Games are getting pricier, but that hasn’t stopped North American players from shelling out hundreds each year on their hobby.
Over recent years, gaming habits have shifted as prices climbed. Many big releases now debut at $70, with Activision, Sony, and Nintendo holding firm on premium pricing. Microtransactions, DLC, battle passes, and cosmetics have become major revenue drivers.
Circana reports U.S. spending has risen steadily since 2020 despite flat unit sales. Digital stores and subscriptions like Xbox Gamepass have changed buying habits, leading to more frequent but smaller purchases, meaning players spend more overall while buying fewer full-price games.
And that’s why the next number still lands hard: $325. That’s the average each North American gamer spent on games in 2025.
North America leads the world in average player spend
A new Newzoo and Tebex report found that North American gamers spent an average of $325 annually on games in 2025.
That figure came from combining purchases of full games, in-game currencies, subscriptions, and add-ons. While the region only accounts for 7% of global players, it makes up 28% of worldwide gaming revenue.
Europe ranked far behind, with an average spend of $125 per player. Globally, there were 3.54 billion players in 2025, with Asia-Pacific holding 53% of that total.
Despite their smaller player share, North America and Europe together drove 46% of total spend: about $85.8 billion of the $189 billion market. North American players were most likely to spend on exclusive content (34%), character customization (29%), and content packs or in-game currencies (27%).
The data also highlighted the growing dominance of microtransactions. In North America, they made up 49% of PC and 52% of console revenue, with shooters as the top-earning genre. Mobile gaming generated nearly all its revenue from in-game spending.
Analysts say the key for Western markets now isn’t more players, it’s higher value per player. With payer growth slowing, studios may focus on bundling deals, offering alternative payment methods, and giving players clearer value propositions.
If this trend holds, the average North American gamer’s yearly spend could keep climbing, even as the total number of players stays steady.
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