Gamers are often faced with the urge to stay on top of things and closely follow new releases. However, ExpressVPN's study on how different generations perceive gaming and what video games they choose to kill time shows that the majority of them still enjoy the classics.

To get a better overview of gaming trends in 2023, let's dive more deeply into the study findings on gaming habits.

Shooter games are still leading the way
Raping industry expansion brought new video game genres, allowing everyone to join the gaming community. From puzzle games and life sims to vehicle simulations, game developers started covering a more comprehensive range of hobbies and interests and targeting an audience that wasn't fitting the stereotypical gamer pattern. However, the classical genres that emerged in the early days are still hugely popular. In fact, the above-mentioned ExpressVPN study found that first-person shooter games are still among the favorites. Interestingly, the Call of Duty franchise ended up being the top choice for both women and men, with 71% of men and 46% of women saying they play it regularly. The choice of action-packed games isn't surprising if we consider the fact that most people stated they play video games to unwind and blow off steam after a long day.

Retro gaming is hugely popular
Even though the immersive experience newly released video games can offer is superb, the studies and recent trends showed that people love the comforting simplicity of the first video games they have ever encountered. The gaming habits study showed that 79% of gamers play retro games. While older generations ger up playing retro games and their gaming choices are somewhat driven by nostalgia, the study confirmed that younger generations enjoy these classics as well. Unsurprisingly, Super Mario Bros., Tetris, and Pac-Man were the top three retro video games.

As the retro gaming trends don't seem to be fading away any time soon, video game developers started reviving the old video games, consoles, and other gaming devices that won people's hearts back in the day. This brought huge revenue to the gaming companies and allow us to enjoy our favorite childhood games once again.

Are phone games more popular than console and PC ones?
In 2022, the console gaming industry was worth $37 billion, while PC gaming earned a whopping $45.6 billion. Even though these are still huge numbers, and both PC and console lovers are defending their side, recent trends show that mobile gaming is becoming a leading force in the gaming industry, with $92.2 billion in annual revenue in 2022. On top of that, 70% of gaming habits survey respondents said they primarily use their phones for gaming. Since our lives have become busier and more on the go, statistics like these aren't surprising. Mobile technology is getting more sophisticated, and it's almost perfectly adjusting to our busy schedules, ensuring our favorite video games are just a swipe away.

Conclusion
As the gaming industry is one of the most rapidly growing sectors, it is challenging to predict how it will change in the future. However, based on the data we're seeing now, we can expect the mobile gaming industry to expand even more. Also, people's appetite for action video games will most likely continue to grow.