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Unlocking games revenue: player behavior and payment trends in the west | Newzoo x Tebex Whitepaper

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Tebex, the leading payments solution for gaming, reaching $1Bn in processed payments and powering over 30,000 web stores, is launching the first industry-wide look at payment trends in EU and NA with Newzoo on Tuesday, August 12 at 09:00 AM CEST.

Why This Data Matters

In a maturing Western games market with slowing payer growth (North America: +1.1% CAGR, Europe: +3.1% CAGR, 2023-2027), studios must shift from acquiring new players to maximizing value from existing ones. The data reveals critical insights into player motivations, spending patterns, and payment preferences, enabling developers to craft targeted monetization strategies that boost revenue, enhance retention, and align with player expectations.

Global Market Snapshot (2025)

  • Market Size: $188.9B (+3.4% YoY), with North America ($52.7B, 28%) and Europe ($33.1B, 18%) driving 46% of global spend despite housing only 20% of players (3.54B total).
  • Payer Spending Power: North America leads with $324.9 avg. annual spend per payer; Europe averages $125.4 ($170.0 Western, $51.6 Eastern).
  • Value: High per-payer spend in Western markets highlights the opportunity to deepen monetization through tailored strategies.

Spending Motivations Drive Strategy

  • North America: 34% of payers spend to unlock exclusive content, 29% for personalization (character customization), reflecting a desire for self-expression. Studios can capitalize by offering unique cosmetics and content packs to drive engagement.
  • Europe: 28% prioritize deals/offers, 21% value ad-free experiences, showing value-driven behavior. Discounted bundles and subscription models can increase conversion in this region.
  • Value: Understanding regional motivations allows studios to align offerings with player priorities, enhancing loyalty and spend.

Diversified Spending Patterns

  • North America: 27% of payers invest in content packs, power-ups, and in-game currencies, with subscriptions (24%) and battle passes (23%) also strong.
  • Europe: In-game currencies and content packs lead (21% each), followed by subscriptions (20%) and gear/time-savers (18% each).
  • Value: Diverse spending across virtual goods underscores the need for varied monetization options to capture a broad range of player preferences, boosting average transaction value (ATV).

Payment Methods Unlock Higher Spend

  • ATV Trends (2025): Overall, ATV rose from $30 (2024) to $40. BNPL (North America: $85.0, Europe: $72.0) and crypto (North America: $94.8, Europe: $111.6) outperform cards (North America: $52.2, Europe: $42.7).
  • Dual-Method Impact: Players using cards + BNPL/crypto maintain transaction frequency while spending more.
  • Value: Offering alternative payment methods like BNPL and crypto can significantly increase ATV, especially in Western markets, without sacrificing transaction volume.

Revenue by Platform and Genre

  • Microtransactions (MTX): Drive 49% of PC and 52% of console revenue in North America; 42% (PC) and 51% (console) in Europe. Mobile is near 100% in-game revenue.
  • Top Genres: North America favors shooters, Europe prioritizes sports, with RPGs and puzzles strong in both.
  • Value: High MTX revenue and genre preferences guide studios to focus on live services and region-specific content to maximize engagement.

Strategic Takeaways

  • Deepen Monetization: With modest payer growth, studios must focus on existing players by offering personalized content and value-driven deals.
  • Diversify Payment Options: Cards and wallet still dominate in volume, but integrating BNPL and crypto can unlock higher ATV, especially in Western markets.
  • Align with Player Values: Transparency, fairness, and seamless payment experiences reduce churn and build loyalty in a competitive market.
  • Understand the why and how players spend: NA players are more likely to spend for personalization and self-expression, while EU players are more value-conscious, prioritizing deals and an ad-free experience.

Quotes

Liam Wiltshire Head of Payments & Compliance at Tebex

“The future of gaming is about flexibility – meeting players where they are, with the methods they trust.”

This quote summarizes the importance of adapting to player-preferred payment methods like wallets, BNPL, and crypto to enhance accessibility and trust.

“Virtual currencies and microtransactions are no longer just revenue streams – they’re becoming strategic levers for retention and differentiation.”

