58% of all PC gaming revenue in 2024 came from the one thing a lot of gamers hate

PC gaming revenue throughout 2024 has grown by 0.1%, amounting to a staggering $37.3 billion in total revenue, according to the 2025 PC and Console Gaming Report from Newzoo.

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According to the report, 58% of all PC gaming revenue generated throughout last year came from microtransactions, and the three games that led the rankings in terms of how much revenue they made were: Call of Duty: Black Ops 6, Roblox, and Fortnite. Microtransactions are quite a contentious topic for PC gamers, as well as console gamers, as in some cases they can border on predatory, such as Diablo Immortal, which locked late-game chests behind paywalls.

Additionally, some gamers have problems with microtransactions in the form of loot boxes, which have been argued as a form of gambling that underage players can take part in. Despite the aforementioned concerns and many others voiced in the community, microtransactions are a massive part of PC gaming and its revenue, with the 2025 PC and Console Gaming Report stating microtransactions have grown by 1.4% year-over-year and account for $24.4 billion of the total $37.3 billion.

As for the other forms of revenue, the report states DLC revenue increased slightly by 0.8% to $5.3 billion, and 14% of all of that DLC revenue can be traced back to DLC for Diablo 4, Elden Ring, and World of Warcraft. As for what declined, the report reveals premium games, while making up 28% of all revenue ($10.7 billion), saw a drop of 2.6% compared to a year ago. Newzoo predicts PC gaming revenue will reach $40 billion by 2027.