SINGAPORE-- March 18, 2021 -- Video game playing has risen to a new level, with consumers' playing more than 9 hours of online games each week. The desire to stay connected and entertained while stuck at home during the pandemic has driven online gaming popularity, according to the “State of Online Gaming 2021,” a report commissioned by Limelight Networks, Inc. (Nasdaq: LLNW), on global gaming preferences and habits.

New data shows that the spikes in gaming over the last year are driven by gamers’ desire for social connections. More than seven in 10 Asia Pacific gamers (72 per cent) say they've made new friends through online games in the past year and more than one in three (36 per cent) say the ability to interact with other players is extremely important. Opportunities for interactivity and social engagement are likely drivers for video game adoption with the majority (79 per cent) of global gamers saying they started playing video games in the past year.

Additional findings from the report include:

· Performance drives demand for next-generation consoles. Three quarters (74 per cent) of gamers are interested in purchasing a new console, due to updated technology (39 per cent) and faster game play (37 per cent). Gamers in China are most likely to consider upgrading their console (92 per cent).
· Gamers demand fast gaming experiences. Fast performance is extremely important to five in 10 (51 per cent) of Asia Pacific gamers, and the top cited important aspect of game play. In addition, 84 per cent of gamers in the region say the process of downloading games is frustrating.
· Binge-gaming reached an all-time high. The average APAC region gamer has played video games consecutively for four hours and 49 minutes. Young gamers ages 18 to 25 have binge-gamed for the longest, at an average of nearly five hours.
· Video games have become a spectator sport. 72 per cent of Asia Pacific gamers say they’ve started to watch others play video games in the past year. The average gamer spends three hours and 36 minutes each week watching others play video games online and gamers in India spend the most time of any country surveyed (five hours and 18 minutes each week).
· Playing video games is the top entertainment choice for many. More than three in five (67 per cent) gamers say they prefer to play video games versus watching a movie or TV show.

“Asia Pacific is home to some of the world’s most ardent gamers, and they are now looking to video games to provide an interactive, high performance, disruption-free experience that allows them to connect with others and play longer,” said Edwin Koh, Director of Southeast Asia at Limelight Networks. “This evolution is putting pressure on gaming companies to match this demand with edge-based content and compute to deliver high-quality gaming environments to users across the globe.”

The “State of Online Gaming 2021” report is based on responses from 4,000 consumers in China, Germany, India, Indonesia, South Korea, the United Kingdom, the United States and Vietnam, ages 18 and older who play video games.