Gaming is no longer just entertainment—it’s the center of Gen Z’s digital universe. In 2025, Gen Z spends more time gaming than on any other form of digital entertainment, including social media and streaming.

Unlike Millennials, who grew up with traditional social media, Gen Z’s digital identity is built inside interactive, immersive platforms where they play, socialize, and even shop.

Let the Statistics Tell the Story

Gen Z’s Gaming Habits in 2025

✅ 87% of Gen Z plays video games at least weekly
✅ 56% play daily
✅ 72% engage with gaming-related content (YouTube, Twitch, TikTok) every week
✅ Gaming accounts for over 50% of their total entertainment time

Gaming is More Popular Than Streaming & Social Media

📱 68% of Gen Z prefers gaming over watching TV or streaming services
📱 61% use gaming platforms to socialize, compared to 47% who use traditional social media
📱 Over $4 billion was spent on virtual fashion and in-game collectibles in 2024 alone

Top UGC Gaming Platforms for Gen Z

🔥 Roblox – 410 million monthly active users (MAU)
🔥 Minecraft – 205 million MAU
🔥 Fortnite – 110 million MAU

WHY GAMING IS REPLACING TRADITIONAL SOCIAL MEDIA

1. Gaming is the New Social Hub

Forget Instagram—Gen Z meets up, chats, and socializes inside gaming platforms instead.

💡 61% of Gen Z use gaming as their primary way to interact with friends, surpassing traditional social media.

Instead of posting photos, they’re creating avatars, attending virtual concerts, and exploring digital destinations together.

2. Interactive Content is King

Gen Z doesn’t want to passively consume content—they want to be inside it.

💡 82% of Gen Z prefers interactive experiences over static social media content.

🎮 Platforms like Roblox, Fortnite Creative, and Minecraft Marketplace allow users to build, customize, and monetize their own worlds—something no traditional social network offers.

3. Digital Fashion & In-Game Commerce is Booming

For Gen Z, digital identity is just as important as physical appearance.

💸 42% of Gen Z spends money on in-game purchases monthly
💸 Virtual fashion sales in games surpassed $4 billion in 2024
💸 Limited-edition skins and collectibles now hold resale value similar to physical fashion

4. User-Generated Gaming is the Future

Gen Z isn’t just playing games—they’re creating them.

🔹 Roblox developers earned over $700 million in 2024
🔹 Fortnite’s Creator Economy 2.0 is generating millions for digital world builders
🔹 Minecraft Marketplace sees over 400 million downloads annually

This generation isn’t just consuming entertainment—they’re shaping it.

Why This Matters for Travel & Tourism Brands

Gaming is the new frontier for digital engagement, and the travel industry must evolve to meet Gen Z where they already spend their time.

🛫 Virtual Destination Experiences – Build interactive previews of real-world locations inside Roblox, Fortnite, and Minecraft, inspiring Gen Z to visit destinations IRL.

📍 In-Game Brand Engagement – Hotels, airlines, and tourism boards can create gamified travel challenges and exclusive branded experiences in virtual worlds.

🎮 Gaming Partnerships & Influencer Collabs – Work with gaming influencers to create authentic digital travel experiences inside the platforms Gen Z loves.

The Future of Travel Marketing is Inside the Game

Gen Z is spending more time and money inside gaming than anywhere else online. For tourism brands, the question isn’t if they should engage, but how fast they can enter this space.

🚀 Want to stay ahead of the next digital evolution in travel marketing?

Let’s chat. DM me at https://www.linkedin.com/in/barrydaniel/