The Shift in Gaming Habits: Majority of U.S. Gamers Only Purchase One or Two Games Annually

Recent data from **Circana** indicates that over 60% of American gamers limit themselves to just one or two purchases per year.

According to the Future of Video Games survey, 18% of players buy a new game approximately every six months, while another 12% only purchase once a year. Additionally, 33% acquire new titles even less frequently. As a result, nearly two-thirds of gamers in the U.S. are buying no more than two games annually.

On the flip side, 22% of survey respondents report buying a new game every three months, and 10% do so roughly once a month. Only 4% admitted to purchasing more than one title per month.

**Mat Piscatella**, head of research at **Circana**, highlighted that these «hyperactive» gamers, which make up around 14% of the audience, play a significant role in sustaining the traditional gaming market.

He also pointed out that most individuals who keep up with gaming news are typically part of this «hyperactive» gamer group, which may lead them to underestimate how uncommon frequent game purchases have become among the broader population.

According to the analyst, these 14% of price-insensitive gamers largely dictate the pricing strategies within the industry.

Earlier, a **Comscore** report showed that in 2023, 82% of American gamers made in-game purchases. This suggests that even those who rarely invest in new releases are still actively contributing to the industry in other ways, such as through donations and microtransactions.