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Twice as many women as men in the US play online video games, a new report has concluded.

The Nielsen Entertainment survey found that among the estimated 117 million active gamers in the US, more than half (56 per cent) play games online.

Sixty-four per cent of those online gamers are women, according to the study.

Teenagers represent 40 per cent of those who play games on a regular basis, while almost 8 per cent of these gamers are now 45 years or older.

While women make up nearly two-thirds of all online gamers, men still outnumber women in the overall video game market by more than two-to-one.

"The Active Gamer 2006 Report comes at a pivotal time in the evolution of the video game industry," said Emily Della Maggiora, senior vice president of Nielsen Entertainment.

"The expansion of next generation hardware and technology in the marketplace is simultaneously delivering new ecosystems of social exchange, interactive entertainment, media experiences and advertising models.

"We see everyday how important online gaming is in terms of connecting people and bringing communities of gamers together. From a simple battle in Halo to a more immersive communal experience, online gaming has the power to unite gamers across the street and/or around the world."

The Nielsen survey of 2,200 people found that 64 per cent of active gamers in the US play on a PC.

Among the console universe, Sony's PlayStation 2 (PS2) dominates the field with a whopping 59 per cent of the market.

Microsoft's Xbox is second with 33 per cent, followed by Nintendo's GameCube with 30 per cent.

The Xbox 360, Microsoft's next-generation console, holds about 15 per cent of the US console market.

The survey defined active gamers as those who are 13 years or older, own at least one games device, and played games at least one hour per week.