82% of American Gamers Bought Microtransactions In 2023

Expert Verified By

Explains Why Every Game Has Microtransactions Now!

Story Highlights
  • A report outlines that 82% of US gamers spent money on in-game purchases in 2023.
  • These ranged from battle passes to cosmetic skins and various bundles.
  • 45 billion hours were also spent across gaming apps and websites.

Microtransactions are often controversial in the gaming industry. In-game purchases, whether purely cosmetic or advantageous in multiplayer games, are typically seen in a negative light.

Despite their controversial status, millions around the globe buy microtransactions. A new report further explains why this monetization trend is so popular, with data suggesting that 82% of US gamers made in-game purchases last year.

Why it matters: Microtransactions have even become popular in single-player games, and everyone wants to try this practice.

Call of Duty Microtransactions
Call of Duty Offers Various Camos And Character Skins As Microtransactions

Data from Comscore’s State of Gaming report states that 62% of adults over 18 played games in the US last year.

Moving over to microtransactions, it states more than 80% of players purchased in-game items in free-to-play titles. This includes games like Call of Duty: Warzone, Fortnite, and Apex Legends, famous for their cosmetic skins and battle passes.

While many gamers continue to criticize such practices, as seen in the recent outrage over Apex Legends, most are supporting publishers. In fact, it can be argued that they are encouraging others to follow suit.

With an 80% success ratio, these microtransactions earn billions of dollars each year. This is partially why studios like EA want to pursue live-service gaming even more seriously.

While this data is limited to the US, we would be willing to bet that the statistics aren’t too different in other parts of the world, like the UK.

Call of Duty Modern Warfare 3 Microtransactions
The Call of Duty Store Sells Various Items | Image via Tech4Gamers

Elsewhere, the report highlights that gaming fans also engage with the hobby on various platforms. They reportedly spent about 45 billion hours on gaming gaming sites and apps in 2023.

All in all, the gaming industry won’t be moving away from its focus on microtransactions anytime soon. Publishers have been largely successful in getting this practice accepted by the masses, making it normal for nearly every major release to feature in-game purchases.

Was our article helpful? 👨‍💻

Thank you! Please share your positive feedback. 🔋

How could we improve this post? Please Help us. 😔

Gear Up For Latest News

Get exclusive gaming & tech news before it drops. Sign up today!

Join Our Community

Still having issues? Join the Tech4Gamers Forum for expert help and community support!

Latest News

Join Our Community

104,000FansLike
32,122FollowersFollow

Trending

Nintendo Switch 2 Attracts Controversy, Display Is 50% Slower Than Predecessor

A recent analysis has revealed that the display of the Nintendo Switch 2 is 50% slower than that of the original handheld.

Analyst Thinks AMD Can Go Toe-To-Toe With Nvidia Amid 7% Rise in Shares

CFRA analyst Angelo Zino revealed that the reason for the sudden increase of AMD's share is that it is on track to close the gap with Nvidia.

GTA 6 Confirmed For Xbox Series S As The Game Shows Available To Wishlist On The Platform

GTA 6 is now available on the wishlist on the Xbox Series S, dismissing previous concerns that the console won't be able to run the game.

As Users Continue Reporting PS5 Liquid Metal Issue, Dev Warns It Could Kill Consoles In A Couple Of Years

Users have reported PS5 shutdowns linked to liquid metal issues, which the dev warns could lead to the death of the consoles.

Blood Message To Release Sooner Than Expected; Possible H2 2026 Launch

According to a reliable insider, Blood Message may launch in the second half of 2026, sooner than previously expected.