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Ultra PC Gamer Research Exposes Continued Struggle with Pricing and Discoverability on PC

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64% of digital PC games purchased at discount or downloaded for free

36% of gamers find it difficult to discover new PC games to play

Ultra, a complete PC gaming hub created by AAA talent from companies like Ubisoft, Playstation and Nintendo, today releases the first findings from its forthcoming report, The Ultra PC Gamer Study. They reveal that 64% of digital PC games are either purchased at a discount or obtained for free with 87% of PC gamers saying discounts are important in their purchasing decisions.

The findings, drawn from an independent survey of 2,000 PC gamers across the United States and United Kingdom, demonstrate the vital importance of indie games to the PC gaming ecosystem. Three-quarters of respondents buy indie PC games while the same proportion (75%) report that AAA games are too expensive. Price sensitivity is far from the only factor working in favor of indie games, with gamers citing creativity (40%) and a desire to support smaller developers (28%) among their motivations for buying them.

The picture is more mixed for alternative game stores with low awareness of platforms beyond Steam and the Epic Games Store. However, the finding that 36% of respondents find it difficult to discover new PC games to play may offer some encouragement to challenger brands. Currently, gamers are most likely to discover games they haven’t heard of before on YouTube (38%) while 94% of gamers consider game reviews in their purchasing decisions.

“These findings show a PC gaming market that’s currently shaped by gamers’ price sensitivity with players having to make careful purchasing decisions this holiday season,” the Co-Chief Executive Officer for Ultra, Nicolas Gilot, said. “This offers invaluable insight for developers, publishers and platforms and shows the scale of the opportunity for indie games and challenger storefronts even in the mature, prosumer PC gaming market, which has been growing and evolving for decades.

“PC gaming has always given players as much freedom as possible; whether that’s through the choice of titles, platforms, hardware, the ability to mod or simply fine-tune the settings of your favorite games. It’s clear that there’s an opportunity to evolve further; which we will discuss in the full release of The Ultra PC Gamer Study, which is to be published in January of 2024.”

Key findings

Purchasing Power: 75% of PC gamers feel AAA PC games are too expensive with 87% saying discounts are important in their purchasing decisions. Therefore, only 36% of digital PC games are purchased at full price while 32% are purchased at a discount or through bundles and 32% are obtained for free. Possibly showing the shifting business model of gaming, 68% of respondents say they buy in-game content such as battle passes.

Indie Game Adoption: There’s a huge potential audience for non-AAA games with 75% of respondents saying they buy digital indie titles. The top reasons for doing so are the creativity of indie games (40%), wanting to try something new (39%), their lower price point (33%) and to support smaller developers (28%).

Indie Uncertainty: Of the minority who don’t buy indie PC games, 41% cite uncertainty of whether they’ll enjoy them, 32% don’t have enough time to play multiple games, 17% prefer franchise releases and 17% feel indie games are difficult to discover.

Store Wars: Steam is unsurprisingly the PC games store that’s most familiar with gamers, followed by Epic Games Store. The best-known challenger stores are GOG (15% awareness) and Humble Store (13%) and resellers such as GamesPlanet (19%) and CDKeys and G2A (both 13%).

Discoverability: 36% of respondents find it difficult to discover new PC games to play. Gamers are most likely to discover games they hadn’t heard of before on YouTube (38%). The next most influential channels are word of mouth (34%) and Steam promotions (18%). Twitch (12%) is significantly more influential than Kick (2%).

Reviews: Remain influential with only 6% of respondents not taking them into account. Customer reviews are most influential (53%) followed by word of mouth (49%). 31% of PC gamers are influenced by reviews from media outlets.

These initial findings have been revealed ahead of Ultra releasing its full PC Gamer Study in January of 2024. To be among the first to know when the full report is released, follow Ultra on X (twitter).

Methodology

An online survey was conducted by Atomik Research among 2,003 PC gamers in the United Kingdom and the United States of America. The research panel had an even gender split (50% male, 49% female, 1% non-binary) and were all aged between 18 and 44. To qualify, gamers had to play PC games at least once a week, with 51% of respondents saying they play daily. The research fieldwork took place between October 13 to 16, 2023. Atomik Research is an independent creative market research agency that employs MRS-certified researchers and abides by MRS code.