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This emphasizes the evolving role of microtransactions beyond revenue, focusing on engagement and player retention.

“Today’s players want to know what they’re paying for – and why. How you monetize matters more than ever.”

This highlights the need for transparency and fairness in monetization to build player trust and loyalty.

The post Unlocking games revenue: player behavior and payment trends in the west | Newzoo x Tebex Whitepaper appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.

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Gaming

Gamescom 2025: New Records and Important Impetus for the Games Industry in Germany and Worldwide

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Gamescom 2025 ended with numerous new records and strong momentum for the games industry in Germany and worldwide. Records were once again set, particularly in terms of key figures such as internationality (70% of visitors from abroad, exhibitors from 72 countries), digital reach (more than 630 million views worldwide by 23 August evening alone), exhibition space (233,000 square metres) and the number of exhibitors (1568). On site, 357,000 fans visited the world’s largest festival of games culture. The number of trade visitors rose to 34,000, with a particularly strong increase in participants from the US, China, Canada and Japan.

“This year, gamescom 2025 is sending out a particularly positive signal. After two challenging years for the games industry, you could really feel the mood improving this year. The new record figures underline not only the global appeal of gamescom, but also the upward trend in the entire games industry. gamescom 2025 is also a milestone for the German games industry: political support for the additional tax-based games funding at gamescom was stronger than ever – from both the federal and the state level alike. This creates hope that progress will be made quickly. But there were also positive signals on many other political topics, whether for e-sports from Federal Minister Bär at the political opening or from Federal Minister for Family Affairs Karin Prien, who was just as convinced of the important work of the USK in the protection of minors as she was of the enormous potential of games for the education sector,” said Felix Falk, Managing Director of game – The German Games Industry Association, the co-organiser of gamescom.

Political interest in gamescom 2025 was greater than ever before. In total, over 600 politicians came to Cologne to see for themselves the current developments in the games industry and the enormous economic, cultural and technological potential of games. Whether from the federal states, the federal government or the EU, the political guests came from all levels. In addition, a particularly large number of international delegations travelled to gamescom, for example from this year’s gamescom partner country Thailand as well as from Brazil, Indonesia and India.

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Gamescom 2026 will take place from 26 to 30 August. It will open on 25 August 2026 with the gamescom Opening Night Live.

The post Gamescom 2025: New Records and Important Impetus for the Games Industry in Germany and Worldwide appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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Investment Opportunities in the Multi-billion-dollar Gaming Sector

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The Gaming industry is growing day by day. It has already become a global entertainment giant. From sweeping open-world quests to quick, addictive mobile games, the industry has expanded into a multi-billion-dollar giant.

The global gaming industry was valued at over £135 billion ($184 billion) in 2023 and is projected to reach £184 billion ($250 billion) in 2030. It is driven by cloud gaming, which eliminates the need for costly consoles, high-speed internet, and immersive technologies like VR and AR. Revenues from VR gaming alone in 2023 exceeded £1.9 billion ($2.6 billion), and the AR gaming business is set to grow at a pace of over 30% annually.

The transition from physical to digital is virtually complete: in large markets, over 90% of games sold today are digital, with downloads, live services, and subscriptions replacing cartridges and discs.

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Alternative Ways to Invest in Gaming

The gaming industry is not merely a business of copying the most recent blockbusting release; it’s a rich, diverse ecosystem with several streams of revenue, from historic game publishing to aggressive esports and the burgeoning betting and online gambling sector. Today’s investors are able to access entertainment-oriented and wagering-led segments, each with their distinct risk and reward profiles.

Video Game Development & Publishing

Envision house brands behind the mega-franchises of Call of Duty, FIFA or The Legend of Zelda. These brands have enormous fan bases and generate revenue that stretches far past the initial buy, with in-game purchases, downloadable packs and subscription content keeping gamers engaged and expenditures year-round.

Esports

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Esports have now evolved from casual living-room games to multi-million-dollar tournaments streamed live in front of a global audience. Internet gambling on esports competitions is also becoming a niche but growing market, offering a new source of revenue for both organisers and financiers.

