Zillennials#See also

{{Short description|Individuals born during the Millennial/Generation Z cusp}}

File:2006年の子どもたち (207696728).jpg together in a park, 2006.]]

Zillennials, or Zennials, is a social cohort encompassing people born on the cusp of, or during the latter years of the Millennial generation and the early years of Generation Z. Their adjacency between the two generations and limited age set has led to their characterization as a "micro-generation".{{Cite web |last=Cheong |first=Charissa |title=How to spot a 'zillennial' in the wild, according to TikTok |url=https://www.insider.com/spotting-zillennials-millenial-gen-z-tiktok-2023-7 |access-date=2023-08-25 |website=Insider |language=en-US}}{{cite web |last1=Napoli |first1=Cassandra |date=22 May 2020 |title=WGSN: Zennials: The In-Between Generation |url=https://www.wgsn.com/insight/p/article/88103?lang=en |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201025231640/https://www.wgsn.com/insight/p/article/88103?lang=en |archive-date=2020-10-25 |access-date=18 February 2021 |website=wgsn.com}} They are generally the children of younger Baby Boomers and older Generation X. Estimates of the U.S. population in this cohort range from 30 million to 48 million.

In early childhood during the September 11 terrorist attacks, zillennials were the first cohort to experience adolescence in a post-9/11 world. The majority of this cohort came of age during the 2010s, with the U.K. Brexit referendum and U.S. presidential election of 2016, COVID-19 pandemic and the 2020–2021 George Floyd protests being key formative events. They experienced the sudden global Digital Revolution of the late 2000s and 2010s, navigating mobile LTE internet, cell phones, mobile devices and smartphones.{{cite web |last1=Everett |first1=Mary |date=3 March 2021 |title=Are You Confused by the Current Generational War? Congrats, You May Be a Zennial! |url=https://www.popsugar.com/smart-living/what-are-zennials-48195753 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210303231903/https://www.popsugar.com/smart-living/what-are-zennials-48195753 |archive-date=2021-03-03 |access-date=8 March 2021 |website=PopSugar}}

Zillennials code-switch between generations, have high levels of digital literacy, and are more likely to self-identify into a minority group. They are less wealthy but more economically secure than Generation Z, commanding relatively high spending power in the U.S. economy, especially when compared to millennials. They also have high brand loyalty, low price sensitivity, and stable purchasing patterns.

Etymology

The term Zillennial is a portmanteau of "Generation Z" and "Millennial".{{cite web |last1=Pence |first1=Laura |date=26 May 2021 |title=There's a New Term for People Who Aren't a Millennial or GenZ |url=https://www.wfxb.com/2021/05/26/theres-a-new-term-for-people-who-arent-a-millennial-or-genz/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210527204927/https://www.wfxb.com/2021/05/26/theres-a-new-term-for-people-who-arent-a-millennial-or-genz/ |archive-date=2021-05-27 |website=WFXB}} A similar portmanteau, Zennial, is also used.{{cite web |last1=DeGering |first1=Nicea |date=4 March 2021 |title=Do you feel left out of the generational war? You might be a zennial |url=https://www.abc4.com/gtu/do-you-feel-left-out-of-the-generational-war-you-might-be-a-zennial/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210305023044/https://www.abc4.com/gtu/do-you-feel-left-out-of-the-generational-war-you-might-be-a-zennial/ |archive-date=2021-03-05 |access-date=7 March 2021 |website=abc4.com}} Other names that have been proposed for these cuspers include the Snapchat Generation by authors Ubl, Walden, and Arbit,{{cite book |first1=Hannah L.|last1=Ubl |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=pZuqDgAAQBAJ |title=Managing Millennials For Dummies |first2=Lisa X.|last2=Walden |first3=Debra|last3=Arbit |date=24 April 2017 |publisher=John Wiley & Sons |isbn=978-1-119-31022-8 |page=266 |chapter=Chapter 13: Making Adjustments for Ages and Life Stages}} and MinionZ by Smit.{{cite journal |last=Smit |first=Deon |date=December 2017 |title=Do you have enough "Generational Glue" in your organisation? |url=https://journals.co.za/content/journal/10520/EJC-b978fc1a0 |journal=HR Future |volume=2017 |issue=Dec 2017 |pages=22–23 |issn=1608-8506}} GenZennials was used to reference the micro-generation by Ketchum.

