Teen Gaming Survey finds gaming is often a social experience

The first survey of its kind in the USA finds that virtually all American teens play computer, console, or cell phone games, and that the gaming experience is rich and varied, with a significant amount of social interaction and potential for civic engagement.

The survey was conducted by the Pew Internet & American Life Project, an initiative of the Pew Research Center and was supported by the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation.

The primary findings in the survey are:

Game playing is universal, with almost all teens playing games, and at least half playing games on a given day.

Game playing experiences are diverse, with the most popular games falling into the racing, puzzle, sports, action and adventure categories.

Game playing is also social, with most teens playing games with others at least some of the time and can incorporate many aspects of civic and political life.

Another major finding is that game playing sometimes involves exposure to mature content, with almost a third of teens playing games that are listed as appropriate only for people older than they are.

You can read the full survey here.