Video game players are changing their behaviours in the face of the worsening cost-of-living crisis, with many cutting back on other purchases in order to stay online.
A study of more than 2,000 UK gamers by TalkTalk found that more than three-quarters (78%) said they had modified their behaviour to help save money. The cost of energy was named as a major concern among gamers, with 68% saying they now switched their devices off rather than leaving them on standby, and 78% saying they had started playing video games later at night in order to avoid peak electricity costs.
The research found that more than half of those asked (52%) were sharing new gaming purchases with friends to cut costs, and 62% said they were buying no new games and focusing on second-hand purchases or freebies instead. The study found that nearly two-thirds (63%) were cutting back on other items such as clothes and shoes in order to continue gaming.
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Many players have made these changes because gaming is seen as one of the primary parts of their social lives, using platforms like Discord to chat to friends while playing the same game together. TalkTalk's study found that 41% of those surveyed said gaming was now their main form of socialising.
64% said they had reduced other, more expensive, social activities such as going to concerts or sporting events as the cost-of-living continued to rise.
Jonathan Kini, managing director of TalkTalk, said: “This research demonstrates the impact of the rising cost of living on the gaming community.
“At TalkTalk, we’re committed to supercharging the nation’s wifi while helping our customers save on their entertainment and really up their game, so they won’t have to keep BRBing every time their screen starts to buffer.”
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