Digital Game Revenues Jumped by 12% in 2020

According to a new report by SuperData, players spent $139.9 billion in 2020 on digital games, indicating a 12% increase over the previous year.

This was largely down to a few high-profile titles performing exceptionally well in 2020. Animal Crossing: New Horizons, FIFA 21, and Doom Eternal all made hundreds of millions of dollars in digital sales. Cyberpunk 2077, despite its launch issues on consoles, is reported to have made $609 million digitally since it launched in December.

The mobile market still dominated digital sales, despite the fact that console and PC games are closing the gap. The mobile market grew 10% in 2020 and now accounts for 58% of all digital revenue. Free-to-play titles like Fortnite, Roblox and Call of Duty: Warzone were the highest performers, having all earned more than $1 billion.

The report also highlights the ongoing success of Microsoft’s Xbox Game Pass. The digital service, which operates a Netflix-like model, has attracted millions of subscribers and grown by more than 175% in terms of users and revenue.

Digital game sales have been rising every year for the past decade, signaling a switch in how consumers choose to buy their games. However, 2020 likely saw a higher rise than normal due to the fact that so many people were forced to stay at home due to efforts to reduce the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.