You want your games quickly, not securely – at least, that’s the impression I get from a new round of research about spending habits on digital games. 27% of players have dropped a purchase entirely because the payment process has taken too long, and speed is a more important metric than security almost everywhere.
“When it comes to picking a payment method,” the report says, “ease of use and speed are more important than security in almost every market. Convenience is king.” More specifically, 77% of players mark speed as the biggest factor in their payment method of choice, and 46% cite ease of use.
PayPal is the biggest payment method globally, with 26% of gamers preferring it over any other method. Rounding out the bottom of the list at 2% is cryptocurrency. The report notes “here is little mainstream interest in paying with Bitcoin,” which shouldn’t come as a surprise. Steam dropped Bitcoin purchase support late last year thanks to the currency’s volatility, and cryptocurrency in general has become somewhat more of a volatile commodity than an actual cash replacement.
Gamers also prefer PayPal when it comes to donating to streamers, and boy – they’re spending a lot. Donations and subscriptions are set to top $1.5 billion in 2018 alone. So you shouldn’t wonder how somebody like Ninja might make $500,000 a month.
SuperData’s report also makes note of subscription services like Xbox Game Pass and Origin Access. Game players are shifting from direct TV and music purchases to subscription options, and there’s room for game makers to take advantage of that shift. Judging by the continued push to make game streaming a mainstream reality, publishers are picking up on the possibility.