Read from VGC:
The majority of video game players in the United States only buy one or two games a year, a survey has found.
Market research company Circana’s senior director Mat Piscatella shared data from its Q3 2025 Future of Video Games survey, specifically its data on purchasing frequency among players in the US.
According to the data, 18% of players in the US buy a new video game about once every six months, while 12% buy one about once a year.
The survey also found that 33% of players buy a new game less often than once per year, meaning a combined 63% of players buy two games or fewer every year.
On the other end the scale, 22% of players buy a new game around once every three months, with 10% saying they buy one roughly every month. Just 4% said they buy more than one game a month.
Piscatella also pointed out that if these numbers seem unusual, it’s likely because anyone who follows him already falls into that 14% bracket of players who buy a game or more per month, and therefore may not be aware of the bigger picture.
“Before replying, know that even seeing this post likely puts you into that hyper enthusiast bucket, so the actions of you and your immediate cohort likely do not match those of the general gaming audience,” he explained.
In a separate post related to his point on “hyper enthusiast, price-insensitive players”, Piscatella suggested that the reason game prices are rising and Deluxe Editions are becoming more commonplace is because that 14% of players are less likely to worry about the cost of games, meaning most pricing is focused on them.
The majority of video game players in the United States only buy one or two games a year, a survey has found.
Market research company Circana’s senior director Mat Piscatella shared data from its Q3 2025 Future of Video Games survey, specifically its data on purchasing frequency among players in the US.
According to the data, 18% of players in the US buy a new video game about once every six months, while 12% buy one about once a year.
The survey also found that 33% of players buy a new game less often than once per year, meaning a combined 63% of players buy two games or fewer every year.
On the other end the scale, 22% of players buy a new game around once every three months, with 10% saying they buy one roughly every month. Just 4% said they buy more than one game a month.
Piscatella also pointed out that if these numbers seem unusual, it’s likely because anyone who follows him already falls into that 14% bracket of players who buy a game or more per month, and therefore may not be aware of the bigger picture.
“Before replying, know that even seeing this post likely puts you into that hyper enthusiast bucket, so the actions of you and your immediate cohort likely do not match those of the general gaming audience,” he explained.
In a separate post related to his point on “hyper enthusiast, price-insensitive players”, Piscatella suggested that the reason game prices are rising and Deluxe Editions are becoming more commonplace is because that 14% of players are less likely to worry about the cost of games, meaning most pricing is focused on them.
