Young people are so strapped for cash that even video games are getting too expensive for them. A June study by Circana, first reported by the Wall Street Journal, found that spending among 18-to-24-year-olds dropped by 13% from January to April 2025 compared to last year. Video game purchases were hit particularly hard, falling nearly 25% according to a chart Circana's Mat Piscatella shared on BlueSky.
For context, Piscatella shared another chart comparing the drop in spending among Gen Z to spending changes in older generations. The difference is dramatic. Where older generations' spending dropped less than 5%, Gen Z's is plummeting. It's particularly surprising to see such a sharp drop in spending on video games, which historically cater toward young people.