George Miller (Gyorgy Molnar) started his career in content marketing and has started working as an Editor/Content Manager for our company in 2016. George has acquired many experiences when it comes to interviews and newsworthy content becoming Head of Content in 2017. He is responsible for the news being shared on multiple websites that are part of the European Gaming Media Network.

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Soft2Bet’s Quickcasino Wins at EGR Europe Awards 2025

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Soft2Bet’s Quickcasino has been awarded “The Nordics and Baltics – Rising Star” at the prestigious EGR Europe Awards, reinforcing its status as one of the region’s most innovative and fast-growing online gaming brands.

This recognition is a testament to Soft2Bet’s commitment to market-leading technology, data-driven gamification, and player-first experiences. By combining cutting-edge mechanics with a highly localised approach, Quickcasino has established itself as a force in Sweden’s competitive iGaming landscape.

A Market Leader in Innovation and Gamification

Quickcasino.se has redefined the Nordic and Baltic iGaming experience, blending seamless UX, high-speed transactions, and a unique gamification ecosystem to keep players engaged. Powered by Soft2Bet’s proprietary MEGA (Motivational Engineering Gamification Application) solution, the platform delivers dynamic challenges, real-time progression, and personalised incentives, creating an experience that is both immersive and rewarding.

Beyond gamification, Quickcasino’s commitment to top-tier security, lightning-fast payments, and market-driven customisation has resonated strongly with Swedish players. Its ability to merge high-performance technology with a player-centric approach, via MEGA, has driven remarkable growth, reinforcing its status as a market leader.

Uri Poliavich, Founder and CEO of Soft2Bet, commented: “Receiving European recognition from one of the leading industry awards is a proud moment for Quickcasino and Soft2Bet. This achievement not only recognises Quickcasino’s rapid success but also highlights how our B2C experience acts as a proof of concept for B2B partners. As we investigate new ways to enhance our offerings, the results we achieve with our brands showcase the power of our technology and help operators elevate player engagement, retention, and performance in highly competitive markets. This award reinforces our ability to drive success for our brands and partners.”

A Future Focused on Growth and Innovation

Quickcasino’s latest accolade adds to Soft2Bet’s growing list of industry recognitions. Looking ahead to 2025, the company is preparing for major market expansions, new strategic partnerships, and continuous advancements in gamification technology. With innovation at its core, Soft2Bet remains committed to pushing boundaries and delivering industry-leading solutions that shape the future of iGaming.

The post Soft2Bet’s Quickcasino Wins at EGR Europe Awards 2025 appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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The Lithuanian Gaming Control Authority (LPT) has completed its inspection: Olympic Casino has been fined almost 8.4 million euros

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The company Olympic Casino Group Baltija (OCGB) did not take sufficient steps to identify the origin of Šarūnas Stepukonis’ losing funds, and the monitoring of his financial transactions was only formal and ineffective. Such violations were identified by the Gaming Supervisory Authority, which conducted an inspection of OCGB’s activities in Lithuania. The company was fined almost 8.4 million euros.

The Gaming Supervisory Authority (LPT) investigated the actions taken by OCGB in response to Š. Stepukonis’ transactions on the company’s gaming website from December 2016 to the end of June 2021. The law obliges gaming operators to ensure that customer funds are not obtained from criminal activities or through participation in such activities. It is also mandatory to verify the origin of the funds. LPT found that the measures applied by OCGB were poor and insufficient, and the monitoring of Š. Stepukonis’ transactions was formal.

Gambling organizers must report suspicious transactions to the FNTT. Š. Stepukonis’ transactions had obvious signs that should have raised suspicions for the gambling organizer. However, the FNTT was not informed about this.

During the inspection, evidence was also collected that Š. Stepukonis’ gambling was irresponsible. The gambling company should have noticed this, especially since the client was assigned a personal manager who saw all of his transactions.

“Instead of finding out whether Š. Stepukonis had a gambling problem or informing the supervisory authority, Olympic Casino encouraged him to gamble even more. An individual incentive package was prepared for him. A total of 1.3 million euros was allocated for this. This “bonus” could only be spent on gambling. Other incentives were also allocated,” – comments on the results of the inspection by LPT Director Virginijus Daukšys.

