A newly published report claims that the majority of adults in the United States play video games of some kind. It also found that most of them have spent real money on in-app purchases in a free-to-play game.
As reported by GamesIndustry.biz on July 18, Comscore’s State of Gaming report has been published and reveals some interesting data on who in America is playing games and how they interact with the industry. The report, which was done in partnership with in-game advertising platform Anzu, suggests that a lot of people playing games are also willing to spend money on microtransactions.
According to Comscore, 62 percent of adults over the age of 18 have “engaged in gaming.” Of that group, 49 percent are millennials while 16 percent are Gen Z or zoomers. The report further states that 82 percent of these video game-playing adults have spent money on an in-app purchase in the last year. Depending on who you are, that last sentence either filled your heart with dread or made you excited about how much money you are going to make off gamers.
Of the people Comsore surveyed, 77 percent said they play games on more than one platform. More than a third said they play on console, PC, and mobile. So no, you can’t blame this all on mobile-only gamers.
As pointed out by GamesIndustry.biz, esports is becoming more and more popular among Gen Z and millennials. Just over 85 percent of Gen Z and 80 percent of millennials said they watch esports. Meanwhile, U.S. gamers racked up about 45 billion hours on video game websites and apps in 2023.
“Our 2024 State of Gaming Report highlights the cultural significance of gaming and the vital role of gamer behavior for brands looking to tap into this dynamic and engaged audience,” said Comscore’s chief commercial officer Steve Bagdasarian.
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