Nielsen: 39% of U.S. gamers are spending more money on the hobby

As people continue to shelter in their homes in the fight against coronavirus, videos games are stepping up. The medium provides entertainment, but it’s also a source of socialization. And now data-tracking firm Nielsen is seeing the turn to games reflected in its monthly survey (as first reported by The Hollywood Reporter). Nielsen talked with approximately 3,000 gaming fans in the United States, the U.K., Germany, and France from March 23 through March 29. And it found that 45% of respondents in the U.S. say they played more games compared to the previous week.

Many U.S. states and nations have shelter-in-place orders that require people to stay at home. And while people are also spending extra time watching video content, gaming is benefiting from its social options. For anyone isolated from friends and family, multiplayer games are an easy way to stay connected while having fun. And 29% of gaming fans in the U.S. say they are spending more time with other people in online games.