A new Comscore and Anzu report reveals key insights into US gamers' habits, preferences, and spending trends. The study explores gamer behavior and the evolving gaming landscape.

US Gamers Embrace In-App Purchases

Freemium Gaming's Rise to Prominence

Comscore's 2024 State of Gaming Report, a collaboration with in-game advertiser Anzu, examines US gamer demographics, platform preferences, and spending patterns across various genres.

The report highlights the remarkable success of the freemium model, with 82% of US gamers making in-app purchases in freemium games last year. This business model offers free-to-play access with optional paid features (e.g., extra resources, exclusive items). Popular examples include Genshin Impact and League of Legends.

The freemium model's popularity, especially in mobile gaming, is well-established. Maplestory, released in North America in 2005, is considered a pioneer of this model, introducing the concept of purchasing virtual items with real money.

The continued success of freemium games benefits developers and major platforms like Google, Apple, and Microsoft. Research from Corvinus University suggests the model's appeal stems from factors such as utility, self-expression, social interaction, and competitive gameplay, encouraging players to spend to enhance their experience or avoid ads.

Comscore's Chief Commercial Officer, Steve Bagdasarian, noted the report's significance in understanding the cultural impact of gaming and its relevance to brands seeking to engage this audience.

The report's findings resonate with comments made by Tekken's Katsuhiro Harada earlier this year regarding in-game purchases in Tekken 8. Harada emphasized that revenue from these transactions directly contributes to the game's development budget, particularly given the increasing costs of game production.