- 43% of children in the US want in-game currency for Christmas.
- 37% of the participants are planning to ask their parents for physical games.
- On the other hand, consoles are also in high demand, with over 39% of kids expressing interest in buying a console.
Microtransactions have unfortunately become ingrained in gaming culture, with 58% of PC gaming revenue last year coming from in-game purchases. Major gaming publishers, like Ubisoft, also claim that they enhance the overall experience as a way to shoehorn them into games.
Despite consumer interest, many creatives are against the use of microtransactions in the gaming medium. But, if new research from the Entertainment Software Association (ESA) is anything to go by, in-game purchases are here to stay.
Why It Matters: In-game currency is predatory, and with consumers hell-bent on buying it, microtransactions are here to stay for a long time.
According to research conducted by ESA, 43% of kids in the US are asking their parents for in-game currency this Christmas. Out of the 700 children surveyed, 3 out of 5 are planning to buy gaming-related products in the holiday season.
And, almost half of this spend involves in-game currency or microtransactions in one way or another. Furthermore, physical games are still in high demand despite the rise of digital media, with 37% of the children surveyed asking parents for hard copies.
Consoles are also among the top 3 gaming items that US children want for Christmas, with over a quarter of the 700 participants opting to buy a console.
ESA also discovered that many children want video games as a way to spend more time with their families. Most of the participants expressed interest in the medium as a way to connect with people close to them.
The research also took a survey of adults, and almost 33% are going to buy gaming products like consoles and in-game currency for their children on Christmas.
With so much insistence on video games, this holiday season will definitely boost the sales of consoles like PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series. And, with GTA 6 set to arrive next holiday season, the gaming industry may see unprecedented levels of revenue.
Do you think microtransactions should be abolished, or are they good for the industry as an alternative revenue source? Tell us in the comments below or head to the Tech4Gamers forum for discussion.
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Shameer Sarfaraz has previously worked for eXputer as a Senior News Writer for several years. Now with Tech4Gamers, he loves to devoutly keep up with the latest gaming and entertainment industries. He has a Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science and years of experience reporting on games. Besides his passion for breaking news stories, Shahmeer loves spending his leisure time farming away in Stardew Valley. VGC, IGN, GameSpot, Game Rant, TheGamer, GamingBolt, The Verge, NME, Metro, Dot Esports, GameByte, Kotaku Australia, PC Gamer, and more have cited his articles.
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