Summary

• Microtransactions dominated PC gaming revenue in 2024, totaling $24.4 billion.
• Spending on premium games dropped by 2.6% to $10.7 billion in 2024.
• PC gamers prefer older titles with microtransactions, spending most of their playtime on them.

PC gaming is flourishing, yet it appears that gamers are investing more in microtransactions than in purchasing games. A recent report presents intriguing insights on the spending habits of PC gamers and anticipates future trends.

PC gaming has coexisted with consoles for years, but has gained immense popularity recently. Although console exclusives may prevent PC gamers from accessing some titles temporarily, the performance offered by a good gaming rig often keeps PC gamers patient.

According to a report from Newzoo, 58% of the revenue generated from PC games in 2024 was attributed to microtransactions. In 2024 alone, a staggering $24.4 billion was spent on game microtransactions, with titles such as Call of Duty: Black Ops 6, Roblox, and Fortnite leading the charge in earnings through in-game purchases. It’s important to note that this figure excludes DLC, which earned $5.3 billion, reflecting a 0.8% growth from 2023. Overall, PC gaming revenue reached $37.3 billion, with projections indicating an increase through at least 2027.

Notably, while these figures paint a rosy picture for developers, there was a noticeable decline in spending on premium titles, which fell by 2.6% to $10.7 billion. This trend suggests that PC gamers are opting to spend less on pay-to-play games and more on free-to-play games that utilize microtransactions. The preference for older titles likely explains why such games consistently draw in spending, even though they might be more than a decade old.