82% of adults have spent money on a free game

A recently released report claims that the majority of adults in the United States play video games in some form or another. It also revealed that most of them have spent real money to make in-app purchases in a free-to-play game.

As reported by GamesIndustry.biz July 18, Comscore’s State of Gaming Report Has Been Released and reveals some interesting data about US gamers and how they interact with the industry. The report, which was conducted in partnership with in-app advertising platform Anzu, suggests that many people who play games are also willing to spend money on microtransactions.

According to Comscore, 62% of adults over the age of 18 have “played video games.” Of those, 49% are millennials, while 16% are Gen Z or Zoomers. The report also states that 82% of those adult gamers have spent money on an in-app purchase in the past year. Depending on who you are, that last sentence either filled your heart with dread or got you excited about the money you’re going to make from gamers.

Of those surveyed by Comsore, 77% said they play across multiple platforms. More than a third said they play across console, PC, and mobile. So no, you can’t blame all of this on mobile-only gamers.

As pointed out GamesIndustry.bizEsports is becoming increasingly popular among Gen Z and Millennials. Just over 85% of Gen Z and 80% of Millennials reported watching esports. At the same time, U.S. gamers logged an estimated 45 billion hours on video game websites and apps in 2023.

“Our 2024 State of Gaming report highlights the cultural importance of gaming and the vital role player behavior plays for brands looking to tap into this dynamic and engaged audience,” said Steve Bagdasarian, Chief Commercial Officer, Comscore.

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