Online Betting & Casinos

This segment is focused on convenience, accessibility and growing demand for real-money play. Online gaming sites and casinos are taking advantage of more lenient rules in key markets, so that they now represent a more mainstream and profitable part of the gaming economy.

Spotlight on Online Gambling

Online casinos are no longer merely whirring slot machines; they’re pushing boundaries. Some of the top 20 online casinos have gone beyond traditional slots and table games, incorporating esports betting, skill-based game challenges and interactive live dealer games.

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Why does that matter to investors? Easy. It signals flexibility. These platforms are captivating players where they are: at their phones, on streaming websites, and in hybrid entertainment spaces that blur the line between socialising and gaming. This flexibility is what can keep revenue streams consistent even when trends shift.

Why Investors are Paying Attention

The gaming market has something that a lot of others envy: loyal consumers who are spenders on a regular basis. It’s £3 ($5) on a character skin or £36 ($50) on a new game, but the spend is cumulative, and it doesn’t evaporate during poor economies.

And gaming pervades everywhere. A hit title in Japan can find fans in Brazil in days. And for companies, that global reach means multiple streams of revenue and endless room to grow.

Risks in Investment

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There is no investment without risk. Regulations change overnight, especially in online gaming. Game developers also come and go with their biggest hit; one flop can jerk their stock price. And in this competitive environment, being new is a never-ending struggle.

Gaming Investment Strategies

Diversify among multiple corners of the sector. That way, you’re not betting everything on one game or one trend. Gaming-focused ETFs deserve a look as well if you enjoy a pre-packaged solution that spreads the risk.

The post Investment Opportunities in the Multi-billion-dollar Gaming Sector appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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German Games Market Grows in the First Half of 2025

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The German games market has returned to growth: following a year in which revenue from games, games hardware and online gaming services declined for the first time after many years of growth, the first six months of 2025 have once again seen an increase in sales revenue. 4.6 billion euros in revenue was generated, which equates to an increase of 4% compared to the same period in the previous year.

This was announced by game – The German Games Industry Association at a press conference in advance of the opening of gamescom next week. The sources of this data are the market research firm YouGov and data.ai (a Sensor Tower company). Games hardware enjoyed the biggest increase during the first half of 2025. Propelled among other things by the launch of the Nintendo Switch 2, revenues in this area grew by 17%. The online gaming services market segment also increased, by 4%. Games, on the other hand, experienced a small decline of 2%, to 2.7 billion euros.

“The German games market’s growth in the first six months of 2025 sends a powerful signal for the start of gamescom. This year’s event has also set a new record for the number of exhibitors. Combined with the increase in exhibition space and the many top companies expected to attend this year’s event, gamescom is set to drive even more growth in the German and international games market. This year’s theme – ‘Games – perfect entertainment’ – is fully in keeping with this boost, as 44 million Germans view games as the entertainment of our age. And not just for themselves: the vast majority of video game players believe that games are particularly good for bringing people of all ages together. It is yet another way that gamescom will be the perfect place to be,” said Felix Falk, Managing Director of game – The German Games Industry Association, which is a co-organiser of gamescom.

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The theme of gamescom 2025 – “Games – perfect entertainment” – reflects the reality in Germany, as was underscored by the findings of a representative survey conducted by the market research company YouGov: some two thirds of Germans consider video games to be the entertainment of our age. This equates to around 44 million people. It is a finding that is also supported by the experiences of the people playing video games. Nearly all of them say that they enjoy playing games (94%), find them entertaining (93%), and see them as a good way to relax (91%). In fact, 86% of video game players say that games put them in a good mood, and 8 in 10 players spend less time thinking about crises or worries thanks to games.

The average age of video game players in Germany is now nearly 40 – and it is continuing to rise. This is because the largest increases in the number of players are in the older age groups. Games have long since established themselves as a medium for all generations. The video game players think so, too: 85% of them say that games offer something for every age group, while 88% enjoy playing with other family members. 79% of players in Germany believe that games can help to bring younger and older people together, and three quarters of players think that playing games together as a family can help people to gain a better understanding of digital media.

The post German Games Market Grows in the First Half of 2025 appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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