Nearly two in ten consumers are more likely to buy video games if marketed as ‘limited edition’
Many video games get a special launch with either a ‘director's cut’ or a ‘collector's edition’. For instance, the collector’s edition of action-adventure game South Park: Snow Day! comes with a number of additions to the actual game, including clothing, cards and a toiler roll holder. Similarly, tactical role play game Unicorn Overlord’s special edition offering includes a card game, an artbook and even a music album.
Do these special or limited editions of video games make consumers more likely to buy them?
Data from a recent YouGov survey that polled consumers across 17 international markets reveals that video games are among categories of products consumers are least likely to buy a ‘limited-edition’ offering from.
Fewer than two in ten (18%) consumers across markets are more likely to buy video games if they are advertised as limited-edition. More than one in ten (13%) are more unlikely to do so. But a larger chunk of consumers (45%) aren’t interested in limited-edition video games at all.
Exploring consumer purchase intent for limited-edition video games across different markets.
More likely to buy
Consumers in the UAE (37%) account for the largest proportion of those across markets who are more likely to buy video games advertised as limited-edition offerings. Indonesians (35%) and Indians (31%) follow. In Europe, consumers in Spain (17%) are most likely to buy limited-edition video games.
More unlikely to buy
Mexicans are the most averse to limited-edition tags on video games. Nearly a quarter of them (22%) say they are more unlikely to buy video games if they are advertised as limited-edition buys, followed by Hong Kongers (19%).
Neither less nor more likely
Nearly three in ten Hong Kongers (29%) say limited-edition labels on video games would have no impact on their purchase decisions. In Europe, Germans (19%) and Danes (19%) are most likely to say the same.
Not interested in limited editions of video games
To all video game publishers planning to launch limited editions of their video games - Americans are the most likely (60%) across markets to be indifferent to such tactics. Brits (58%) and Danes (58%) follow Americans, whereas in Asia, Singaporeans lead (49%).
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Methodology: YouGov Surveys: Serviced provide quick survey results from
nationally representative or targeted audiences in multiple markets. The data is based on surveys of adults aged 18+ years in 17 markets with sample sizes varying between 503 and 2004 for each market. All surveys were conducted online in March 2024. Data from each market uses a nationally representative sample apart from Mexico and India, which use urban representative samples, and Indonesia and Hong Kong, which use online representative samples. Learn more about YouGov Surveys: Serviced.