Americans might be cutting back on video game spending during the recession, but that doesn’t apply to games they’re already paying to play according to NPD’s latest research. The firm released a report today that claims 14% of American households have an active subscription to an online game. Notice the lack of a qualifier like “gaming” or “with broadband” attached to homes. No, that’s 14% of all American homes, people.

The number shows a seven percent gain year over year in subscription entertainment, whereas physical media like newspapers and magazines fell two percent. “Consumers are clearly looking to the value offered by entertainment subscriptions and like what they get for their money; plus, new technologies and products have helped bolster data plans and other newer kinds of subscription-based services,” said Russ Crupnick, an entertainment analyst for NPD.

Doubling subscription growth is obviously a huge win for the industry, maybe bigger when you consider it against something like cell phone data plan subscription, which only rose three percent since last year to a measly nine percent of the consumer base. That’s right, smartphone nerds, you’re getting crushed by World of Warcraft players.