An increased choice of mobile devices in recent years meant people were dipping into games two or three times a day for 10 minutes or so at a time, as well as indulging in in-depth sessions of up to an hour, Queensland-based Brand said.
"It soon mounts up. Although there is a perception that spending a lot of time on video games is not that healthy, the reality is it is becoming a normal part of our social experience, as well as part of our information and story-telling consumption."
Dad-of-two Mark Neale, from Birkdale on Auckland's North Shore, regularly plays computer and video games with his youngsters Daniel, 13, and 9-year-old Matthew.
The family home has a basement dedicated to gaming and between them they have six Xboxes and two computers.
"I have been into gaming since it started in the late 1970s and once the kids go to bed I will often play for an hour or two," Neale, 45, said.
"The boys now have an Xbox each and we play together. They also play with their friends.
"It is good fun but I am surprised so many people are spending so much time gaming."
The study shows women and girls play for 72 minutes a day on average compared to 104 minutes for men and boys.
"Women are playing more often than they did a few years ago, partly because of the popularity of Facebook, which has access to games," said Brand.
The numbers of Kiwi households with gaming devices has remained largely static since the last report two years ago but our playing habits are changing.
About 85 per cent of parents play video games — up from 77 per cent in 2013. Tablet usage has more than doubled in the past two years — up from 22 per cent to 53 per cent — and mobile device use has risen from 44 per cent to 64 per cent.
The study also reveals 79 per cent of Kiwi parents surveyed play video and computer games with their children. Many use the games to discipline their kids: 77 per cent restricted video games as a punishment and 71 per cent used them as a reward.
