Research: Gamers Spend a Lot of Money on MMOs

March 9, 2010

A new survey from Today’s Gamers takes a look into the big money arena of massively multiplayer online games.

The report focused on the U.S., UK, Germany, France, Belgium and the Netherlands. The U.S. boasted 46.0 million MMO gamers, of whom 46.0 percent paid for the privilege to play their online game of choice. Those who did pay to play an MMO spent a total of $3.8 billion on subscriptions, virtual currency, game purchases and other micro-transactions, which works out to $15.10 spent by each U.S.-based MMO gamer per month.

Following the U.S. in total dollars spent on MMOs were the UK ($270.0 million), Germany ($250.0 million), France ($220.0 million), the Netherlands ($65.0 million) and Belgium ($55.0 million). The UK was tops in terms of monthly amount spent on MMOs with a figure of £10.60 (approximately $15.89 U.S.) per gamer.

Germany actually boasted more MMO gamers than the UK, 5.9 million to 4.2 million, but German gamers averaged only £6.70 spent (approximately $10.04) on MMOs per month.

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Comments

Re: Research: Gamers Spend a Lot of Money on MMOs

Submitted by sharpshooterbabe on Thu, 03/11/2010 - 09:43.

This is amazing!

"It's better to be hated for who you are, then be loved for who you are not." - Montgomery Gentry

Re: Research: Gamers Spend a Lot of Money on MMOs

Submitted by TK n Happy Ness on Wed, 03/10/2010 - 08:34.

Well if a lot of these gamers are single, then it makes sense. It saves them the trouble of blowing money on their girlfriend/wife.

Re: Research: Gamers Spend a Lot of Money on MMOs

Submitted by Positive_Gamer on Wed, 03/10/2010 - 01:25.

$15 bucks a month is very little when you look at all the other things we spend money on. I spend 5 times that amount on coffee each month. Yay, Starbucks -_-

Re: Research: Gamers Spend a Lot of Money on MMOs

Submitted by Cerabret100 on Tue, 03/09/2010 - 20:53.

MMO's are one of those things you think are extreamly expensive, until you actually pony up to cash to try it. then you begin to realize the time per dollar rate is can be in your favor by an astounding amount compared to similarly priced entertainment alternatives.

Re: Research: Gamers Spend a Lot of Money on MMOs

Submitted by SimonBob on Wed, 03/10/2010 - 10:33.

Yeah, like Team Fortress 2.

...wait a second

---
Fangamer

Re: Research: Gamers Spend a Lot of Money on MMOs

Submitted by Cerabret100 on Wed, 03/10/2010 - 14:25.

I never said it beats everything out, but also that is neither an mmo, nor does it have the same entertainment value based on ones subjective views. For instance I really don't like Team Fortress 2...yeah it's fun when the team properly chooses a balanced class list, and properly communicates. ...but that doesn't happen quite as often. Also Valve and their mirror shine reputation for packing serious value in to small packages is outside the norm.

Re: Research: Gamers Spend a Lot of Money on MMOs

Submitted by Kincyr on Tue, 03/09/2010 - 18:22.

somehow, I'm reminded of an internet quote (Bash.org quote #897655) that goes "I don't understand why churches and 'family groups' spend millions of dollars a year on abstinence-only instruction when a World of Warcraft account only costs fifteen dollars a month and has a much better record of ensuring virginity."

岩「…Where do masochists go when they die?」

岩「…」

Re: Research: Gamers Spend a Lot of Money on MMOs

Submitted by hellfire7885 on Tue, 03/09/2010 - 19:29.

Heh, always love that bit of humor.

Thing is, I'm pretty sure that since it's somewhat but not exactly like what soem churches railed against i nthe 70s and 80s, they hate WoW too.

Re: Research: Gamers Spend a Lot of Money on MMOs

Submitted by nightwng2000 on Tue, 03/09/2010 - 18:06.

"...which works out to $15.10 spent by each U.S.-based MMO gamer per month."

So, uh, yeah, roughly what they're saying is that for every person who claims to be an MMO player, they are, and correct me if I'm wrong, basically, when it comes down to it, paying the subscription rate for ONE MMO per month.

Wow. I mean, just WoW! I mean, I'm just so... underimpressed.

Nightwng2000

NW2K Software

http://www.facebook.com/nightwing2000

Nightwng2000 is now admin to the group "Parents For Education, Not Legislation" on MySpace as http://groups.myspace.com/pfenl

Nightwng2000 NW2K Software http://www.facebook.com/nightwing2000 Nightwng2000 is now admin to the group "Parents For Education, Not Legislation" on MySpace as http://groups.myspace.com/pfenl

Re: Research: Gamers Spend a Lot of Money on MMOs

Submitted by Alex on Tue, 03/09/2010 - 23:26.

Seriously, I laughed so hard when I read that sentence.
---
I'm not under the affluence of incohol as some thinkle peep I am. I'm not half as thunk as you might drink. I fool so feelish I don't know who is me, and the drunker I stand here, the longer I get.

---
I'm not under the affluence of incohol as some thinkle peep I am. I'm not half as thunk as you might drink. I fool so feelish I don't know who is me, and the drunker I stand here, the longer I get.

