In further evidence of the impact the pandemic is having on everyday life, video gaming has seen a significant uptick across allage groups.

With more people staying home and avoiding in-person contact, alternative forms of entertainment and socialization have been on the rise. Video gaming, in particular, has become a popular option. Rather than being a solo experience, modern video games often provide a high level of social interaction.

According to Mat Piscatella, Video Game Industry Analyst, The NPD Group, video games are rising in popularity across age demographics, and specifically among middle-aged and older groups.

From The NPD Group's 2020 Evolution of Entertainment report. Check out the increases in time spent gaming across different age ranges driven by pandemic-driven behavior changes. And pubs and devs, please note the 35+ jumps. pic.twitter.com/7oWBUJDS1b

— Mat Piscatella (@MatPiscatella) November 30, 2020

Interestingly, the biggest jump in video game usage was in the 45 to 54 year-old age group. This impact of the pandemic is sure to open up new opportunities for enterprising companies to better engage with potential customers.