One-third of American households have a Microsoft Xbox 360, Sony PlayStation 3 or Nintendo Wii game console, according to Nielsen, along with a third of households also using a DVR.
In total, 54% of households have a game console, including older consoles ranging from the Sony PlayStation 1 and PlayStation 2, or the original Xbox.
Nielsen's research discovered PS3 owners are the biggest owners of movie games, with the compiled numbers including titles purchased for the PS2 and PS3. Wii gamers are the least likely to have a wide library of video games – as any Wii gamer will likely tell you, there aren't too many appealing games outside of niche sport and exercise games.
On average, Americans use their game consoles for 3.36 hours of gaming per week. Instead, a growing number of console owners are using the devices to stream content (Xbox 360) or watch Blu-ray movies (PS3).
Console manufacturers have been able to attract new consumers in part because of lower-priced consoles, but the video game industry has struggled throughout 2009 due to the lack of interesting game titles.
In fact, the video game industry has struggled for most of the year, even though Activision Blizzard's Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 game title sold 4.7 million copies in the first 24 hours after release. Furthermore, the title racked up $550 million in revenue during the first five days, which made it the most popular, best-selling video game in 2009 without question.
However, consumer spending continued to slide through November, with the industry dropping 19% compared to October 2008.
