Online console gaming now accounts for a quarter of all online playtime, according to a new report from North American stats body NPD – and the Xbox 360 is grabbing the biggest piece of the console pie.

The report, entitled Online Gaming 2009, shows that 25 per cent of all online gaming now happens on consoles – up from 19 per cent in 2008. Online PC gaming, has declined, however, though it remains the largest online games platform.

Xbox 360 accounts for 50 per cent of online console play, whilst online Wii usage has soared – Nintendo’s machine now accounts for 29 per cent of console gaming, up from 18 per cent the year before. PS2 suffered a not unexpected fall, with PS3 grabbing some of its user base.

Whilst 17 per cent of those playing online games were 13-17 years old in 2008, they now claim 22 per cent.

“Online gaming is enjoyed by a diverse group of players,” NPD’s Anita Frazier stated. “The sheer variety of content and ease of access makes online gaming attractive to a much larger demographic than what we typically see in retail.”