The news: Gamers prefer mobile gaming, prioritize cross-platform gaming, and have mixed attitudes toward in-game ads.

• 73% of US and UK gamers primarily play video games on smartphones or tablets, per Attest’s 2025 Gaming Consumer Insights report.
• Half (51%) said cross-platform play is important.
• 32% actively ignore in-game ads, 31% find them intrusive, and 32% think they’re helpful.

Handhelds rules: Consoles rank much higher than headsets as a preferred device for gaming.

• 56% of US and UK gamers play on consoles, per Attest, which could bode well for Nintendo’s upcoming Switch 2.
• Only 11% primarily use VR headsets, complicating Apple’s and Meta’s forays into virtual experiences and the metaverse.

Becoming benign: Marketers may be able to capture gamers’ attention by adding bonuses for in-game ads. And, even though some may deem those ads to be annoying, they’re unlikely to push gamers away entirely.

• 45% of gamers don’t mind in-game ads if they get a reward—such as an extra life—for watching them, per Comscore.
• 75% of US mobile gamers said ads don’t negatively affect their gaming experience.

Path to play: The content discovery journey for gamers looks different from that of movie and TV viewers, indicating that each medium attracts consumers in their own way.

• 41% of US gamers said recommendations from friends and family are the most influential factor in how they find new titles to play, per Attest.
• Word-of-mouth recommendations drive movie and TV choices for just one-quarter (23%) of US internet users, per Ampere.

Open to AI: Consumer attitudes toward use of AI in game development are different from their feelings toward AI use in movie or TV production.

• 48% of gamers feel positively about AI being used to help develop NPC behavior or game content, per Attest, and 39% feel neutral.
• However, two-thirds (69%) of Gen Zers would rather watch a movie or TV show written by a human than one written by generative AI (genAI), per Deloitte.

Our take: Gamers are mobile-first, socially driven, and open to new technologies. Companies could capitalize on this by offering cross-platform experiences, using AI to enhance content creation, and offering rewarded ad experiences to boost engagement.