== Birth date and age range ==

According to the Pew Research Center, "generational cutoff points aren’t an exact science".{{Cite web |last=Dimock |first=Michael |title=Defining generations: Where Millennials end and Generation Z begins |url=https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2019/01/17/where-millennials-end-and-generation-z-begins/ |access-date=2023-08-25 |website=Pew Research Center |date=17 January 2019 |language=en-US}} The think tank classifies a standard generation as "[typically between] 15 to 18 years" with "great diversity of thought, experience and behavior within generations."{{Cite web |last=Parker |first=Kim |title=How Pew Research Center will report on generations moving forward |url=https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2023/05/22/how-pew-research-center-will-report-on-generations-moving-forward/ |access-date=2023-08-25 |website=Pew Research Center |date=22 May 2023 |language=en-US}} Pew also stated that "the differences within generations can be just as great as the differences across generations, and the youngest and oldest within a commonly defined cohort may feel more in common with bordering generations than the one to which they are assigned. This is a reminder that generations themselves are inherently diverse and complex groups, not simple caricatures."{{cite web | url=https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2019/01/17/where-millennials-end-and-generation-z-begins/ | title=Defining generations: Where Millennials end and Generation Z begins | date=17 January 2019 }} According to McCrindle Research, "Zillennial" is a term used to describe those on the cusp of Generation Z and Millennials.{{cite web | url=https://mccrindle.com.au/article/what-is-a-zalpha/ | title=What is a Zalpha? - McCrindle | work=McCrindle | date=21 November 2023 }}

The exact date range of this micro-generation is not specifically defined. Dictionary.com defines "zillennial" as a person born between the early 1990s and late 1990s.https://www.dictionary.com/browse/zillennial Authors Hannah Ubl, Lisa Walden, and Debra Arbit define the cuspers as those born between 1992 and 1998,{{cite book | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=g36gDgAAQBAJ&dq=ubl+walden+arbit+1992-1998&pg=PA266 | isbn=978-1-119-31023-5 | title=Managing Millennials for Dummies | date=6 April 2017 | publisher=John Wiley & Sons }} as does Mary Everett, writing for PopSugar and Vogue.{{cite web |last1=Belen Archetto |first1=Maria |date=14 May 2021 |title=4 tendencias de moda zillennial que se despiden de la brecha generacional |url=https://www.vogue.mx/moda/articulo/tendencias-de-moda-zillennial |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210518000657/https://www.vogue.mx/moda/articulo/tendencias-de-moda-zillennial |archive-date=2021-05-18 |website=Vogue.mx |language=es}} A WGSN case study on the cohort similarly notes this date range. Ketchum defines GenZennials as those born from 1992 to 2000.{{cite press release | url=https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/ketchum-introduces-the-genzennial-an-influential-blend-of-two-generations-300429599.html | title=Ketchum Introduces the GenZennial, an Influential Blend of Two Generations }} Boston University sociologist Deborah Carr defines zillennials as those born "roughly" between 1992 and 2002.{{Cite web |last=Ward |first=Terry |date=10 May 2023 |title=Zillennials: The newest micro-generation has a name |url=https://www.cnn.com/2023/05/10/health/what-are-zillennials-wellness/index.html |website=CNN}} Others have defined zillennials as those born from 1993 to 1998, including Deon Smit (HR Future), Maisy Farren (Vice),{{Cite web |last1=Farren |first1=Maisy |date=20 August 2020 |title='Zillennials' Are Haunted By Their Internet History |url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/zillennials-are-haunted-by-their-internet-history/ |access-date=2020-10-15 |website=Vice |language=en}} Lindsay Dogson (Business Insider Mexico),{{Cite web |date=18 August 2021 |title=Los zillennials atrapados entre los millennials y la Generación Z |work=Business Insider México | Noticias pensadas para ti |url=https://businessinsider.mx/zillennials-nacidos-entre-1993-y-1998-millennials-generacion-z/}} Britannica{{Cite web |title=The American Generations: Names, Years, & Key Differences {{!}} Britannica |url=https://www.britannica.com/topic/Experience-the-American-Generations-Which-Generation-Are-You-2226598 |access-date=2024-02-21 |website=www.britannica.com |language=en}} and MetLife.{{cite web |title=Job Satisfaction Hits 20-Year Low Across U.S. Workforce, Lowest Among 'Zillennials' |url=https://www.metlife.com/about-us/newsroom/2022/march/job-satisfaction-hits-20-year-low-across-u-s-workforce-lowest-among-zillennials/}} Fullscreen defines the cusp group as those born from approximately 1993 to 1999 in their research.{{cite web |last1=Dreisinger |first1=Kimberly |date=17 June 2019 |title=Cuspers: Creative, Stressed, Impulsive --- Fullscreen Generational Study Shines Light on the Unique Life Stage Between Millennials and Gen Z |url=https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190617005597/en/Cuspers-Creative-Stressed-Impulsive-----Fullscreen-Generational-Study-Shines-Light-on-the-Unique-Life-Stage-Between-Millennials-and-Gen-Z |access-date=11 December 2022 |website=businesswire.com}} Likewise, authors Fons Trompenaars and Peter Woolliams use the years 1993 to 1999 as Zennials.{{cite book |author1=Trompenaars and Woolliams |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=i8rvEAAAQBAJ&dq=zennials+2024&pg=PT46 |title=New Approaches to Recruitment and Selection (The New Business Culture) |date=29 January 2024 |publisher=Emerald Publishing Limited| isbn=978-1-83797-761-1 }} Author Mary Donahue defines the cuspers as those born from 1995 to 2000.{{cite book |author1=Mary E. Donahue |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=YXP7DwAAQBAJ |title=Message Received: 7 Steps to Break Down Communication Barriers at Work |date=29 September 2020 |publisher=McGraw-Hill Education |isbn=978-1-260-45636-3 |page=35 |chapter=Chapter One Step 1: Stop Assuming}}

