The developer of the banking software ACI and the analytical company Newzoo investigated the habits of gamers in three countries to understand how and for what they are willing to pay money in video games.
To do this, they interviewed a number of players from the USA, Germany and the UK. Participants were selected according to two criteria: they had to spend at least 2 hours a week playing games and spend a certain amount on this hobby.
It turned out that the majority of respondents spend money on video games and game content because of the pleasure that these purchases bring. 39% of the study participants think so. The second place in the survey was shared by the desire to make a gift for themselves and the presence of a gift coupon — both options scored 27% of the votes. The third most powerful factor was the desire to support the developer — 20% of players spend money in titles for this.
Reasons to Spend Money on Games and Game Content, Newzoo
The most popular type of content among in-game purchases turned out to be various amplifiers that facilitate gameplay.
Next come DLC and add-ons, playable characters, cosmetic items, loot boxes and time-saving bonuses.
What gamers most often buy in games, Newzoo
Most players prefer to pay for digital purchases of games and game content using PayPal and Mastercard payment systems.
Newzoo notes that among the younger generation of gamers aged 18-29, there is a request to increase the ways to pay for games.
The study also found that 19% of gamers faced fraud when they bought something in online games. A third of respondents reported that the risk of being cheated reduces their desire to spend money on in-game purchases.
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