The gamer stereotype of the college kid in their parents’ basement may soon be a distant memory. The Entertainment Software Association (ESA) has updated its statistics in the U.S. to reflect the demographic breadth of those playing video games in 2020. The video game industry trade body said that 64% of American adults play games and the audience is becoming increasingly diverse. ESA noted that 41% of gamers are women, and the average age for an American gamer is 35-44 years old.

Data from Interpret’s New Media Measure® aligns with the ESA’s findings that gamers today are older and more diverse than ever before. 55% of African Americans and 53% of Hispanics play games for at least one hour per week, and 54% of people between the ages of 36 and 45 play. Even among those 46-55 years old, nearly half (46%) play games weekly. Moreover, 57% of parents who have children under 18 consider themselves gamers.

This bodes incredibly well for the future of the games business, as older generations who grew up with Atari, Commodore 64, and the NES are still gaming and sharing the hobby with their children or grandchildren. The broadening demographic suggests that individuals who have settled down and those who are just gaining access to more disposable income are spending on games, which is becoming a cross-generational pastime akin to movies, television and music.