Majority of PC Gaming Revenue Reportedly Comes from Microtransactions

PC gaming is doing well, but it would seem that PC gamers are spending more money on microtransactions than on actually buying games. A new report shows some interesting statistics regarding what PC gamers are spending the most money on now, and how that’s likely to change in the near future.

PC gaming has existed side-by-side with consoles for a long time, but in recent years, it’s risen to new levels of popularity. Console exclusives sometimes lock PC gamers out of certain titles for a while, but the performance a PC gaming rig with good specs can deliver is often enough for PC gamers to be patient.

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Now, a report from Newzoo, (via Techspot), indicates that 58% of the revenue made from PC games in 2024 was from microtransactions. The PC gaming industry saw a whopping $24.4 billion spent on game microtransactions in 2024 alone, with Call of Duty: Black Ops 6, Roblox, and Fortnite leading the pack for earning the most via the in-game purchases. This number doesn’t include DLC, which saw its own gains, rising 0.8% from 2023 to earn $5.3 billion in 2024. This made up an impressive 14% of all PC gaming revenue for the year. Overall PC gaming revenue was narrowly up by 0.1%, reaching $37.3 billion overall, with spending expected to rise through at least 2027.

Not All PC Gaming Spending Was Up

While most of these numbers are good news for game publishers and developers, there was one area that saw a significant decrease in spending in 2024. “Premium” games’ revenue dropped 2.6%, falling to $10.7 billion. It would seem PC gamers are spending less on pay-to-play titles and more on free-to-play games that use microtransactions to keep running. However, $10.7 billion is still nothing to scoff at.

These numbers may come as a surprise to some PC gamers, but they correlate with an earlier report from the same outlet about PC gaming. The director of Newzoo previously reported that 67% of playtime was spent on games six years old or older, with only 8% of playtime spent on games under two years old. Between the two reports, it seems like PC gamers stick with older titles, and likely those that utilize microtransactions, like Grand Theft Auto Online, Fortnite, and Roblox, which all came out over 12 years ago. While new game releases are exciting, it seems that many PC gamers prefer to stick with what they know, but aren’t afraid to open their wallets.

Call of Duty: Black Ops 6

9/10

Released

October 25, 2024

ESRB

Mature 17+ // Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Suggestive Themes, Strong Language, Use of Drugs

Engine

IW 9.0