New Zealand Plays 2025

The 2025 New Zealand Plays report is the 9th in a series of studies that we have published since 2010. The purpose of this research has been to provide evidence and encourage conversation about who among us plays video games, why we play, how we play and what we think of this dynamic and often breathtaking medium.

For one-and-a-half decades, we have seen the rapid maturation of the video games audience. While the early reports in this series surprised many in our community that video games were so popular – and the typical player was an adult – today the reality that video games are not only popular, but that they are popular for everyone at every age has been well documented through this research. We have long argued that video games give rise to digital fluency. The digital economy is flourishing, if not because of video games creating capacity, then at least in part because they contribute. We have also argued that the technologies underpinning video games has been an important part of innovation, giving rise to new capabilities.