A preference for single player titles is exhibited across all Western territories surveyed by Ampere in Q2 2023. France is no exception, but the share of gamers stating that single player is their preferred play mode fell by 3% versus the previous quarter. This is indicative of a wider shift in attitudes among gamers as free-to-play and multiplayer titles continue to grow in popularity. For example, 29% of gamers in France stated that they had played Fortnite in the last three months, the highest share since Q4 2021; and 26% stated that they had played EA FIFA in the last three months, the highest share recorded since the survey began in 2020. Despite this overall decline, the preference for single player is still 11% higher than the preference for multiplayer.

The most significant change in attitudes in Q2 2023 compared to Q4 2022 was the 5% decline in the share of gamers in France who stated that they only play free-to-play games, with the share at its lowest point since Q4 2021. This may be attributable to several premium titles releasing in Q1 and Q2 2023, including Hogwarts Legacy, The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, and Resident Evil 4 Remake, which may have converted a share of exclusively free-to-play or more casual gamers into paying users. 

Ampere Games Consumer research also indicates an increase in the self-reported average monthly games spend across all categories of gaming in France, with the greatest increase coming from digital full game purchases, followed by in-game spending. At the same time, the decrease in exclusively free-to-play gamers correlated with the slight decline in the popularity of the Puzzle genre – one that is traditionally associated with free-to-play titles – among gamers in France.