Turning a negative perception issue into an opportunity

Acting as the voice and advocate for the U.S. video game industry, the Entertainment Software Association represents a sector that generates over $41.5 billion in revenue each year domestically—outpacing even music sales and movie box office.

With over three billion gamers worldwide, the industry connects audiences across cultures, ages and gender in the fastest growing segment of entertainment.  In the U.S. alone, there are over 214 million video game players. Sixty-four percent of adults and 70 percent of children under 18 play video games. Women and girls make up about half (41 percent) of players. Nearly 80 percent of all players are 18 or older.

But the video game industry also has its detractors. There are concerns about addiction. Parents worry about excessive screen time for kids and the violence depicted in many games. The World Health Organization even compared video games to other forms of addiction.

The Entertainment Software Association sensed it needed to counter the narrative and underscore the positive impact of video games that gamers worldwide already knew. “We were spending great amounts of time playing ‘whack-a-mole’, trying to react to these issues as they came up,” says Andrew Bowins, the association’s SVP of communications and public affairs.