That’s a Lot of SkinsÂ
Microtransactions have been, and will most likely continue to be one of the most hated components of modern gaming. However, regardless of what you might think about them, they make companies an absurd amount of money. In the first fiscal quarter of 2020, Activision Blizzard has made just under $1 billion in microtransactions sales alone.
It is not surprising that Activision Blizzard has been raking in the money over the past few months. Thanks to the restrictions that have been caused by the COVID-19 lockdown, most people are not leaving their homes as often as they would. This then leads to people playing video games more often to pass the time and ultimately spending more money on in-game purchases.
Activision Blizzard are the masterminds behind games such as Call of Duty: Warzone, Overwatch, and Candy Crush. The later is one of the biggest games in the world right now with over 60 million players. All three of these games offer a generous amount of content that can only be accessed by paying real-world money.
It was common knowledge that in-game purchases were a huge source of income for gaming companies. But it is shocking to see numbers like this. Especially considering how many people loathe the idea of microtransactions as a whole. Certain countries and states within the USA have gone so far as banning them or passing laws that would hope to get games that have microtransactions out of the hands of children. This is an ongoing battle in nations such as the United Kingdom.
These numbers are only expected to climb as well. As the quarantine continues to drag on, there is no reason to suspect that people are going to be less enticed to buy weapon skins or other cosmetic items from in-game stores.