Since mid-2021, gambling companies in Lithuania have no longer been allowed to offer incentives to their customers that they would later lose. Just before this tightening came into effect, Š. Stepukonis’ virtual gambling was moved from Lithuania to Estonia, where it was still allowed to encourage gamblers.

In this way, it was possible not only to maintain incentives for gambling, but also to avoid supervision by the LPT. If an ordinary gambler from Lithuania tried to go and register on the Estonian Olympic Casino website, he would be redirected to the Lithuanian website. However, in the case of Š. Stepukonis, the redirection was not carried out. These circumstances are part of the pre-trial investigation.

During the inspection, a total of five violations of the provisions of the Law on the Prevention of Money Laundering and Financing of Terrorism and the Law on Gambling were identified.

The law allows for a fine of up to twice the amount of damage caused. The damage was determined to be 6.4 million euros – the amount Š. Stepukonis lost at the Olympic Casino in Lithuania. When calculating the fine, an aggravating circumstance was taken into account – the company did not cooperate during the inspection.

According to V. Daukšys, after this story came to light, steps were taken to prevent similar cases from recurring. The most important change is the law, proposed by the LPT, which obliges gambling companies to take action upon noticing irresponsible gambling and to provide information about it to the LPT.

“Until now, there was no such obligation. Therefore, the LPT did not have information that would allow it to take preventive actions in advance,” says V. Daukšys.

The new Gambling Law will come into force in November this year. Its aim is to reduce the accessibility, attractiveness and potential harm to personal health of gambling.

LPT also reviewed its procedures, adjusted internal procedures, allowing for more frequent scheduled inspections of the activities of gambling companies. In addition, the Ministry of Finance conducted an audit of LPT’s activities. No significant operational deficiencies were identified during the audit. LPT took into account the audit recommendations and allocated more human resources to money laundering prevention functions.

 

Source: Gambling Supervisory Authority under the Ministry of Finance of the Republic of Lithuania

The post The Lithuanian Gaming Control Authority (LPT) has completed its inspection: Olympic Casino has been fined almost 8.4 million euros appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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iQOO partners with India’s leading gamers Mortal, Payal and Scout; will co-create products for nation’s mobile gaming community

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In a significant step forward for the mobile gaming industry, 8Bit Creatives and iQOO are taking their collaboration to the next level by co-creating cutting-edge mobile gaming products. This strategic move will see some of India’s most influential gaming creators—Naman Mathur (Mortal), Payal Dhare (PayalGaming), and Tanmay Singh (Scout)—play an active role in shaping the next generation of gaming devices.
From providing real-time feedback on upcoming products to influencing core gaming innovations, this partnership goes beyond traditional brand associations. By integrating gaming creators into the product development process, 8Bit Creatives and iQOO are ensuring that mobile gaming technology is built for gamers, by gamers.
Animesh Agarwal, Co-founder and CEO of 8Bit Creatives, commented, “At 8Bit Creatives, we believe in building collaborations that go beyond endorsements, creating meaningful partnerships that drive real impact. By working with iQOO on product innovation and community engagement, we are ensuring that gaming creators play an active role in shaping the technology that fuels their passion. This partnership is a testament to how brands and gaming talent can come together to elevate the mobile gaming ecosystem in India.”
This collaboration marks another milestone in 8Bit Creatives’ commitment to gaming and esports. Last December, the agency secured India’s largest naming rights sponsorship deal in gaming history with iQOO, further strengthening its leadership position.
Additionally, 8Bit Creatives acquired naming rights for three out of five teams, reinforcing its pivotal role in the country’s esports ecosystem.
With nearly 90% of Indian gamers choosing mobile as their primary platform, the demand for high-performance gaming devices is at an all-time high. By bringing gaming creators into the product development process, 8Bit Creatives and iQOO are paving the way for a more immersive and community-driven gaming experience.
As gaming continues to shape the future of digital entertainment, 8Bit Creatives remains committed to driving innovative collaborations that empower creators and elevate the gaming industry.

The post iQOO partners with India’s leading gamers Mortal, Payal and Scout; will co-create products for nation’s mobile gaming community appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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