A greater percentage of Americans play videogames than go out to the movies, according to a new report from chart compiler and research firm The NPD Group.

Extracts from the report “Entertainment Trends in America” suggests that 63 per cent of Americans have played a videogame in the past six month, compared to just 53 per cent for those visiting a cinema. However, both activities are dwarfed by the number who listened to music during the same period - which runs to 94 per cent.

“Videogames account for one-third of the average monthly consumer spending in the US for core entertainment content, including music, video and games,” said analyst Anita Frazier. “While a portion of that share stems from the premium price of console games, we’re also seeing an overall increase in the number of people participating in gaming year-over-year.”