Mobile game spending leads the market leaving little space for other platforms

Mobile game spending has dramatically increased over the last five years, leaving other platforms like home consoles, handhelds and the computer behind. Moreover, a new joint report confirms that the trend is not going to change in 2021.
According to a new report from International Data Group (IDC), global consumer spending on mobile games is projected to go as high as $120 billion in 2021. Both PC and Mac (the closest competitors for the mobile game industry) are only forecast to raise a total revenue to $41 billion.

Home consoles are expected to be falling behind that at $39 billion, while the handheld market currently driven exclusively by the Nintendo Switch will be at the rear with only $4 billion. A remarkable fact is the highest consumer spending on in-game purchases ever. In the first quarter of 2021, gamers spent $1.7 billion per week on in-game items.

A major finding is that demand for mobile gaming continues to be strong even after more than a year into the Covid-19 pandemic. Based on the data and Q4 2019, average weekly game downloads were up 30 percent in Q1 2021. Over the same period, consumer spending has increased 40 percent.

Have you been spending more on games during the pandemic? Share your thoughts below.