The numbers from new research on video game popularity across the pond suggest that TV’s days as the top entertainment medium there are numbered.

The study, sponsored by the Interactive Software Federation of Europe, says 40 percent of Europeans ages 16 to 49 are spending up to 14 hours a week cuddled up with their consoles — or about as much as they had been spending with television and friends.

To get this result, ISFE says it asked questions of 6,000 gamers in 17 countries. All of the people questioned considered themselves active gamers. And based on these numbers, ISFE was comfortable to say that video gaming now ranked among the top leisure activities across the continent.

Other findings revealed:

* That most gamers surveyed said video games engaged them in ways TV didn’t and added a new social aspect to their lives.

* That European gamers are playing responsibly, with more than 80 percent of parent gamers saying they play games regularly with their children and monitor the games their children play.

* That non-gamers held little or no grudge against gamers and rarely expressed “negative sentiment” toward them.

“Our research findings cement what those who work in the industry understand as a given, namely that video games hold a recognized place in today’s entertainment culture,” said ISFE chairman Jens Uwe Intat, in a press release Tuesday.

A couple of key points, however: The survey was conducted entirely online, potentially eliminating anyone who plays games but does not also use the Internet either frequently or at all. It also samples 6,000 “gamers,” thus implying that anyone not already deep into video games was excluded.

ISFE’s news release says, “Video games rate among the top common leisure activities for Europeans.” Perhaps. But if you ask only gamers what they think of gaming and how much they make it a part of their life, then surely the survey findings will skew in gaming’s favor.