Characteristics

Zillennials are influenced by traits of both the preceding Millennial generation and subsequent Generation Z, often sharing strong, polarizing connectivity to one adjoining generation over the other.{{Cite web |title=WGSN: Zennials: The In-Between Generation – WGSN Insight |url=https://www.wgsn.com/insight/p/article/88103?lang=en#page8 |access-date=2023-08-25 |website=www.wgsn.com |quote=Zennials are very opinionated about where they stand on this spectrum and have showed strong preferences.}}{{Cite web |last=Joshi |first=Shamani |date=31 May 2021 |title=What It's Like To Be a Zillennial, the Generation Caught Between Gen Z and Millennials |url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/generation-betwen-genz-and-millennials-zillennials/ |access-date=2023-08-25 |website=Vice |language=en}} Members of this micro-generation consider the "fluid" nature of their age grade unsettling with potential to "tarnish their status and input in the workplace [via ageism]", according to a WGSN case study. The case study found that some zillennials preferred to be seen as millennials in the workplace, as they are seen as more professional, while younger zillennials believed they were "too young" for the characterization. According to author Tim Elmore, social scientists believe that a second micro-generation could lie between the millennial generation and Generation Z due to rapid demographic change during the 2010s.{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=UX9zEAAAQBAJ&q=microgenerations|title=A New Kind of Diversity: Making the Different Generations on Your Team a Competitive Advantage|first=Tim|last=Elmore|date=25 October 2022|publisher=Simon and Schuster|isbn=9798887100012 |accessdate=7 August 2023|via=Google Books}}

= Arts and culture =

The advent of "Zillennialcore" to describe the cultural backdrop of this micro-generation references music, media, and fashion. Members of this cohort often code-switch, "[aging] up when speaking to [millennials] and [aging] down when speaking to younger relatives."{{Cite web |last=Lansom |first=Alicia |title=Too Old For Gen Z, Too Young For Millennials: Life As A Confused Zillennial |url=https://www.refinery29.com/en-gb/generation-zillennial |access-date=2023-08-26 |website=www.refinery29.com |language=en-GB}} They are seen as "cultural tastemakers", particularly in youth subcultures for both younger millennials and older members of Generation Z.{{Cite web |last=Siu |first=Antoinette |date=24 April 2023 |title=What marketers need to know about 'Generation Zennial,' from social media to buying habits |url=https://digiday.com/marketing/what-marketers-need-to-know-about-generation-zennial-from-social-media-to-buying-habits/ |access-date=2023-08-26 |website=Digiday |language=en-US}} Their creative content is marked by an emphasis on authenticity, relatability, and social consciousness, rejecting curated programming typical of the millennial generation. They have substantial control over internet meme culture, donning the moniker "meme lords".

