30% of gamers don’t pay for games!
New research has revealed that around a third of all gamers don’t pay for the games they’re playing.
Boffins from video game tracking firm Newzoo found that all gaming platforms – whether they be PC, console, handheld or mobile – support an audience of approximately 30% that simply aren’t forking out for their gaming pleasures. Instead they’re enjoying the numerous cost-free online offerings available – Xbox 360 or PlayStation 3 demos, games such as ‘Treasure Isle’ or ‘Bejeweled Blitz’ on Facebook, ‘Lite’ versions of iPhone Apps and so on.
On top of all that, these freebie loving freeloaders are going round to their mates’ houses to jump in on multiplayer games. Quite right too, since titles such as ‘Modern Warfare 2’ and ‘Mario Kart Wii’ are greatly enhanced when played mob-handed.
According to Newzoo this trend took shape before the recession and continued to grow through the rough economic times that followed. Nowadays leading publishers such as Popcap.com see free-to-play games as a key component of their marketing strategies. This plan plainly works too, with reports that roughly a third of the $25.3 billion US games revenue comes from online games – many of which will have been sampled for free before purchase.
So do you keep a tight grip on your wallet and stick to the stuff you can get gratis, free and for nothing – or do free samples tantalise you into forking out for full games? Either way, we’re keen to know what you play and, of course, whether you pay?
