Sponsored: What Gamers Spend Their Money on in Gaming
There’s no doubt that games are a big part of modern life, whether played online or through consoles. Getting kids away from their PlayStation of Xbox can often be the biggest challenge that a parent faces and there are concerns about the amount of time kids spend playing. But when it comes to spending money on games, the kids can’t compete with the adults for obvious reasons! But what is it that adult gamers spend their money on in gaming?
Who plays games?
According to the 2015 statistics for the US, over 59% of Americans play games of some form, equating to some 150 million players. These smash through all the different groups including gender, race, age and even economic status. The average age of a gamer is 31, showing that while kids may love games, we adults are actually worse!
There are also a huge number of kids who enjoy games, often due to the increase in children-orientated games such as Pokémon Go. In 2015, 29% of gamers were under 18 and it wouldn’t be a surprise if this increased in 2016 due to the popularity of this game and other mega phenomena.
Growth of mobile
The smartphone and its use is a huge growth area in all aspects of life and therefore it isn’t a surprise that it is on the rise in terms of game play. In 2016 so far, the amount of money spent on in-app purchases through smartphones has risen to $23 million from $14 million the year before and is expected to reach $36 million next year.
A big area in this spend are free games that then encourage players to make in-app purchases for extras. Facebook games are classic examples of this along with big names such as Game of War and The Sims FreePlay. According to a recent study of mobile casinos, another growth area is free online casino games that allow players to play casino games before using real money to try their luck.
How much gamers spend
As mobile gaming has risen dramatically, the amount of money spent by gamers through these devices has risen to similar levels as that spent by traditional gamers. Currently, the average player spends $86.50 a year on their mobile while traditional gamers spend $91.58 per year.
For more hardcore gamers, the spending is dramatically more. Not including hardware such as consoles, new computer equipment and other peripherals, most gamers say they spend around $50 a month playing games. This can include subscriptions, upgrades and add-on packs as well as in-app purchases and online game versions.
Changing face of gaming
Alongside the growth of mobile gaming, the other big area changing the face of gaming is eSports. This is the concept of competitive video game events. Channels such as Major League Gaming has some 9 million registered users with their 2014 championship having over two million viewers and 18,000 attending players. The top prize was pretty substantial too – $25,000 to the winner of Call of Duty: Ghosts.
Another area of growth is the rise of YouTube gaming. This is where people watch other people play games through YouTube channels, often with attached commentary and even fun versions. This area combines traditional game playing with the personality of the channel host for an entirely new experience.
