Do you feel like you spent a lot on MMOs last year? Well, you're not alone. It's no secret that the MMO industry is a huge one, and all of those box sales, Steam downloads, sub fees, and item shop purchases added up to a pretty impressive number.
Gamasutra reported today that MMO gamers in the US spent $3.8 billion on their hobby in 2009. What's interesting about this figure is that it follows the trend you find in free-to-play games these days: of the 46 million Americans playing MMOs, only 46% of them spent any money at all on games. The rest, approximately 25 million, were completely free-to-play. Even so, American gamers are clearly more enthusiastic about opening their wallets for games than other countries, with the total coming to about 15 times more than any European MMO market.
You can take a look at the full report and more number crunching at Gamasutra.
Reader Comments (14)
Posted: Mar 10th 2010 4:17PM DeadlyAccurate said
The US has 5 times the population of the next highest-spending country. In fact, the total population of the other six countries is still only two-thirds the population of the US (233 million versus 304 million (cite from Google public data: http://bit.ly/bOwBjA)). Are the per capita numbers about the same?
Also, 46 million Americans play MMOs? That seems a little high. Are they counting every subscription as a separate player? Because many of us have multiple MMO accounts (either active or inactive). I have two MMOs going on right now, and in the last year I've had about six different ones (excluding trials I tested and didn't subscribe to).
Also, 46 million Americans play MMOs? That seems a little high. Are they counting every subscription as a separate player? Because many of us have multiple MMO accounts (either active or inactive). I have two MMOs going on right now, and in the last year I've had about six different ones (excluding trials I tested and didn't subscribe to).
Posted: Mar 10th 2010 10:29PM (Unverified) said
the numbers are even more skewed...
USA has a population of 310 million now, and with a relatively young median age in their population at over 5 years younger than the 5 other countries mentionned, anything but numbers like this would strike me as strange...
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USA has a population of 310 million now, and with a relatively young median age in their population at over 5 years younger than the 5 other countries mentionned, anything but numbers like this would strike me as strange...
Posted: Mar 10th 2010 4:37PM AlamoeJones said
Add Korea to that chart and 3.8 billion won't look so big.
Posted: Mar 10th 2010 4:45PM Joshua Przygocki said
Kinda feel special... I contribute $15 dollars a month to the "Internet Addict" stereotype that is growing alongside being a "fat" country, being "lazy" and being "hippies."
Posted: Mar 10th 2010 6:44PM alucard3000 said
lol woot I am a hippy now dam and I thought I would never get to indulge in the 60's ty ty ty
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Posted: Mar 10th 2010 5:13PM (Unverified) said
The average mmo player subs to 2 mmo's at any given time I think is the accepted norm. 23 million players does not seem that far fetched when you consider the subscriber base of games like free realms, wow, lotro etc.
Posted: Mar 10th 2010 5:20PM Eamil said
What I find hilarious is that Gamepolitics quoted another part of the survey, which summed up the results as finding that, on average, each gamer spends $15.10 a month on MMOs.
*headdesk*
*headdesk*
Posted: Mar 10th 2010 5:24PM CCon99 said
Funny how the Direct Micro Transactions they're trying to force down US gamer throats has such a percentage. US market spends more on subs and clients than anyone, you would think the companies would just stick to that model and make more money.
Posted: Mar 10th 2010 6:47PM alucard3000 said
not really hehe I have heard of micro transactions to amount toi 150-200 dollars so
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Posted: Mar 10th 2010 5:32PM Graill440 said
This is an "old" poll in that it has been done by the same private company for years now and they will not release their methods or data origination. So with anyone not releasing methods on how they came on the info to make this report i dismiss it as garbage and opinion only.
To bad europe doesnt have a freedom of information act.
To bad europe doesnt have a freedom of information act.
Posted: Mar 10th 2010 6:41PM alucard3000 said
play the blame game sure
Posted: Mar 11th 2010 4:47PM Joshua Przygocki said
I lurv me sum stereotypes








