Kids Are All About Gaming This Holiday Season—Here's the Data to Back It Up

The holiday season can be one of frustration for parents. What exactly do you buy for your kid who wants everything and nothing at the same time?

If you want to win the gifting game this year, you might consider looking at video games. According to the Entertain Software Association (ESA), 76 percent of kids are asking for video games this holiday season. The kids surveyed ranged from 10-17 years old and they don’t just want games or consoles. They’re asking for a range of gaming related products.

Gaming consoles top the list at about 47 percent of kids asking for them, followed pretty closely by 43 percent of kids who want gaming subscription services like the Xbox Game Pass Ultimate or a PlayStation Plus subscription. Games for consoles and gaming gear are both on the wishlists of about 41 percent of kids, while in-game currency (think Robux and Minecoins for Roblox and Minecraft, respectively) is a request of about 38 percent of kids.

“Video games and video game technology have evolved quite a bit since today’s parents were kids themselves, but the fun and joy created by gameplay for families remains the same,” Stanley Pierre-Louis, president and CEO, Entertainment Software Association, said in the press release. “Parents see video games as more than simply a gift. With 83 percent of US parents who play saying they play video games with their kids, games serve as a powerful tool for families to connect with one another, especially during the holidays.”

While gaming topped the list of what kids were asking for, they also had some other requests. Money and/or gift cards was a close second request, with about 67 percent of kids asking for those gifts. About 66 percent of the kids surveyed asked for clothing and accessories, and another 62 percent asked for tech items like smartwatches and phones.

So, if you’re at a loss for what to do for the kids this holiday season, gaming options are worth looking at. Since most kids are asking for them, find the right game, or gaming accessory shouldn’t be too difficult of a task. If all else fails, a subscription to a gaming service will probably make the gift-giver of the season.