More than half of US gamers say publishers need to stamp out harassment in games

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A new study has shown that more than have of US consumers who play video games believe the industry needs to do more to combat harassment in multiplayer titles.

Deloitte's latest Digital Media Trends report explores how people engage with various forms of entertainment, and dedicated its gaming section to the ongoing problems with toxicity and bullying among players.

The survey factored in responses from 3,517 US consumers, 2,141 of which (61%) said they play video games.

Of these, 57% of the women who responded and 53% of men agreed that games publishers should do more to tackle harassment within their titles.

48% of women and 44% of men believe there is too much bullying or harassment, with 44% of women and 41% of men saying they are more likely to play a multiplayer game if they know there is moderation in place to limit bad behaviour.

30% of male players believe that bullying can be considered as part of the gaming experience, compared to 19% of women.

Video games were a common pastime among all respondents, with 62% of the men surveyed and 60% of the women saying they play games. The average playing time was nine hours per week.

The survey also shows the impact of the pandemic on growing the industry's audience. 25% of women who play games started playing in the past four years, while the same is true for 16% of men. Overall, one in five of all US gamers began engaging with video games after the pandemic began.

Elsewhere, the survey explored gaming preferences with 69% of women favouring simple mobile games, compared to 49% of men.

Around half the audience — 57% of men, 51% of women — enjoy "solo adventures in rich, story-driven worlds", while the split was more divided for live service games. 47% of men prefer these titles, compared to 29% of women.