Wall Street Journal: Young Americans’ Spending on Games Drops Nearly 25% YoY
Young people are cutting spending on all categories.
The Wall Street Journal published a piece featuring a study on the economic behavior of young people aged 18 to 24 in the US. The data used was from Circana, covering spending from January to April 2025.
Games are the hardest-hit category among young Americans as of April 2025. Their spending dropped nearly 25% YoY, while other age groups saw a decline of just a few percent.
The authors attribute the issue to a combination of factors: challenges in the labor market, tightening of student loans, and credit card debt. Overall, young people are cutting back on spending for entertainment, accessories, and clothing.
According to Bank of America, spending in this age group has historically risen. The current decline is atypical and signals structural problems in the economy.
An additional negative factor is the introduction of tariffs, which could impact game and console prices in the US and the general rise in game prices.