The number of gamers in the US rose significantly since 2006, where the figures got stuck at only 64%.

NPD Group’s ‘Online Gaming 2008’ report states that around half of the 72% gamers play online and that 90% of all online gamers are PC gamers. One would gladly think at World of Warcraft and other MMO games, which do attract loads of people online. However, it’s more likely that the figures went up more on behalf of casual gamers.

19% of online gamers play on consoles and only 3% do the same with cell phones.

Although the percentages seem impressive, it’s worth noting that:

"Despite the buzz in the industry regarding online gaming, it is still relatively small compared to offline gaming," said NPD analyst Anita Frazier. "There is still a large, untapped market for gaming in general and online gaming in particular."

The study also reveals that around 50% of online gamers are at least 25 years old, while online gamers under 18 are credited with 40%. Most interesting, the 18-24 group adds up to only 10%.