Before the ubiquity of high-speed internet, most gamers were only able to get their fixes from physical stores. Obtaining a new game meant factoring in a whole range of potential issues and relying on cash or credit to obtain what they wanted. Since then, gaming has massively shifted to the online sphere, and with this has come an increased focus on online payment systems.
So, where is this current state landing exactly, and how did we get here?
Where do we stand?
At this point, gaming purchases, especially on PC, are hugely reliant on online payments. Traditionally, we saw this as primarily the case for online subscription services as popularized by MMORPGs, but today even eSports is getting in on the action.
The progression of eSports betting and its payment systems on this front is one of the most telling. To find out more about online betting with PayPal click here. As websites like this demonstrate, PayPal is intimately tied to some of the biggest names in eSports betting, helping drive use alongside the adoption of bonuses.
As of 2019, PayPal boasts over 286 million active accounts, and this number is only growing with each year. This expansion is mirrored by other online payment systems such as Google Checkout, Amazon Pay, and Stripe.
While credit cards still manage the highest levels of use, in some countries the gap between these and dedicated online systems is rapidly shrinking. As of 2019, digital wallets made up 36% of all transactions, a not-insignificant proportion that has been steadily growing in the tech age.
As it now stands, over 80% of current video game sales are digital, a proportion which physical sales claimed a mere ten years earlier.
How did we get here?
Probably the biggest reason for our shift towards online payments in gaming and gaming-related spheres is convenience. Buying a physical good meant going to a store during the right hours, potentially incurring travel costs and time, and maybe not finding what you were after.
With modern systems, gamers can find what they what almost instantly, without the annoyances which traditional methods would bring. Even if many of us would prefer the tactile experience of owning physical copies, the advantages of digital have proven too profound to ignore.
Aiding in this convenience is the improving infrastructure surrounding these systems. Steam, despite its rocky start, has proven to be a very effective delivery method. The same can be said for newer eSports-related websites and services, which have become far better designed as eSports popularity continues to skyrocket.
Where are we going?
If the current trends hold, we would expect that digital payment systems continue to become an increasingly important part of all facets of gaming. While their usurpation of the tradition might be an inevitability at this point, it’s important to note that the traditional and the contemporary can still coexist.
The proportions of representation may change but, in this case, the world is big enough for everyone.