Abercrombie & Fitch noted a target demographic of 25 to 29 years olds as having "a bit of both Gen Z and millennial mentality" in 2022.{{Cite web |last1=Obolenskaya |first1=Christina |date=24 October 2022 |title=Q&A: How Abercrombie rebranded on TikTok |url=https://www.insiderintelligence.com/content/q-a-how-abercrombie-rebranded-on-tiktok |access-date=2022-10-24 |website=eMarketer |language=en}} They rebranded between 2020 and 2022 to capitalize around what they perceived to be the micro-generation's ethos: fulfillment and self-actualization. The brand identified zillennials and their usage of TikTok as being a major cultural exporter.

Author Benjamin Crace, in his book titled The American Blockbuster: Movies That Defined Their Generations, says that zillennials "have grown up with a steady dose of the supernatural in pop culture (vampires, witches, zombies) to a point where it has become somewhat normalized."{{cite book | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=WwXHEAAAQBAJ&dq=The+American+Blockbuster:+Movies+That+Defined+Their+Generations+zillennials&pg=PT209 | isbn=979-8-216-18418-8 | title=The American Blockbuster: Movies That Defined Their Generations | date=18 October 2022 | publisher=Bloomsbury Publishing USA }}

= Economic activity =

Their outlook on their economic prospects was shaped by the decade's period of instability such as the Great Recession of the late 2000s and the COVID-19 pandemic beginning in 2020 and continuing into the early 2020s. Experiencing the effect of these crises on their parents, siblings, and others informed their outlook later on in life. Around 48% of American zillennials lived with their parents in 2023, which, coupled with their digital literacy and stable incomes, generates substantial spending power.{{Cite web |last=Hartmans |first=Avery |title=Meet the 'zillennials,' who grew up online, live with their parents, and have retailers chasing their disposable income |url=https://www.businessinsider.com/zillennial-lives-with-parents-spends-on-luxury-goods-2023-1 |access-date=2023-08-26 |website=Business Insider |language=en-US}} An analysis by Morgan Stanley found that members of this cohort helped sustain the luxury good sector during periods of economic downturn. In 2023, fund manager Ken Costa in a book review via the Financial Times argued that the transfer of wealth valued at $100 trillion from Baby Boomers to younger generations, including zillennials, could restructure the global economy.{{Cite news |last=Alim |first=Arjun Neil |date=23 August 2023 |title=The transfer of wealth from boomers to 'zennials' will reshape the global economy |work=Financial Times |url=https://www.ft.com/content/63027e28-724a-40bc-a929-7dec5125926c |access-date=2023-08-26}}

A report from Bank of America found in 2020 that zillennials carry outsized influence in financial markets due to their shifting consumer preferences away from "meat, alcohol and cars."{{Cite news |last=Ossinger |first=Joanna |date=19 November 2020 |title=Zillennials Are Going to Change Investing Forever, BofA Says |language=en |work=Bloomberg.com |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-11-19/-zillennials-are-going-to-change-investing-forever-bofa-says |access-date=2023-08-25}} Payment processing researcher PYMNTS conducted a study on this cohort of U.S. consumers in 2023.{{Cite web |date=19 March 2023 |title=Zillennials Live Differently Than Millennials and Merchants See Dollar Signs |url=https://www.pymnts.com/consumer-insights/2023/zillennials-live-differently-than-millennials-and-merchants-see-dollar-signs/ |access-date=23 August 2023 |website=PYMNTS}} They are nearly identical to Generation Z when it comes to work habits, preferring similar levels of remote work, social connection, and app platform usage. Zillennials have higher brand loyalty and less price sensitivity than millennials, leading to more stable purchasing patterns.

