North Americans and Europeans Lead Video Game Spending
Ahmed Hassan 
Key Takeaways
Created with AI - we're still experimenting, so apologies if it misses the mark
- North American gamers spend significantly more ($325 annually) compared to European gamers ($125), with North America projected to generate nearly half of global gaming revenue by 2025.
- European gamers are primarily driven by deals and good prices, while North American gamers prefer acquiring extra or exclusive content.
- Microtransactions contribute significantly to game revenues, accounting for half of PC game revenues and one-third of console game revenues in Europe.
- Regional preferences for popular game genres differ: sports games are dominant in Europe, while shooters are the top choice in North America. However, preferred microtransaction categories remain consistent across regions (expansions, power-ups, virtual coins, subscriptions). Game publishers should tailor offerings to each regions specific spending motivations to maximize revenue from existing players.
Global Gaming Trends: Regional Spending Differences between North Americans and Europeans
A recent study by Newzoo and monetization platform Tebex reveals significant differences between North American and European gamers. North American gamers spend approximately $325 annually, nearly 2.6 times the $125 spent by European gamers. Despite accounting for only 20% of the global player base, these two regions are projected to generate $85.8 billion in the gaming industry by 2025, representing almost half of total global spending. The study identified distinct spending motivations across regions. For European gamers, deals and good prices are the primary drivers (cited by 28% of respondents), whereas North American gamers are more motivated by acquiring extra or exclusive content (34%). Microtransactions already contribute substantially to revenue, accounting for half of PC game revenues and one-third of console game revenues in Europe. Furthermore, popular game genres vary regionally: sports games are dominant in Europe, while shooters are the top choice in North America. Despite these differences, preferred microtransaction categories remain consistent, including expansions, power-ups, virtual coins, and subscriptions. Given the slower growth in player numbers, the researchers suggest game publishers maximize revenue from existing players by tailoring offerings to each region’s specific spending motivations.
About the Author
Jonathan Dubinski 
Sophie Laurent 
Carlos Mendoza 
Bruno Pferd 
