Players will pay for non‑live games

Players are still buying full-price games in big numbers, even as major publishers tell investors that subscriptions, add-ons and live-service spending drive most of the business. (circana.com) Circana said U.S. spending on video game hardware, content and accessories reached $60.7 billion in 2025, up 1.4% from 2024, and projected another rise to $62.8 billion in 2026. Its 2026 outlook pointed to “robust player demand across platforms” and a software slate led by Nintendo Switch 2 releases and Grand Theft Auto VI. (circana.com) At the same time, public game companies keep emphasizing recurring revenue. Electronic Arts reported $7.463 billion in fiscal 2025 net revenue, with $5.461 billion from “live services and other,” and Take-Two said recurrent consumer spending accounted for 77% of fourth-quarter fiscal 2025 net bookings. (sec.gov) (take2games.com) That split helps explain the argument behind the social posts. Investors reward predictable spending from sports modes, battle passes and in-game items, while players keep turning premium launches into hits when the games land. (sec.gov) (take2games.com) (circana.com) The recent sales list is full of examples. Electronic Arts said Split Fiction sold nearly 4 million units after its March 6, 2025 launch, even though the company also told investors it expects continued live-services growth in fiscal 2026. (ea.com) Sony said Helldivers 2 sold more than 12 million copies in its first 12 weeks after its February 2024 launch, making it PlayStation’s fastest-selling game at the time. The game has live-service elements, but it was sold as a $40 upfront purchase rather than a free download built around microtransactions. (ign.com) Warhorse Studios said Kingdom Come: Deliverance II sold 1 million copies in 24 hours after its February 4, 2025 release and 2 million in less than two weeks. Sandfall Interactive said Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 sold 1 million copies in three days after launching on April 24, 2025, with that figure excluding Game Pass players. (gematsu.com) (ign.com 1) (ign.com 2) Game Science’s Black Myth: Wukong sold 10 million copies in three days after its August 20, 2024 release on personal computer and PlayStation 5. That result came from a premium single-purchase action role-playing game with no subscription requirement. (ign.com) Publishers are not abandoning premium games. Ubisoft told investors in its fiscal 2025 materials that a new Tencent-backed unit would work on “narrative-driven solo experiences” alongside live-service offerings, showing that even a company under financial pressure is keeping both tracks. (investgame.net) The market data does not show players rejecting paid games. It shows a business where recurring spending funds quarterly forecasts, while standout boxed and digital releases still pull in millions of buyers when publishers give players something they want to own. (circana.com) (ea.com) (take2games.com)