A new industry survey reveals that the majority video game players purchase very few new game releases each year, contrary to popular belief.
According to research from Circana’s Q3 2025 Future of Video Games survey, more than 60 percent of players in the United States buy two or fewer new game titles every year. In contrast, only 14 percent of gamers purchase one or more new games each month.
Mat Piscatella, a Circana analyst, shared these findings. He suggested that the industry is increasingly sustained by a core group of “hyper enthusiast, price insensitive players” who frequently buy new releases.
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Experts point to several reasons for this trend. They include a general lack of interest in new titles, broader economic concerns, and the dominance of so called “forever games.” These are ongoing online experiences, such as Roblox, Fortnite, and Genshin Impact, which provide continuous content and can occupy a player’s attention for years, reducing the need for new purchases.
This change in spending is reflected in the financials of gaming giants. Sony, for instance, now generates more revenue from in-game purchases and microtransactions than from the sale of full price game discs and downloads.
Via: Push Square