The Daily Populous Wednesday July 2nd, 2025 evening edition
Authored by gamespot.com and submitted by chusskaptaan

Perhaps responding to economic uncertainty and narrowing job prospects, young people in the United States are significantly cutting back on spending on video games compared to this time last year. While 18- to 24-year-olds aren't buying as much across a range of different categories, losses are concentrated in games.

New data published by market research firm Circana and reported by The Wall Street Journal suggests that young adults spent nearly 25% less on video game products in a four-week span in April than in the same timeframe last year. Other categories also dramatic drops: Accessories (down 18%), technology (down 14%), and furniture (down 12%). All categories combined, the 18-24 age group spent around 13% less than last year.

Games have been hit particularly hard by spending cutbacks (via Circana and WSJ).

This decrease is not reflected among older cohorts, whose spending has been mostly stable year-over-year. The WSJ report suggests that the economic context could be driving young adults to pull back; a tighter labor market, increased economic uncertainty, and student-loan payments restarting all may be contributing to an environment hostile to the spending habits of 18- to 24-year-olds in particular.

This is potentially a warning indicator for the games industry, which has already been struggling under multiple rounds of layoffs and a reduction in revenue growth (despite often record-high profits). If they have an industry-wide impact, these spending cuts may disproportionately affect certain types of games; free-to-play behemoths like Roblox have been more popular than ever, even while conventional game developers have struggled.

supified on July 2nd, 2025 at 12:12 UTC »

This is just a symptom of a larger problem. Things cost more and at the same time the oligarchy are eating up more of the pie. Even if games were cheaper, there would be no getting past the cost of everything else. I might save more on a cheaper game but that wouldn't change the fact I still need money elsewhere more. Wages arn't going up, and everything is more expensive, so things like games are first to be cut.

Eat the Rich.

Arpadiam on July 2nd, 2025 at 11:17 UTC »

Publishers : lets rise up the game prices to 80$-90$, ( Like randy said ) "Fans" will make it happen

Gamer : Uhhh, that a bit expensive, better wait for a discount

Publisher : Sales are sinking nobody is buying our game - surprise picachu face.jpg

Fair_Lake_5651 on July 2nd, 2025 at 10:22 UTC »

Maybe if they didn't cost 70-80$ people would actually spend money on games.

Plus if Americans are spending less on video games then third world countries must have almost completed shifted to sailing the seas cus the prices are fucking ridiculous here. Also keep in mind that there were a lot of good games that released this year KCD2, expedition 33, death stranding 2, monster hunter wilds etc