For a long time, we have wondered how much money players in MOBAs actually spend on skins and other things. After all, these games are essentially free, making them a gamble for developers. Fortunately, there are now some exciting statistics that should provide more insight into the earnings of League of Legends (LoL), Dota, Smite, and HotS.
Who Pays and How Much on Average?
46% of all MOBA players have never spent money on a game. Conversely, this means that just over half of all users treat themselves to something in the games’ shops. In 2014, each paying player spent an average of $25 (~21€) solely on cosmetic upgrades – such as new skins, different weapon models, or other “extras” that can enhance the various characters. By the way, the average MOBA player is male and 25 years old – and this target group usually has money to spare.
Character Enhancements Account for 36% of Revenue
With 36% of all revenues, character enhancements make up the lion’s share of profits. An impressive 20% come from unlocking heroes, gods, or champions, and a solid 13% arise from “boosters,” which give players more experience, gold, or similar rewards for a certain period in the game. The last third includes many different items, such as account services, portraits, or other cosmetic trivialities that have nothing to do with the characters (like a special frame around one’s display picture during loading screens).
Other figures are also impressive: The 10% of players who spend the most are responsible for over 62% of total revenues. The top 1% of players account for 15% of the money. That the MOBA market is still growing the strongest, especially financially, is probably no surprise (MOBA revenue over the last 5 years).
When all these numbers are put together, it seems no wonder that new skins often have quite a revealing touch. Young men indeed want to see attractive women on the screen. For them, it is worth a few euros.
Source: venturebeat.com and EEDAR