75% of zillennials shop both online and in-store, blending digital convenience with the tactile benefits of physical stores{{cite web | url=https://www.pymnts.com/news/retail/2025/75percent-zillennials-shop-online-in-store/ | title=75% of Zillennials Shop Both Online and In-Store | date=13 February 2025 }} and 72% of them are more influenced by trusted sources like friends or family than by traditional advertising when it comes to what drives their purchasing decisions.{{cite web | url=https://www.pymnts.com/consumer-insights/2025/72percent-of-zillennials-trust-recommendations-more-than-ads-when-shopping/ | title=72% of Zillennials Trust Recommendations More Than Ads when Shopping | date=5 February 2025 }}

= Health =

The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted certain social markers for zillennials.{{Cite web |last=Williams |first=Jim |date=10 May 2023 |title=Zillennials: A new name for a generation |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TiCLP1JhURk |access-date=23 August 2023 |website=CBS Chicago}} They are less likely than Generation Z to use online pharmacies.

In company culture, mental health among this group stands out as both a strength and a challenge, as they often find themselves in systems that are still adapting to prioritise wellbeing. These challenges can impact zillennials’ ability to bring their best selves to work, underscoring the need for organisational changes that support them.{{cite web | url=https://www.siliconrepublic.com/careers/organisations-zillennial-dilemma-workplace-identities-employee-generations | title=Are organisations in the midst of a 'Zillennial dilemma'? | work=Silicon Republic | date=3 December 2024 | last1=Varley | first1=Laura }}

= Personal values =

According to CNN, zillennials are more aligned with Generation Z on social issues. A 2017 analysis by Ubl, Walden, and Arbit found that they were raised by "skeptical Xers and pragmatic Gen Jonesers" who, in turn, instilled in them a bias toward pragmatism over idealism. Diversity and independence are the traits used most often by the cohort to describe what will set their micro-generation apart. The study found the cohort to be more creative and more likely to self-identify into a minority group than other generational cohorts.

File:"Exxon Knew" sign on a BLM protest in Washington, DC (2015).jpg

Zillennials believe in global warming and efforts to mitigate climate change, with many identifying as eco-conscious.{{Cite web |last=Nadeem |first=Reem |date=26 May 2021 |title=Gen Z, Millennials Stand Out for Climate Change Activism, Social Media Engagement With Issue |url=https://www.pewresearch.org/science/2021/05/26/gen-z-millennials-stand-out-for-climate-change-activism-social-media-engagement-with-issue/ |access-date=2023-08-25 |website=Pew Research Center Science & Society |language=en-US}}

= Political activity =

Patrice Peck, writing for Cosmopolitan, stated that zillennials were between the ages of 18 and 29 during the 2020 United States elections, and were the "key to ousting then-president Donald Trump and sending Joe Biden and Kamala Harris to the White House."{{Cite web |last1=Peck |first1=Patrice |date=30 September 2022 |title=2022 Midterms Guide: The 7 Key States Where Zillennials Have the Power to Sway the Vote |url=https://www.cosmopolitan.com/politics/a41299314/2022-midterms-guide/ |access-date=2022-11-12 |website=Cosmo |language=en}} Glamour UK noted their general political outlook as more socialist than millennials.{{Cite web |last=Quirk |first=Molly |date=12 August 2021 |title=I'm a 'Zillennial' – the limbo generation between Millennials and Gen Z – and this is what it's like to be too old for one; too young for the other |url=https://www.glamourmagazine.co.uk/article/zillennial-generation |access-date=2023-08-25 |website=Glamour UK |language=en-GB}} The U.K. Brexit referendum and U.S. presidential election, both occurring in 2016, are seen as key formative political events by zillennials, many of whom were not yet of voting age but who observed these events as they unfolded and were shaped by them.

File:Civil Unrest 2020 5C2A6287R.jpg during the George Floyd protests in June 2020.]]