Re: Research: Gamers Spend a Lot of Money on MMOs

Submitted by PumaFau on Tue, 03/09/2010 - 17:39.

JUST IN :GP reported on the obvious

Never underestimate the power of idiots in large amounts.

Re: Research: Gamers Spend a Lot of Money on MMOs

Submitted by SeanB on Tue, 03/09/2010 - 17:24.

I wonder if i would be included in that survey. I've played WOW for years, but on a private server, so i've never paid a dime.

Re: Research: Gamers Spend a Lot of Money on MMOs

Submitted by Cerabret100 on Tue, 03/09/2010 - 20:51.

seeing as that's against ToU/EULA and illegal as well...i'm gonna guess no.

Re: Research: Gamers Spend a Lot of Money on MMOs

Submitted by axiomatic on Tue, 03/09/2010 - 16:59.

Gamers Spend a Lot of Money on GOOD MMOs

Fixed the headline for you there...The MMO's that suck however get the boot fast.

Re: Research: Gamers Spend a Lot of Money on MMOs

Submitted by hellfire7885 on Tue, 03/09/2010 - 16:54.

From the "No shit sherlock" archives.

Re: Research: Gamers Spend a Lot of Money on MMOs

Submitted by Cavalier on Tue, 03/09/2010 - 16:38.

I'd be real curious to see the chinese figures on this one.

Poll

Shout box

PHX Corp: http://kotaku.com/ea-sports-developer-calls-wii-u-crap-and-nintendo-wa-508481261 EA Sports Canada Moron calls Wii U 'Crap' and Nintendo 'Walking Dead'05/18/2013 - 11:42am

E. Zachary Knight: If the videos are of sufficient quality that people subscribe and watch regularly, then those let's players are providing a service that people want. That is the heart of capitalism. That is not something that should be shamed.05/17/2013 - 8:06am

E. Zachary Knight: I have no idea who either of those people are. However, I still don't see why making a business out of creating let's play videos is somehow evil or wrong.05/17/2013 - 8:04am

MaskedPixelante: It sure is if you're just doing it for the money. See Tobuscus and/or Pewdiepie for what happens when people get into it just for the money.05/17/2013 - 7:30am

E. Zachary Knight: Why is it wrong to make money doing LPs? Why should that be something that should be shamed?05/17/2013 - 6:20am

MaskedPixelante: https://twitter.com/PsychedelicSA/status/335183893214924801 Now here's an interesting, glass half full thought about the Nintendo LP thing. It outs the people who are just doing LPs to make money.05/17/2013 - 5:56am

E. Zachary Knight: I responded in writing to all this "let's play" stuff Nintendo Started. No need for my permission, I won't give it. It's not mine to give. http://divineknightgaming.com/?p=29205/16/2013 - 2:21pm

E. Zachary Knight: Lars Doucet of Levelup Labs has a Reddit going on game companies that allow monetization of Let's Play videos. http://www.reddit.com/r/Games/comments/1egayn/lets_build_a_list_of_game_studios_that_allow/05/16/2013 - 1:04pm

Sleaker: @Imautobot - yah I wouldn't use an emulator as a good first run test of how stable the console is, haha.05/16/2013 - 11:47am

E. Zachary Knight: The 50th person to jump off a bridge is just as dumb if not dumber than the 1st.05/16/2013 - 10:03am

MaskedPixelante: Yeah, let's all jump on Nintendo for doing this, even though they're hardly the first company to do this...05/16/2013 - 9:47am

E. Zachary Knight: Wow Nintendo, this is wrong. http://kotaku.com/nintendo-forcing-ads-on-some-youtube-lets-play-video-50709238305/16/2013 - 8:44am

Imautobot: @Sleaker, further gameplay has revealed that the controller button do stick under the faceplate. Also, The NES emulator (Emuya)keeps crashing on me, though I think a bad ROM is causing it.05/16/2013 - 7:10am

Papa Midnight: AE: I wonder if any other publishers will follow suit.05/15/2013 - 8:12pm

Andrew Eisen: EA is ditching Online Pass. http://venturebeat.com/2013/05/15/ea-kills-its-controversial-online-pass-program/05/15/2013 - 7:20pm

Avalongod: @Zach and quicnkold...I've read the bill and the intent of it is to fear-monger. It's not a balanced message. I don't recall the ESRB being mentioned at all. It's more "keeps your kids away from these movies/games or they'll become violent"05/15/2013 - 4:35pm

E. Zachary Knight: quiknkold, The big problem with that legislation is the amount of misinformation out there. Who is going to ensure that the information in the pamphlet is accurate?05/15/2013 - 3:25pm

quiknkold: REBeardogg : I'm on the fence about this. on one side, I want parents to be aware of the ESRB, and even Movie Ratings. On the other hand, I feel this will be used for nothing but Propaganda. The ESRB does a good job.05/15/2013 - 3:07pm

IanC: Frostbite is coming out on iOS devices. Yet the Wii U cant handle it? *coughbullshitcough*05/15/2013 - 2:31pm

BearDogg-X: http://www.politickernj.com/65515/lesniak-ruiz-bill-limit-children-s-exposure-media-violence-clears-senate - Bill requiring schools to publish pamphlets with anti-fake media "violence" propaganda clears NJ Senate05/15/2013 - 2:03pm

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