Australia Plays 2025 report reveals how attitudes towards gaming have evolved over two decades.
If the first thing that comes to mind when you think of gamers is teenage boys playing violent games alone in their bedrooms, you should think again.
Ahead of Melbourne International Games Week, the newly released Australia Plays research has unveiled that not only are the demographics for gaming changing, but cooperative gaming is the most popular, with many families using video games to bond.
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According to the report, a whopping 82 per cent of Australians play video games, with an almost exactly even split between the genders. Action and adventure games are the most popular, followed by puzzle, shooter, sport and role-playing games.
Statistics show that 62 per cent of gamers are playing collaborative games, while 38 are playing competitive games. What's more, roughly 50 per cent of parents report that the reason they play video games with their children is as a fun way to connect with the family.
Dr Taylor Wilson, one of the authors of the reports, says he's noticed a shift in both his personal life and beyond towards collaborative gaming.
"We're all stressed out, we don't want to spend hours trying to get good at Call of Duty to compete with people who have way more time to play Call of Duty," he says regarding his own friend group. "Instead, it's that collaborative point, that collaborative play. Different stories come together, and [we're] having a lot of fun."
Many report that gaming creates feelings of enjoyment, while helping their mental wellbeing by building resilience, helping manage stress and increasing self-confidence.
Contrary to popular belief, the age of Aussie gamers has actually been rising steadily over the years. In 2025, the average player age is 35 years old, and the number of elderly gamers is also on the rise.
Professor Jeffrey E. Brand, author of the report, says the work underscores how much video games matter despite the common misconceptions.
"[We're doing this research] to open up the conversation, provide evidence about the audience for video games, and talk about this need, so remarkable that it is, that we can understand how functionally important it is for our society and for the creative industries," he says.