Global Gaming Study: The Future of Gaming Subscriptions (Simon-Kucher)

Summary

• The Simon-Kucher Global Gaming Study surveyed more than 13,000 people in 17 countries during May and June.§1
• Over one in three gamers globally report already buying at least one gaming subscription, driven mainly by the quality, number and diversity of games included.§2
• 35 percent of gamers already use a subscription, and casual gamers report spending an average of $18 per month on video games, versus $33 for casual gamers who buy subscriptions.§3
• Nine percent of gamers already buy multiple gaming subscriptions, while another 71 percent are open to trying multiple subscriptions, for a total of 80 percent interested in more than one.§5
• 70 percent of gamers report playing more when buying a gaming subscription.§5
• Serious gamers (playing 20+ hours per week) would spend $19 to $40 per month for their ideal gaming subscription, and casual gamers $10 to $30.§6
• Xbox Game Pass, a hybrid of games and hardware, costs up to $35 per month, while willingness to pay for a subscription without hardware is up to $40.§6

Key insights

1. There are three kinds of gaming subscriptions: to one game, to a console's online services, or to a platform offering games from different publishers.§2
2. Among gamers who play more than five hours per week, the price of the subscription is only the third or fourth most important driver.§2
3. Casual gamers are more price conscious than moderate and serious gamers and are largely untapped by current providers.§3
4. Xbox bundles monthly financing with Game Pass, which is attractive to consumers unwilling to spend four to five hundred dollars upfront for a console.§4
5. Gaming subscriptions are not likely to be a winner-takes-all market.§5
6. Few providers currently target the high end of the price range, leaving room for tiered or premium gaming subscriptions.§6
7. A stronger shift towards subscriptions may reduce gamers' willingness to spend more than $50 on flagship gaming titles.§7