Grandparents Are Gamers, Too — Especially Grandmothers

Grandparents comprise a sizeable chunk of gamers age 50 and older, according to an AARP online survey. About half of grandparents play video games at least once a month, and the most avid gamers are in their 50s.

Contrary to expectations, a majority (80%) of all gamers 50-plus play video games alone. Though grandparents say that they play to spend time with family, they don’t necessarily play games with family members such as their grandchildren. The grandkids, however, are their primary source of information about new games.

Grandparents’ gamer identity is not defined by traditional gender roles. In fact, more than 60% of grandparents who play at least once a month are grandmothers; grandfathers account for less than half (43%).

Like everyone else, grandparents play video games to have fun (85%). Though only half of grandparents agree that gaming is good for them as they age, a strong majority (80%) say that they play to stay mentally sharp, their second most important reason to play.

Methodology

The AARP survey was conducted online with 7,885 Americans age 50  and older, including 3,758 gamers who own a gaming device and play video games at least once a month. Survey deployed in August 2022. 

For more information on this survey, please contact Brittne Nelson-Kakulla at bkakulla@aarp.org. For media inquiries, please contact AARP Media at media@aarp.org. 

Suggested citation:

Kakulla, Brittne. Gaming Grandparents 2022. Washington, DC: AARP Research, September 2022. https://doi.org/10.26419/res.00573.001