The world of gaming has greatly evolved since its beginnings as a single player Atari console. With new technology, gaming has been transformed from a solo activity into a social experience, especially with the rise of online games and games played through social networks.

According to this infographic by Rounds, the number of gamers has skyrocketed from a decade ago and games on mobile devices and social networks are partly responsible. Just 10 years ago there were between 150 million to 200 million gamers. Now, there are over 1 billion gamers globally and the market is expected to grow in America from $15.3 billion in 2010 to $19.2 billion by 2014.

Since DOOM was released in 1993 and allowed for the first ever co-operative play by connecting multiple computers, social gaming has expanded as one of the most popular types of gaming. Currently, 41 percent of gamers play games on social networks and 53 percent play casual online games.

Today, gaming is largely a social activity — 60 percent of gamers report that they play with a friend, 33 percent play with a sibling and 25 percent play with a parent. With games on Facebook and systems like Kinect and Wii that specialize in bringing together friends over an Internet connection, it’s easier than ever to make gaming a social activity.

How do you normally play video games?

Check out the infographic below and click on the image to view the full size.