Passing along the 18th volume of our work on video gamers. There are quite a bit of helpful insights on Covid impacts, upcoming consoles, and micro-transactions/downloadable content.
Open Report:Bespoke – Video Gamers Vol 19
Key Takeaways:
- Free games with in-game purchases / downloadable content are gaining share of playing time and spending budget.
- The PS5 continues to test better than the Series X, but price points and potential financial hardship related to coronavirus are worth watching (those who are a bit more on the fence about getting it are more likely to pull back in the event of financial hardship).
- The data around GameStop has been worsening for a long time, but the data sharply worsened q/q.
- Coronavirus has caused a surge in game playing frequency, and to a lesser extent, spending on new games, microtransactions, and subscriptions.
- Respondents continue to suggest they are shifting more and more toward digital and online purchases (they say Covid makes them even more likely to shift in this direction).
- In the range of 30-40% of PS4, Xbox One, and Switch owners feel they are spending and playing less often because they are waiting for the PS5 and/or Series X to come out.
Key Charts:
