with 77% of players playing socially and older players tending toward solo games as they age.See it on page 20
05
Preference for competitive play rises with age: 19% of under-18s prefer competitive games compared with 45% of those aged 65 and over.See it on page 12
06
Among parents, 75% say they set rules for their children's video game play, with 38% saying 'very much' and 37% 'to some degree.'See it on page 15

Summary

The 2025 Australia Plays report, the 11th in a series published by IGEA and Bond University since 2005, examines who plays video games in Australia, why they play, how they play, and attitudes toward games. It draws on a study of 1,241 Australian households with adult respondents aged 18 and over, drawn randomly from the Qualtrics XM panel in May 2025, with a stated margin of error of 2.7%. Parents represent 394 of the household respondents, and play-time data draws on adult participants and one other nominated household member (n=1,309).

The report finds that video games are played in 88% of Australian households in 2025, and that 74% of households have two or more game devices. Of all Australian players, 71% are working-age adults, 19% are children and 10% are older adults. The average age of players is 35 years, and 51% of players are female, 48% male. Children and adults are both reported as players, with the authors noting that children are not the primary audience.

The report states that 77% of Australians who play video games play them socially with others, and that social play is inversely related to age. Collaborative play is preferred by 62% of Australians overall, but the preference for competitive play rises with age, reaching 45% among those aged 65 and over.

Parents report reasons for letting children play, with 49% citing a fun way to learn and 48% citing improved problem-solving skills. Additionally, 75% of parents say they set rules for children's game play.