New Game Purchase Data Is Jaw-Dropping

While the gaming industry continues to grow year-over-year, gamers’ purchasing habits are changing dramatically. A new study conducted by Circana in the third quarter of 2025 shows that more than half of gamers will buy only one or two new games per year. Rising prices, the rise of subscription systems, and the popularity of free-to-play games are cited as the primary reasons for this decline.

Gamers Are Buying Fewer New Games

According to a survey conducted by Chicago-based Circana, 18% of respondents said they buy a new game every six months, while 12% said they buy a game only once a year. An even 33% said they buy even less frequently. In contrast, only 4% buy more than one game per month.

Industry analyst Mat Piscatella, who shared the report, emphasized that while these results may be surprising, they don’t reflect the overall picture of “hyper-enthusiast” gamers actively pursuing the gaming world. He also noted that the survey didn’t account for free games or subscription services like Game Pass.

This trend coincides with a period of rapidly rising game prices. Microsoft increased the Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscription fee by $10, while the price of Xbox Series X|S consoles also increased during the same period. Similarly, other major companies have begun to pass on these cost increases to gamers.

Another report published by Circana this summer revealed that young American gamers spent 25% less on games in April 2025 compared to the previous year. It appears the gaming industry will no longer be solely concerned with selling new games, but also with developing more affordable models that will retain player interest.

Read More: Xbox Game Pass October 2025 Wave 1 Games Announced