More adults than ever turned to gaming during lockdown, poll reports

‘The number of mobile gamers has increased by almost a fifth during lockdown’

Many women admitted to trying mobile phone games for the first time in lockdown (Getty Images)

Millions of adults have played games on their mobile phone for the first time over the past year – with the garden shed among one of the top locations.

A poll of 1,500 smartphone owners found the number of ‘mobile gamers’ – people who play video games on mobile phones – has seen a steep increase during lockdown.

Nearly one in five turned to games on their phone for entertainment for the first time as they looked to fill their time, with more women giving it a go than men.

A few of those polled even admitted to playing games on the toilet, while some per cent have sneaked in a few games when they should have been working.

Another one in 10 even headed to the garden shed to avoid distractions.

Alistair Wilson from EE, which commissioned the poll to launch its Xbox Game Pass Ultimate add-on with unlimited data for gaming, said: “It’s clear that mobile gaming is on the rise and has been a really important way for people to keep in touch with friends and family during the lockdowns of the last 12 months.

“The number of mobile gamers has increased by almost a fifth during lockdown.”

The survey also found the smartphone is now the main gaming device for a quarter of UK adults.

Reasons for this include larger phone screens and faster mobile network connections - such as 5G – making it more appealing.

It also emerged more than two-thirds of those who game on smartphones have played more during lockdown, despite spending more time at home and less travelling.

The majority however said they would stream more high-quality games on their smartphone if they didn’t have to worry about their data allowance.

Alistair Wilson, from EE added: “We continually look for ways to help our customers get the most from their mobile gaming experience.

“As restrictions lift, our new gaming add-on will allow customers to access and play over 100 high quality games on the UK’s number one network, helping make commutes more enjoyable when workplaces reopen, or fancy a cheeky break in the daytime.”

SWNS