Fortnite players are spending less in-game than they used to

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Fortnite players aren’t spending like they used to.

In-game spending in Fortnite has dropped since the start of 2019, according to Nielsen statistical group SuperData Research.

Microtransaction purchases have been on the decline in Fortnite since the start of 2019, with combined revenue from PC, consoles, and mobile failing to break $100 million in September of this year.

Fortnite is still doing better than most games, however. In the past month, eight percent of gamers spent money on in-game items in Fortnite compared to just two percent in Destiny 2, FIFA 20, and Madden NFL 20.

But the overall audience of gamers spending heavily on microtransactions has declined in 2019.

“Despite generating $6.5B in PC revenue and $1.4B in console revenue in Q3 2019, in-game spending is failing to reach a sizeable portion of the gaming market,” reads the latest research from Superdata. “Half of gamers (51%) did not spend on additional in-game content in the past month despite major releases among microtransaction-heavy games such as FIFA 20 and NBA 2K20. Capturing the attention of those who do not spend on in-game content will require new and enticing solutions from publishers. Implementation is key, however, and game makers should be transparent in the ways they sell additional content.”

In-game spending as we know it, says Superdata, has reached a saturation point.

“Between loot boxes, battle passes, one-time booster packs and individual cosmetic purchases, there is no shortage of in-game monetization tactics. These strategies, however, are not enticing everyone to purchase additional content. Developers must seek out and identify the best approach for converting players to spenders or earning back player trust that was lost due to poorly implemented microtransaction models. Understanding the state of additional content spending is imperative for game publishers looking to implement such models in their own games. The success of microtransactions depends on game makers constantly iterating tried-and-true methods. While innovation is necessary in order to revive the stagnant market, effective monetization should never come at the expense of an enjoyable and fair game experience.”