Gaming was once considered a hobby, but now it's one of New Zealand's most lucrative markets.
New research released on Monday by the Interactive Games and Entertainment Association (IGEA) shows consumers spent more than $716 million on gaming in Aotearoa in 2023.
That's an 18 percent increase on 2022, and experts believe they know why.
"You might go to a movie, and it's quite linear, you go and sit there it's an hour-and-a-half and it's done. With a game, we know there's lots of lifetime in a game. The value you're getting for the dollar you spend is very good," IGEA CEO Ron Curry said.
According to eSports New Zealand, three out of four Kiwis play video games - with 1.6 million gaming households across the country.
For Paraparaumu-based Twitch streamer Hayden Tresch, his passion for gaming stemmed from the days of SEGA.
Known online as 'PRAWLN', he believes he spends a minimum of $500 per year on products.
"I just asked before in my community how much they spent on gaming - and they said anywhere from $500 to $2000 per year," he told Newshub.
Despite the cost of living crisis, video game-related sales continue to climb.
"It's that new generation where most people rather than going out and partying and doing those bits and pieces, everyone just wants to stay home. Especially after COVID-19, everyone just stays home, games and chills," Tresch shared.
Curry said it's not just children bucking the trend.
"The average age is around 36 and the people that are buying them are as different as the games they're buying."
For those scathing of too much screen time, Curry has a message.
"In some ways it's the new playground," he said.
"It shouldn't be a lost battle - it should be part of a child or young adult's social diet."
The hunger for gaming continues to level up - thousands and thousands of us at a time.
