QUSTODIO ANNUAL DATA REPORT 2020
Gaming apps
This page is chapter 3 in a five-chapter series of app categories included in the Qustodio Annual Data Report on children’s digital habits during the year 2020.
RESEARCH BY APP CATEGORY
Gaming
What we found
Kids in the US played video games the longest, but kids everywhere we analyzed played video games longer than in 2019, 23% longer on average. Kids also played video games during more hours of the day than they did before the pandemic hit in the spring.
What were the most popular video games among kids?
Roblox remained the most popular video game app with 35% of kids playing it globally, 39% in the US and 40% in the UK, while Brawl Stars held on to the top spot with 35% in Spain. New to the popularity chart in 2020 were Among Us – capturing fourth place globally and as high as second place in Spain – and What Would You Choose Rather – ranking third globally and reaching second place in the UK (beating out Minecraft).
How much time did kids spend playing video games?
While not among the most popular apps, the games kids played the longest were World of Warcraft (avg. 142 mins/day globally), Defense of the Ancients (avg. 147 mins/day in the US and avg. 133 mins/day the UK), and Block Strike (avg. 220 mins/day in Spain).
What time of day did kids play video games?
What time of day did kids play video games?
Which video game apps did parents block most?
What we expect
What likely won’t change is the addictive nature of video games. The ability to buy and advertise on these platforms is what makes these ‘free’ games free. Without stricter legislation on loot boxes and other gambling-like features inside of games, the AI game developers use to hook kids to these games, and to make in-app purchases, will only get better.
And the play-all-day-long habits kids started during the lockdowns will be hard to break. A life-saver for kids who had no other way to play with their friends during the pandemic, the games they started won’t be easy to stop.
What we expect
What likely won’t change is the addictive nature of video games. The ability to buy and advertise on these platforms is what makes these ‘free’ games free. Without stricter legislation on loot boxes and other gambling-like features inside of games, the AI game developers use to hook kids to these games, and to make in-app purchases, will only get better.
And the play-all-day-long habits kids started during the lockdowns will be hard to break. A life-saver for kids who had no other way to play with their friends during the pandemic, the games they started won’t be easy to stop.
What we recommend
When it comes to gaming, parents have a huge responsibility to stay involved. Parents should always find time to play at least one round of video games together with their kids to really understand the content, level of violence or inappropriate language, the kind of advertising and purchase items, and most importantly, to know who their kids are playing with.
But, it doesn’t stop with having an understan- ding of the game. Parents also need to be on top of the social and communication apps kids use to live-stream their games and discuss them with friends and strangers online, such as Twitch and Discord. These apps can also be entry points for all kinds of predators, data thieves, cyberbullies and groomers.
Marc Masip, Psychologist, thinks the risk of playing video games outweighs the positives. He says, “Families need to understand the high risk of addiction that now exists in video games. The positive thing about video games is that they produce fun, but that is something that can be achieved with countless alternatives.
On the contrary, video games can produce very negative consequences. If you see your child suffering from social isolation, drop in school performance, aggressiveness, avoidance, frustration… letting them play video games is just not a good idea.”
Josep Gaspar, Qustodio co-founder and Gaming Expert, sees gaming in a more positive light but with a caveat. “Online video games were a lifesaver for many kids during the pandemic. They were both a distraction from a Covid-19 dominated world and a way to stay in touch with friends through group play. Not to mention they can be creative and a lot of fun! But, because online games with chat functionality can be gateways to predators, parents need to be extra vigilant about who their kids are playing with and review game privacy settings. Friends are fine. But friends of friends are not.”
If you see your child suffering from social isolation, drop in school performance, aggressiveness, avoidance, frustration… letting them play video games is just not a good idea”