- New survey shows 33% of US gamers buy games less than once per year
- Only 14% purchase games monthly or more, driving the paid game market
- The majority of gamers (over 60%) are playing fewer new titles despite the growing game releases
Gaming is a hobby for many, and it has become an essential part of their lives. However, no one can play every available game. With a huge number of titles already available, and more being released each year, it becomes difficult for people to decide which games to play.
As a result, gamers are buying fewer new games each year. New data shows that over 60% of gamers in the US purchase only two games or fewer per year. In fact, only 4% of gamers buy a new game more often than once a month.
Why it matters: As more games continue to release, it becomes harder for consumers to decide between buying something new or sticking with what they already own.
Hyper enthusiast, price-insensitive players are really keeping things going, especially in the non f2p gaming space.According to Circana's Q3 2025 Future of Games, only 4% of US video game players buy a new game more often than once per month, with a third of players not buying any games at all.
— Mat Piscatella (@matpiscatella.bsky.social) 2025-10-02T16:54:18.096Z
Mat Piscatella, the senior director at market research firm Circana, recently shared data from the company’s Q3 2025 Future of Video Games survey in the US. According to the data, only 4% of players buy new games more often than once a month.
The survey further reveals that 10% of gamers purchase a new game about once a month, while 22% buy about once every three months. Additionally, 18% purchase a new game about every six months, and 12% buy about once a year.
What stands out the most is that 33% of gamers in the US are buying new games less often than once per year. This suggests that a significant portion of the gaming population may go an entire year or more without purchasing a single new title.
When you combine the 33% who buy less than once a year with the 12% who buy only once a year, it means that 45% of US gamers purchase one or fewer games annually.
This puts the spotlight on the 14% of gamers (those who buy monthly or more often) who are essentially supporting most of the spending in the non-free-to-play space. With fewer players buying new titles regularly, developers and publishers may face increasing challenges in driving sales for traditional paid games.
What are your thoughts on the majority buying new games less often? Let us know in the comments section below, or join the official Tech4Gamers forums for discussion.
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[News Editor]
Obaid is pursuing a Law degree while working as a content writer. He has worked as a gaming writer for over three years because of his passion for the medium and reporting the latest updates in the industry. Having played hundreds of games, Obaid finds himself coming back to Elden Ring, Cyberpunk 2077, and Red Dead Redemption 2, with these games being among his favorites. He has also been mentioned on highly regarded websites, such as Wccftech, Metro UK, PS Lifestyle, GamePressure, VGC, and Gamespot.
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