Zillennials actively participated in the 2020–2021 George Floyd protests which were the largest series of protests against police brutality in the United States (alongside international protests) since the Civil Rights Movement.{{cite web |url=https://www.cincinnati.com/story/news/2020/06/02/george-floydprotestersmillennials/5313474002/ |title=The faces of protesters are mostly millennials: Who are they and what do they think? |work=Cincinnati Enquirer |last=Haselhorst |first=Sarah |date=2 June 2020 |access-date=29 December 2023}}{{Cite web |title=The nation's racial justice protests are a pivotal moment for millennials and Gen Z |url=https://www.brookings.edu/articles/the-nations-racial-justice-protests-are-a-pivotal-moment-for-millennials-and-gen-z/ |access-date=2024-02-21 |website=Brookings |language=en-US}}{{Cite news |last=Russonello |first=Giovanni |date=5 June 2020 |title=Why Most Americans Support the Protests |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/05/us/politics/polling-george-floyd-protests-racism.html |access-date=2024-02-21 |work=The New York Times |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}}{{Cite web |title=Pandemic helps 'Generation Z' ignite a movement |url=https://www.ft.com/content/effbfc03-61f3-4f99-910c-8befe46a6c08 |access-date=2024-02-21 |website=www.ft.com|date=12 June 2020 |last1=Weaver |first1=Courtney |last2=Manson |first2=Katrina }}{{Cite web |date=13 October 2020 |title=Are we 'Generation Screwed'? Not necessarily: coming of age amid COVID-19 |url=https://www.nationalgeographic.com/magazine/article/are-we-generation-screwed-not-necessarily-coming-of-age-amid-covid-19 |access-date=2024-02-21 |website=Magazine |language=en}}

= Social life =

Zillennials are less likely than Generation Z to use digital means, such as text messaging and dating apps, to connect with a romantic partner. They are considered socially and emotionally intelligent. They are nostalgic for the 1990s and 2000s for the perceived allure of the 1990s U.S. economic boom and 2000s digital revolution, as is Generation Z.{{Cite news |last=Stoppard |first=Lou |date=23 December 2021 |title=Gen Z Channels the 1990s |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2021/12/23/style/gen-z-fashion-1990s.html |access-date=2023-08-26 |issn=0362-4331}}{{Cite web |last=DeLong |first=Courtney |date=25 July 2023 |title=Why is Gen Z so Obsessed with Y2K Fashion? – Early 2000s Trends Millennials '90s Nostalgia |url=https://www.lofficielusa.com/fashion/gen-z-y2k-millennial-90s-fashion-nostalgia |access-date=2023-08-26 |website=L'Officiel USA |language=en}}

= Technology =

USA Today described zillennials as being digital natives "steeped in internet culture" with high levels of digital literacy.{{Cite web |last=Kaufman |first=Ana |date=18 May 2023 |title=Move over Millennials and Gen Z, there's a new generation in town: Meet Zillennials |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/2023/05/18/is-zillennial-a-real-thing/70207436007/ |access-date=26 August 2023 |website=USA TODAY |language=en-US}} Zillennials and Generation Z share nearly identical digital engagement levels, 58.8% compared to 63.2%, respectively. Zillennials are more likely to consume news via online channels and play video games on consoles than Generation Z. According to a study done by Fullscreen, while zillennials are comfortable with technology and social media, they acknowledge it as a "love-hate relationship" with both. A majority of this cohort believe that technology betters the world.

According to a 2024 report made by PYMNTS, 68% of zillennials are using voice technology for daily tasks, they say that "this microgeneration uses voice assistants more frequently than older age groups, particularly in areas like shopping, financial management and obtaining information."{{cite web | url=https://www.pymnts.com/artificial-intelligence-2/2025/68-percent-of-zillennials-use-voice-technology-for-daily-tasks/ | title=68% of Zillennials Use Voice Technology for Daily Tasks | date=24 February 2025 }}

= Gaming =

File:Dreamhack Winter 2006.jpg 2006.]]

Zillenials share most of their gaming history with Millenials, rather than Generation Z. They grew up around the time when the internet started becoming household, even becoming the Christmas Gift of the Year in Sweden in 1996,{{cite web |title=Internet blir årets julklapp |url=https://internetmuseum.se/tidslinjen/internet-ar-arets-julklapp/ |website=internetmuseum.se |access-date=2025-04-06}} as well as the shift to Web 2.0. They were there for the earlier days of online gaming, either via console or PC. Flash games were also a large part of Zillennial upbringing, either free examples via the hundreds of flash game websites of the day (for example Newgrounds), or paid experiences like Club Penguin or Neopets.

Handheld gaming was a large part of the Zillennial upbringing. They grew up around simple phone games and were around to experience the introduction of smartphone games before adulthood. The zillennial youth was also the era of the massive Nintendo lineup of handheld consoles: Game Boy Color (released 1998), Game Boy Advance (released 2001), Nintendo DS (released 2004), Nintendo DSi (released 2008), Nintendo 3DS (released 2011), partly stemming from the Pokémon phenomenon of the late 1990s and early 2000s.