Gaming increasingly popular in Switzerland: 3.6 million gamers - especially on smartphones

The results of the gaming focus are representative of the internet-using Swiss population aged 15 to 75 (6.3 million people).

• Gaming is a popular sport: with 3.6 million people, gaming reaches a larger audience than streaming platforms such as Spotify or Netflix
• German-speaking Switzerland plays the most: Daily gaming is significantly more common in German-speaking Switzerland (24%) than in French-speaking Switzerland (19%) and Ticino (15%)
• A hobby of young men and older women: Young men game the most by far, but older women also entertain themselves with games particularly often
• The majority play free games: 47% play free games, only 27% buy games - the most popular are memory, brain and learning games
• Switch is the most popular console: consoles increase from 23% to 26% compared to the previous year - the most popular device is the Nintendo Switch

Game community grows by almost a quarter of a million people

3.6 million people play games at least occasionally (57% of the population). This is 246,000 more people than in the previous year (54%). This means that gaming reaches a larger audience than streaming platforms such as Spotify (55%) or Netflix (54%). Daily usage has also increased significantly: While 1.3 million (20%) played games every day in the previous year, this figure has now risen to 1.4 million (23%). There are striking differences between the language regions: While 24% of the population in German-speaking Switzerland play games every day, this figure is only 19% in French-speaking Switzerland and 15% in Ticino.

Huge differences depending on age and gender

Around two thirds of men play games from time to time (64%). Among women, however, the figure is just under half (49%). The age structure of male and female gamers is completely contradictory. Among men, game consumption decreases steadily with increasing age: the youngest age group of 15 to 19 years plays most often (40% daily), followed by 20 to 29-year-olds (33%) and 40 to 49-year-olds (22%). The reverse is true for women: While only very few 15 to 19-year-olds play daily (13%), women aged 60 to 75 are the most active gamers (34% daily).

Smartphone remains the top device, but consoles and laptops are catching up

The most popular gaming device is the smartphone: 2.7 million (42% of the population) occasionally play games on their cell phone. In second place are games consoles with 1.7 million (26%), ahead of tablets (20%), laptops (17%) and PCs (14%). Compared to the previous year, consoles have increased the most (plus 210,000 people, 2024: 23%). While older people almost exclusively use smartphones and tablets for gaming, the range of devices used by younger people is much wider. The lowest age average is for mobile handheld consoles.

Nintendo and Sony are in a neck-and-neck race

The most popular console is Nintendo Switch (15% of the population), closely followed by Sony Playstation (14%). Microsoft Xbox is in third place (4%). With the launch of its successor Switch 2 in June 2025, the console is likely to have become even more popular since the survey was completed. In contrast to the competition, Nintendo's device appeals more to women: The gender ratio is almost even, while men make up almost 80% for Xbox and Playstation.

Three quarters of game buyers are male

The majority play free games: at 3 million people, almost half of the population (47%) play free games - 35% without and 38% with advertising (with a large overlap: 27% play mixed free games with or without advertising 12% play only with and 8% only without advertising). 30% of the Swiss population is prepared to pay for games. Around half of gamers buy a game occasionally, with 73% of buyers being men. Online games are the most popular (36%), followed by physical media (28%). Almost one in five gamers buy game-enhancing in-game items and one in ten cosmetic in-game items. Such purchasable extras are particularly popular with younger gamers. For cosmetic in-game items - such as so-called "skins" - the average age is lowest at 27 years.

Most people puzzle, only a few shoot

The prevalence of free games is reflected in the ranking of genres: the most popular are mostly free casual games such as memory, thinking and learning games (31% of the population), card games (24%), board games (23%) and puzzles (21%). Core games, on the other hand, which are aimed at die-hard gamers, primarily reach a younger and predominantly male audience. The most popular core genres are platform and racing games (19% each), followed by action and adventure (15%). Simulations have increased significantly compared to the previous year and are now on a par with strategy and shooter games (13% each).

More than half play multiplayer games

Gaming is not a solitary hobby: more than half (53%) of gamers play multiplayer games with friends, family or the online community at least occasionally. Among 15 to 34-year-olds, the figure is as high as three quarters (75%), with a large proportion of this age group playing multiplayer games weekly (41%) or even daily (12%). Interest in gaming together decreases with age. Among 55- to 75-year-olds, only around a fifth (21%) occasionally play multiplayer games and older women in particular are almost exclusively engaged in single-player games.

Fast food in front of the PC - the gamer cliché is often true

Men aged 15 to 39 are the most frequent gamers. A comparison with non-gamers from the same age group shows that their profile largely corresponds to the cliché: gamers are better equipped technically and usually have a PC as well as a TV. They order food online more often and spend significantly more time on platforms such as YouTube, Discord or Twitch with lots of game content. They are also less often responsible for the household and more often not employed. However, some things are surprising: gamers go to the movies more often and are on Teletext more often than non-gamers.