Gaming

Gaming is a colloquial term that generally refers to the act of playing video games, or sometimes tabletop games. Those who enjoy gaming are often referred to as “gamers,” though many people who enjoy video games actively choose not to identify as such. Surveys indicate that around 65 percent of adults in the U.S. play video games in some form, which can mean on a dedicated console, on a personal computer, or on a mobile device like a smartphone or tablet. Gaming as we know it today has evolved greatly over time. Going back to the 1970s, it was largely done in arcades, but consoles like the Atari 2600 and Nintendo Entertainment System popularized home gaming throughout the 1980s, and it has remained popular to this day. PC gaming goes back to home computers in the 1980s such as the Commodore 64, but the advent of Windows in the 1990s and digital marketplaces like Steam in the early 2000s brought PC gaming to where it is now. Handheld gaming devices like the Game Boy made gaming portable in the early 1990s, but those have given way to smartphones, with the iOS and Android app stores full of incredibly popular and lucrative games. Some of the biggest companies in the gaming industry today include Nintendo, Sony, Microsoft, Electronic Arts, Valve, Activision, and many more.

Table of Contents

a Logitech mouse, Samsung gaming monitor and Klipsch speakers on a pink and orange background
The 5 best gaming deals I'd buy before Prime Day — Asus gaming laptops and Samsung monitors on sale
Close-up view of crossword puzzle.
NYT Mini crossword answers, hints for June 19, 2026
The Samsung 32-Inch Odyssey G5 G50F QHD Resolution Gaming Monitor on a blue and purple background
The Samsung Odyssey G5 gaming monitor is down to its best-ever price on Amazon — save $140
Hurdle game on a smartphone
Hurdle hints and answers for June 19, 2026
A phone with the Pips logo.
NYT Pips hints, answers for June 19, 2026
The 2TB Samsung 990 PRO SSD and heatsink a red and purple background
The 2TB Samsung 990 PRO SSD is down to under $400 — act fast to score this rare discount
Mashable 101

Gaming

Close-up view of crossword puzzle.
NYT Mini crossword answers, hints for June 18, 2026
NYT Pips hints, answers for June 17, 2026
Hurdle hints and answers for June 17, 2026
The best Pokémon deals to grab before Prime Day — Chaos Rising booster bundles hit all-time low price
NYT Mini crossword answers, hints for June 16, 2026
Hurdle game on a smartphone Hurdle hints and answers for June 18, 2026
A phone with the Pips logo. NYT Pips hints, answers for June 18, 2026
An ASUS TUF F16 and ASUS ROG Strix gaming laptop on a green and purple background The best gaming laptop deals to grab before Prime Day — the ASUS TUF F16 is at its lowest price ever
The PS Portal, NBA 2K26 on PS5, and Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy on PS4 on a blue and green background The best PlayStation deals to grab before Prime Day — 'NBA 2K26' is down to an all-time low price
Close-up view of crossword puzzle. NYT Mini crossword answers, hints for June 17, 2026

Best Products

Acer gaming monitor on a table The 4 best premium gaming monitors instantly level up your desktop — for a price
Razer Blade 14 sitting on a window sill The best gaming laptops of 2026: Check out our top picks
Analogue Pocket sitting on a tabletop The best handheld gaming consoles, from the Nintendo Switch to the Steam Deck
Razer Blade 14 sitting on a window sill The best gaming laptops of 2025 no matter your budget
Acer Chromebook 516 GE gaming laptop on crowded desk next to indoor plant The best gaming laptops for 2025, no matter your budget
The Razer BlackWidow V4 Pro on a desk I tested the best gaming keyboards, and there was a clear winner
female college student rubbing her temples Starter Kit: How to manage stress and unwind in college
Meta Quest 2 The best VR headsets of 2024: Only four models made the cut
A playstation controller on a colorful pastel background Gaming starter kit: All the gear you need to play like a real gamer
HP Victus 16 laptop sitting on table The best cheap gaming laptops under $1,000 prove you can game on a budget

Deals

Asus ROG Strix gaming monitor with pink and purple background and "on sale now" sticker in corner Early Prime Day gaming monitor deal: This dazzling ASUS ROG Strix OLED pick is down to its best price ever
The Samsung 49-inch Odyssey G9 (G95C) series curved gaming monitor against a pink and purple background. Samsung's 49-inch Odyssey G9 monitor just hit its lowest price ever
The ASUS ROG Strix 27-inch 1440P USB-C HDR Gaming Monitor (XG27ACMS) on a blue and purple background This ASUS ROG Strix 27-inch 1440P gaming monitor is now at its lowest ever price on Amazon
The PlayStation DualSense wireless controller against a colorful background. Get the PlayStation DualSense controller (midnight black) for $54 at Amazon
The Samsung 32-Inch Odyssey G5 G50F QHD Resolution Gaming Monitor on a purple and blue background Samsung's 32-inch Odyssey G5 QHD gaming monitor has dropped to a record low price on Amazon
the Xreal 1s ar glasses on a green background Early adopters can get the Xreal 1S AR glasses for only $450
The LG 32-inch UltraGear 4K OLED Gaming Monitor (32GX850A-B) on a green and purple background This 32-inch LG UltraGear 4K OLED monitor is $500 cheaper at Amazon today
The LG 27-inch UltraGear OLED gaming monitor (27GS93QE) on a green, red, and orange background The 27-inch LG OLED UltraGear gaming monitor hits new low price at Amazon — save $400
LG Ultragear Evo G9 monitor with pink background The premium 52-inch LG UltraGear Evo G9 5K2K gaming monitor hits best-ever price — save $300 at Amazon
two new samsung gaming monitors Samsung's new monitors come with free credits or bonus gadgets worth up to $500 — how to claim

News

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NYT Pips hints, answers for June 16, 2026
Hurdle game on a smartphone Hurdle hints and answers for June 16, 2026
Close-up view of crossword puzzle.
NYT Mini crossword answers, hints for June 15, 2026
Hurdle game on a smartphone Hurdle hints and answers for June 15, 2026
A phone with the Pips logo.
NYT Pips hints, answers for June 15, 2026
Grand Theft Auto 6 An AI startup founder is trying to vibe code his own 'Grand Theft Auto' game
Hurdle game on a smartphone Hurdle hints and answers for June 14, 2026
A phone with the Pips logo.
NYT Pips hints, answers for June 13, 2026
Hurdle game on a smartphone Hurdle hints and answers for June 13, 2026
Close-up view of crossword puzzle.
NYT Mini crossword answers, hints for June 12, 2026

More Gaming

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Computex 2026: PCMag's top picks for laptops, desktops, and much more
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NYT Pips hints, answers for June 4, 2026
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