Fandom Study Reveals Entertainment Fans Are "Switching" To Gaming In Big Numbers

GameSpot parent company Fandom has released the results of its latest "Inside Entertainment" study that digs into the statistics and trends of people who love video games and entertainment in general. In particular, this newest study shines a light on "switchers," which are those who are shifting away from watching movies and binging TV shows to play games.

The study found the No. 1 activity that entertainment fans are "switching" to is gaming, at 59%. Beyond gaming, the "switchers" are spending time reading (56%), scrolling through social media (47%), and doing personal hobbies (37%). Given the big numbers for reading specifically, the Inside Entertainment study suggests there may be an opportunity for companies to leverage this by book-to-game or book-to-film adaptations.

Gaming and TV/movies are synergistic, the study found. Watching TV and movies is the No. 1 activity that gamers shift to when taking a break from gaming, the study found. "These industries are inevitably intertwined and could benefit from joint endeavors or conquest/win-back strategies," the study said.

What's more, the Inside Entertainment study found that 82% of respondents believe video games are more interactive and engaging than movies and TV. 59% said they felt more accomplished when playing a game versus watching a movie or TV series; 53% said they felt they had more control of the story when playing game; and 45% said they felt more invested in the story when playing a game compared to watching a movie or a show.

Fandom's Inside Entertainment study is based on replies from 5,500 entertainment and gaming fans aged 13-54. The study also leveraged Fandom's proprietary first-party data stemming from 350 million monthly unique visitors, 45 million pages of content, and more than 250,000 wikis.

Go to Fandom's website to read the full Inside Entertainment study.