Online gaming time volume continues growing

Online gaming time has been increasing considerably as proves data from The NPD Group. Thus, the average amount of hours spent each week on online gaming has climbed by 10% since the last year, while an average of 20% of all games purchased were digitally downloaded up from 19% in 2009.

The average number of hours spent per week on online gaming has increased from 7.3% hours per week in 2009 to 8 hours per week in 2010. This means that, despite the decline in overall online game play, those who are playing, are spending more time playing than they did last year.

The report found 71% of online gamers bought or received a game during the 2009 holiday season. There were no major percentage changes of online gamers making purchase from 2008 to 2010, and also no significant changes regarding average volumes purchased during that same time period.

Among gamers reporting they personally play video games on at least one type of console, 54% said they play games online, down modestly since 2009 and 2008 (56% and 55% respectively).

The PC is considered to be the most-used device for online gaming, with 85% of online gamers using it. Among non-PC systems, the Xbox 360 retains its leadership for the third subsequent year as the top video game system used for online gaming at 48%. In turn, PS3 and Wii are now neck and neck, with about 30% of online gamers each. However, last year Wii was leading over PS3 by 8%.

This fact is owing to an increase in use for online gaming on the part of the PS3, which increased 10 percentage points since last year.

The top three systems with the highest average hours per week spent gaming online are: Xbox 360 - 7.3 hrs, PC - 6.6 hrs and PS3 -5.8 hrs.