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

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Nintendo Zelda game on a purple background
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Hurdle game on a smartphone
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Wendy’s made a pixel-art RPG on Steam called ‘WendyQuest,’ and it actually looks good
Samsung and LG gaming monitors with teal background
The best early Black Friday gaming monitors: Samsung, LG, ASUS, and more are on sale right now
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Mashable 101

Gaming

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A screenshot from 'Witchbrook' showing a witch riding a broom on the bridge to the college. Cosy witch sim 'Witchbrook' finally has a release date
A phone with the Pips logo. NYT Pips hints, answers for October 29, 2026
Hurdle game on a smartphone Hurdle hints and answers for October 29, 2026
A phone with the Pips logo. NYT Pips hints, answers for October 28, 2026
Hurdle game on a smartphone Hurdle hints and answers for October 28, 2026

Best Products

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Razer Blade 14 sitting on a window sill The best gaming laptops of 2026: Check out our top picks
Razer Blade 14 sitting on a window sill The best gaming laptops of 2025 no matter your budget
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The Razer BlackWidow V4 Pro on a desk I tested the best gaming keyboards, and there was a clear winner
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Meta Quest 2 The best VR headsets of 2024: Only four models made the cut
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HP Victus 16 laptop sitting on table The best cheap gaming laptops under $1,000 prove you can game on a budget
Manicured hand holding exploding kittens cards The best board games that we played and loved

Deals

Halo Special Edition Xbox Hallmark Keepsake Ornament on tree Hallmark just dropped a translucent green Halo Xbox console ornament — where to buy
a Samsung TV, gaming monitor, and phone on a pink and orange background Early Black Friday deals from Samsung include gaming monitors, TVs, and the Galaxy S26 Ultra
Samsung SSD 990 PRO 4TB The Samsung SSD 990 PRO 4TB is $300 off at Amazon right now — bag the best early Black Friday SSD deal
The 57-inch Samsung Odyssey Neo G9 (G95NC) gaming monitor on a purple, red, and blue background Samsung's biggest 4K gaming monitor just got a huge discount at Amazon — save $500
GameSir Fortnite controller GameSir drops officially licensed Fortnite controllers for iPhone, Android, and Xbox — where to buy
The Samsung 27-inch Odyssey G3 (G30D) Series FHD Gaming Monitor on a red and orange background This Samsung Odyssey gaming monitor is $1 away from its lowest-ever price on Amazon — save $100
asus rog strix 27-inch oled gaming monitor against a green background Why wait for Black Friday? The Asus ROG Strix 27-Inch OLED gaming monitor has never been chaper.
Xbox Nano Controller in pocket Xbox just dropped a retro mini controller — where to preorder this adorable little guy
A person gaming Secretlab is offering up to $150 off sitewide — how to claim the discount before 'GTA 6' launches
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News

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Hurdle game on a smartphone Hurdle hints and answers for October 25, 2026
A phone with the Pips logo.
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Lexar Professional Silver Go microSD Lexar’s new microSD card delivers 250MB/s speeds for a low price: Where to buy from $34.99
Roku Pro Series LX OLED TV The Roku Pro Series LX OLED TV has finally dropped on Amazon, and shoppers are clearing stock
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A phone with the Pips logo.
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Capcom logo Capcom data breach confirmed: More than 11 million accounts impacted

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GTA 6 Cyberleek update: Leaker linked GTA 6 reveals to crypto play. It’s crashing spectacularly.
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