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97% of US teens play videogames

New survey reveals most teen boys and girls play games socially

97 per cent of young people in the US play videogames on a regular basis, according to a national survey from the Pew Internet & American Life.

The survey found that 99 per cent of boys and 94 per cent of girls, aged between 12 and 17, play videogames, almost regardless of race, ethnicity or income. It was further revealed that 76 per cent of those surveyed play with other people and 65 per cent play with others in the same room.

"The stereotype that gaming is a solitary, violent, anti-social activity just doesn't hold up. The average teen plays all different kinds of games and generally plays them with friends and family both online and offline," said Amanda Lenhart, author of a report on the survey and a Senior Research Specialist with the Pew Internet & American Life Project, which conducted the survey.

"Gaming is a ubiquitous part of life for both boys and girls. For most teens, gaming runs the spectrum from blow-'em-up mayhem to building communities; from cute-and-simple to complex; from brief private sessions to hours' long interactions with masses of others."