Current research on American gamers in the first quarter of 2026 showed that exclusive games are still the main reason why people choose to play on consoles.
Analytical company Circana once again conducted research on a sample of 2,500 American gamers aged 13+ and asked the question, what are the reasons? why gamers play games on consoles.
The leading answer is still “because I want to play console exclusive games“. This argument was cited by 41% of respondents. However, it is interesting that this answer had the biggest drop compared to the same survey from 2025, when 49% of respondents chose this answer.
38% of respondents stated that they choose consoles because their friends / family play on them, 37% of them stated that it is easier for them to play with other players, while 36% of respondents admit that they enjoy playing consoles. The least number of respondents (24%) cited the possibility of buying physical games as the reason for playing on consoles.
So, exclusive games are the main reason for console gaming for American gamers. However, it is interesting that the exclusive games on PlayStation and Xbox are not the games that these same players play the most or the most often. Among the most popular games on consoles are titles that can be played on the PC platform, other consoles or even – mobile phones.