Microtransactions accounted for 58% of PC gaming revenue last year

[Skye Jacobs]

Bottom line: PC gamers continue to show a strong willingness to spend on in-game purchases, according to the latest findings from Newzoo's 2025 PC and Console Gaming Report. It found that microtransactions accounted for a significant 58 percent of all PC gaming revenue in 2024, reaching $24.4 billion. This marks a year-over-year growth of 1.4 percent.

The report pointed to three standout titles driving this surge in microtransaction revenue: Call of Duty: Black Ops 6, Roblox, and Fortnite. These games have successfully capitalized on their players' appetites for additional content, such as cosmetic upgrades.

However, microtransactions are a divisive issue among both PC and console gamers, often criticized for their potentially exploitative nature. The free-to-play PC and mobile title Diablo Immortal, for example, has been widely condemned for essentially locking late-game content behind paywalls.

Additionally, loot boxes – a common form of microtransaction – have sparked significant controversy. Critics argue that they resemble gambling, exposing underage players to addictive behaviors.

Microtransactions weren't the only revenue stream that saw gains last year. Downloadable content (DLC) also experienced a slight uptick, with revenue rising by 0.8 percent to $5.3 billion. This figure represented 14 percent of total PC gaming revenue, fueled by expansions and updates for blockbuster titles such as Diablo 4, Elden Ring, and World of Warcraft.

While microtransactions and DLC saw growth, the same could not be said for premium games – traditionally one of the cornerstones of PC gaming. Revenue from premium titles fell by 2.6 percent year-over-year, totaling $10.7 billion in 2024 and accounting for 28 percent of all PC gaming revenue. This decline reflects shifting consumer spending habits as players increasingly opt for free-to-play models supplemented by optional purchases.

Despite these mixed trends across individual categories, overall PC gaming revenue remained stable, edging up by just 0.1 percent to reach $37.3 billion in 2024. Over a two-year span, however, the sector has seen more robust growth, climbing 5.4 percent since a dip between 2021 and 2022.

Newzoo projects continued growth for the PC gaming market, forecasting revenue to rise to $37.9 billion in 2025 and eventually surpass $40 billion by 2027.

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Microtransactions accounted for 58% of PC gaming revenue last year

 

[The Talking Tech]

The new generation of gamers have broken gaming to no end with their terrible habits in overspending for what should have been already in the game from Day 1.

Greedy companies are loving it that's for sure

 

[Axeia]

Well, that's sad.
I do know some people who helped contribute to this with Genshin Impact whaling hard.
My lifetime micro transactions probably don't even total $100. The only games I remember spending some money on are Heroes of the Storm (hard to say no to being a space slug in pyjamas) and Tera online ages ago.

 

[human7]

I wish I could say I didn't contribute to this, but, setting aside my marketplace purchases in Microsoft Flight Simulator, which I think are legit since it takes real work to make those assets, there's a Star Wars game (Galaxy of Heroes) which is the one game I buy from on occasion. It's definitely pay to win (at least in pvp modes), and I remember telling myself I would never play such games. But, a colleague at work introduced me to the game, and for the first couple years I didn't spend a dime on it. Then it grew on me.

There are enough purchase types (not all) in the game that are de facto gambling. "Buy for $4.99 for a chance of shards (330 shards unlock a character)" and there's a distribution of percentages and shards you get. Purchase limit 5. At least there is a purchase limit, probably the only thing stopping it from being in the news, although I haven't seen "some kid spent 2 grand without their parents knowledge on a game" in the headlines for some time. I never buy those, only the "lightspeed bundles" and occasionally other special items around holidays.

I have such a huge Steam backlog that I haven't really bought any PC games for a year, I've spent more on microtransactions then proper games. On the one hand, it's something I've budgeted for because I don't need to buy any games while I have my backlog, but on the other, it's definitely a predatory business model.

Not sure we'll ever see a change to it until stronger regulations to protect kids are in place, or, even more impactfully, some markets are considering treating in-game currency with the same protections as real world commodities. If you can convert in-game currency back into dollars, the whole business model would be turned on its head, and many games would need to be redesigned in order for them to protect them from people cashing out currencies you can earn in-game for free (albeit at slower rates than purchasing). I think it would be sweet justice, but then the game wouldn't survive, either.

 

[calvinblanes]

I won't spend a single dollar in a game that you have to buy and then buy stuff in it to don't get behind or with less. Beside that I have no problem with microtransactions.

Worst is the devs like Ubisoft or EA, which sells year after year the same recycled product between their last game and their other franchises, like Watch Dogs 2 with Watch Dogs and The Division, but there are way too many examples I could use.

Also these games are charged $100 if u want the full product since years ago so I don't get why the hate towards GTA 6, if the game is really good it's worth it, I won't pay 90 bucks for Mario Kart never tho, even while I like the game, it's just doesnt worth it.

I hope more people have common sense too about this matter.

 

[StrikerRocket]

Really sad to see this.
I never paid for ingame transaction and never will. Period.
When I see a game that has microtransactions, either I do not play it at all, or I play without purchases altogether if practicable.
For me, the practise is just a scam, but it's just my old gamer's opinion...

 

[godrilla]

Meanwhile Vermintide 2 still has free maps that come out almost quarterly like clock work.

 

[Dimitriid]

Let's say those of you who have young children or have had em for the last maybe 7-8 years or so. Conservative estimates say around 80% of you had your children play Fortnite or Roadblocks, statistically likely both.

By the same token, nearly 100% of the above heard your children plead for some moonbucks special currency to buy some sort of limited-time-only cosmetics. Now I won't judge on how much you actually allowed your children to indulge, whenever is nothing at all, a little or a lot that's up to your idea of parenting and such.

However I will say that I can easily see how a lot of said transactions could have happened at one point on the PC as your child probably will request to play on basically any device that can run these games and you have at least a modicum of control on your actual right right?

I know I'm making several leaps of logic here to the point that it seems unfeasible, but I don't think I'm wrong in suspecting this is a huge reason why we see these numbers: just incidental bleed over revenue from the infinitely popular mobile versions that smartly are cross-platform.

 

[Theinsanegamer]

The new generation of gamers have broken gaming to no end with their terrible habits in overspending for what should have been already in the game from Day 1.

Greedy companies are loving it that's for sure

The majority of spending is coming from the 30-45 demographic. 12 year olds don't have bank accounts.

It's not "new" gamers doing this.

 

[Subset6]

The majority of spending is coming from the 30-45 demographic. 12 year olds don't have bank accounts.

It's not "new" gamers doing this.

Have to agree here. Not that most would admit to it. MTX are in this weird void in gaming culture, “first rule of buying mtx” “don’t admit to buying mtx”

 

[ZedRM]

58%? That is a ton of very mentally lacking people! Don't think I've ever done even one. I thank my dad for that.

 

[bviktor]

Dear Mr Sweeney: you can rot in hell.
Yours truly

 

[m4a4]

If I was spending hundreds of hours in a live service game (or not), I would throw some more money at it. But I don't make paying for games my hobby...

 

[vicsrealms]

Well, I stopped buying games to focus on my back log and older games. Love adding more hours into Fallout, GTA Trilogy, Civilization, and Total War. I will wait for the rare games coming out that are actually worth buying for a deep Steam sale. Just not worth paying $60 dollars these days.

 

[ZedRM]

Well, I stopped buying games to focus on my back log and older games. Love adding more hours into Fallout, GTA Trilogy, Civilization, and Total War. I will wait for the rare games coming out that are actually worth buying for a deep Steam sale. Just not worth paying $60 dollars these days.

You should look into GOG. A great place to get gaming goodness.