ESA Canada Releases Breakdown Of Game Playing Habits, Demographics

The Entertainment Software Association of Canada has released a report outlining the habits and demographics of Canadian game audiences, detailing their most played game genres and platforms of choice, and lauding Canada as the "third most successful video game industry in the world." The report reveals that 96 percent of Canadians own a computer, while 47 percent own a game console, and the average age of a Canadian user is 33 years. The ESAC revealed 49 percent of Canadian users play games most frequently on computers, while 34 choose to most often play on consoles, with most playing games "a few times per week." The remaining users play most frequently on handhelds or mobile devices. The male-to-female ratio for game players in Canada is 62 percent to 38 percent, with female users most using computers as their gaming platform. For comparison, the gender split in the U.S. is 60 percent male to 40 percent female according to the ESA's "Essential Facts About the Computer and Video Game Industry." In terms of online play, the report reveals that 76 percent of users play online. Of those who do play online, 80 percent do so at lease once per week. The report also notes an increase in the amount of time users spend playing social games, with 39 percent claiming to play more games on social networking sites than they did one year ago. The ESAC noted growth in the Canadian game industry since 2009: the country is home to 247 establishments, and the industry provides 14,000 people with "high paying jobs." In 2009, end-user spending on entertainment and media -- not including digital sales -- reached $19.1 billion dollars. The ESA predicts it will reach $23 billion by 2014. The report noted the industry contributes roughly $1.7 billion annually to Canada's economy.