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Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Are more Canadian parents playing video games with their kids? In 2022, the Entertainment Software Association of Canada (ESAC) reported that 74% of Canadian parents who played video games played with their children—an increase of 9% over the previous two years. That is evidence of a rise during the period measured, not proof that co-play is at an all-time high or that the same rate holds in 2026.
What the Canadian surveys show
The clearest measure of parent-child co-play in the available Canadian findings comes from ESAC’s 2022 survey. Its release said 74% of parents who played video games also played with their children, and described that figure as a 9% increase over the preceding two years. The survey included 3,091 people in Canada, was conducted from May 20 to 31, 2022, and was analyzed by NPD Group for ESAC.
The 9% change is ESAC’s reported increase; the release does not provide the earlier comparison’s full base and method in the cited passage. It should not be converted into a percentage-point change or used to estimate how many Canadian parents play with their children.
| Finding | What it measures | What it does not establish |
|---|---|---|
| 74% of Canadian video-game-playing parents played with their children; ESAC reported a 9% increase over the previous two years (2022). | Co-play among parents who played video games, as reported in ESAC’s 2022 survey. | A 2026 rate, an all-time high, or the share of all Canadian parents who play with their children. |
| 52% of surveyed Canadian children ages 10–17 planned to ask for a video-game-related gift (2025). | Children’s holiday gift intentions. | How often parents and children play together. |
| 24% of surveyed Canadian parents planned to buy games specifically because their family plays together (2025). | One sign that shared gaming mattered to some families’ purchase plans. | A continuation of the 2022 co-play trend or a measure of play frequency. |
Why the 2025 figures are not a new co-play rate
ESAC’s 2025 Canadian survey focused on holiday gift intentions, not on the proportion of parents who played games with their children. It offers a more recent indication that gaming is part of some families’ plans, but it does not extend the 2022 participation measure. ESAC CEO Paul Fogolin summarized the association’s interpretation: “Parents aren’t just buying games for their kids, they’re buying them to play together.” That statement is an industry association’s reading of the survey, not a separate measure of family play.
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- CLASSIC BEGINNER GAME: Do you remember playing Candy Land when you were a kid. Introduce new generations to this sweet kids' board game
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The 2025 survey, conducted by Burson for ESAC from November 13 to 18, included 1,500 Canadians: 1,000 adults ages 18–65 and 500 children ages 10–17. Participants came from Leger’s online panel, and results were weighted by age, gender, and region to reflect Canada’s population distribution according to the 2021 Census. ESAC gives a ±3 percentage-point margin of error, 19 times out of 20, for a probability-based sample of this size; because this survey used an online panel, that qualification should not be read as though the sample were a simple random probability sample.
What children asked for—and what that can tell families
Among surveyed Canadian children ages 10–17 in 2025, 46% named consoles, 42% in-game currency, and 39% video-game accessories among the gifts they planned to ask for. These are gift-category responses, not product recommendations or evidence that one console, game, or accessory is best. They also do not show that children and parents will play together after receiving a gift.
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For a family considering shared play, the useful question is whether a device and game suit the way everyone wants to play. Before buying anything, check:
- Whether the game and device support the number of players and the format you want, such as playing in the same room or online.
- The game’s age rating and content descriptors.
- Whether the game includes online communication, and which settings can limit it.
- How the household will manage playtime and spending, including purchases made inside a game.
- Whether the family already owns compatible hardware and games, and the total cost of any additions.
A compatible extra controller may help with local multiplayer, but ESAC’s survey did not specifically measure controller demand. The gift figures alone cannot establish compatibility or justify choosing a particular model.
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- FUN FAMILY GAME FOR KIDS: Remember playing the original Trouble board game as a kid? Introduce a new generation to classic Trouble gameplay with this Trouble game for kids
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- POP-O-MATIC BUBBLE: In this beloved children's board game, players press and pop the plastic bubble to roll the die. The iconic Pop-o-Matic die roller is fun to press, and it keeps the die from getting lost
- BOARD GAMES FOR FAMILY: Adults and kids can play this family board game together. It's a fun indoor game for playdates and a great choice for Family Game Night
Parental controls are part of the shared-play decision
In ESAC’s 2025 survey, 79% of surveyed parents said parental controls were important. Among parents who were aware of available controls, 74% said they used them. These figures describe reported attitudes and use among the survey’s respondents; they do not show which settings families chose or how effective those settings were.
ESAC says parental controls on consoles, PCs, and mobile devices can provide age restrictions, spending limits, and playtime management. Families can review the controls available on the device they use and decide together which limits fit their household, especially when a game includes online features or in-game purchases.
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Does “more than ever” hold up?
The evidence supports a narrower conclusion: ESAC reported that co-play among Canadian parents who played video games increased over the two years preceding its 2022 survey. Its 2025 holiday survey suggests shared gaming remained relevant to some families, but it measured gift plans rather than co-play. No directly comparable Canadian 2025 or 2026 statistic in these findings establishes a continuing rise or an all-time high.
So, are more Canadian parents playing with their kids than before? ESAC’s 2022 figures point to an increase over the period they measured. Whether that trend continued—and whether the current rate is the highest ever—cannot be answered from these survey results.
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- WHO’S GOT THE MOVES: Classic Twister gameplay challenges players to place their hands and feet on red
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