{
  "name": "Video Games & Esports",
  "edition_label": "October 2026",
  "edition_updated_at": "2026-10-11",
  "slug": "video-games-esports",
  "kind": "industry",
  "parent_slug": null,
  "url": "https://madgicx.com/labs/industries/video-games-esports",
  "scope": "Category research. Verified account AOV aggregate supplied separately.",
  "directory_status": "deferred",
  "page_readiness": "published",
  "directory_notice": null,
  "benchmark": {
    "status": "verified_aggregate",
    "slug": "video-games-esports",
    "parent_slug": null,
    "cohort_scope": "root_and_children",
    "median_aov_usd": 15.34,
    "p25_aov_usd": 4.67,
    "p75_aov_usd": 107.16,
    "metric_window": null,
    "scope_label": "Equal-weight account aggregate · Reporting period not supplied",
    "methodology": "Median and middle 50% of account-level average order values. Each account value is purchase ROAS multiplied by cost per purchase in USD. Successful classifications, including manual corrections, with positive finite spend, purchases, ROAS and cost per purchase. Accounts are counted once with equal weight. Quartiles use linear interpolation. Root cohorts include direct root classifications and their child categories; exact-child cohorts exclude parent and sibling categories. The source selects the highest-spend coverage row per account among snapshots dated within the preceding 30 days; the underlying reporting period is not supplied. This is a dated aggregate advertising-data snapshot, not business-wide AOV or a census.",
    "read_at": "2026-10-11T14:12:32.450764+00:00",
    "period_label": "Dated snapshot · underlying reporting period not supplied",
    "citation": "Madgicx Research & Labs. Video Games & Esports account AOV: median $15.34; middle 50% $4.67–$107.16. Snapshot read 2026-10-11T14:12:32.450764+00:00; underlying reporting period not supplied. https://madgicx.com/labs/industries/video-games-esports#benchmark",
    "source": {
      "name": "Madgicx Research & Labs",
      "url": "https://madgicx.com/labs/industries/video-games-esports#benchmark"
    }
  },
  "metric_definitions": [],
  "metric_definitions_scope": "Definitions only; no ACV, MRR or ARPU benchmark or measured correlation is supplied.",
  "brands": null,
  "answers": [
    {
      "group": "In this industry",
      "id": "answer-r6-gaming-refund",
      "question": "Does a downloadable game add-on have an unconditional refund?",
      "text": "Steam's refund page describes DLC conditions involving the purchase period, underlying game's playtime and whether content has been consumed, modified or transferred, with some third-party exceptions. A DLC purchase is not automatically refundable. Creative and retention reporting should distinguish purchase, use and approved refund without promising a result for an individual request.",
      "context": "",
      "url": "https://madgicx.com/labs/industries/video-games-esports#answer-r6-gaming-refund",
      "citation": "Madgicx Research & Labs. Video Games & Esports. Does a downloadable game add-on have an unconditional refund? Steam's refund page describes DLC conditions involving the purchase period, underlying game's playtime and whether content has been consumed, modified or transferred, with some third-party exceptions. A DLC purchase is not automatically refundable. Creative and retention reporting should distinguish purchase, use and approved refund without promising a result for an individual request.  Source: https://store.steampowered.com/steam_refunds/?curator_clanid=8386501 Answer: https://madgicx.com/labs/industries/video-games-esports#answer-r6-gaming-refund",
      "source_url": "https://store.steampowered.com/steam_refunds/?curator_clanid=8386501"
    },
    {
      "group": "In this industry",
      "id": "answer-r6-gaming-access",
      "question": "Does canceling a gaming subscription remove all content immediately?",
      "text": "PlayStation says subscription benefits continue through the prepaid period after cancellation, then monthly subscription games lose access when the subscription ends. Discounted purchases and certain redeemed content are treated separately. Cancellation, expiry and a separately purchased game are different records; avoid interpreting a cancellation request as immediate loss of every entitlement or an already-issued refund.",
      "context": "",
      "url": "https://madgicx.com/labs/industries/video-games-esports#answer-r6-gaming-access",
      "citation": "Madgicx Research & Labs. Video Games & Esports. Does canceling a gaming subscription remove all content immediately? PlayStation says subscription benefits continue through the prepaid period after cancellation, then monthly subscription games lose access when the subscription ends. Discounted purchases and certain redeemed content are treated separately. Cancellation, expiry and a separately purchased game are different records; avoid interpreting a cancellation request as immediate loss of every entitlement or an already-issued refund.  Source: https://www.playstation.com/en-gb/support/subscriptions/cancel-playstation-plus/ Answer: https://madgicx.com/labs/industries/video-games-esports#answer-r6-gaming-access",
      "source_url": "https://www.playstation.com/en-gb/support/subscriptions/cancel-playstation-plus/"
    },
    {
      "group": "In this industry",
      "id": "answer-r6-gaming-wallet",
      "question": "Does one virtual-currency balance necessarily follow the player across every platform?",
      "text": "Epic explains that some purchased V-Bucks are platform-restricted while others are shared, so balances can differ by platform. It separately says items bought with V-Bucks are available on the platforms where the player uses Fortnite. Wallet funding and an item entitlement are different records; preserve platform scope without converting virtual balances into cash revenue or assumed new purchases.",
      "context": "",
      "url": "https://madgicx.com/labs/industries/video-games-esports#answer-r6-gaming-wallet",
      "citation": "Madgicx Research & Labs. Video Games & Esports. Does one virtual-currency balance necessarily follow the player across every platform? Epic explains that some purchased V-Bucks are platform-restricted while others are shared, so balances can differ by platform. It separately says items bought with V-Bucks are available on the platforms where the player uses Fortnite. Wallet funding and an item entitlement are different records; preserve platform scope without converting virtual balances into cash revenue or assumed new purchases.  Source: https://www.epicgames.com/help/en-US/c-202300000001636/c-202300000001723/why-don-t-all-of-my-v-bucks-transfer-across-platforms-a202300000011516 Answer: https://madgicx.com/labs/industries/video-games-esports#answer-r6-gaming-wallet",
      "source_url": "https://www.epicgames.com/help/en-US/c-202300000001636/c-202300000001723/why-don-t-all-of-my-v-bucks-transfer-across-platforms-a202300000011516"
    },
    {
      "group": "In this industry",
      "id": "answer-r6-gaming-dlc",
      "question": "Is subscription-included game content the same transaction as a separate DLC purchase?",
      "text": "Nintendo's service FAQ says selected DLC can be downloaded at no additional cost with an active Switch Online + Expansion Pack membership. Access through a membership and buying an add-on separately have different offer scopes. Revenue reporting should identify the actual membership transaction rather than count each included download as a new paid DLC sale; no permanent ownership or every-game coverage is inferred.",
      "context": "",
      "url": "https://madgicx.com/labs/industries/video-games-esports#answer-r6-gaming-dlc",
      "citation": "Madgicx Research & Labs. Video Games & Esports. Is subscription-included game content the same transaction as a separate DLC purchase? Nintendo's service FAQ says selected DLC can be downloaded at no additional cost with an active Switch Online + Expansion Pack membership. Access through a membership and buying an add-on separately have different offer scopes. Revenue reporting should identify the actual membership transaction rather than count each included download as a new paid DLC sale; no permanent ownership or every-game coverage is inferred.  Source: https://en-americas-support.nintendo.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/22521/p/992/c/871 Answer: https://madgicx.com/labs/industries/video-games-esports#answer-r6-gaming-dlc",
      "source_url": "https://en-americas-support.nintendo.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/22521/p/992/c/871"
    },
    {
      "group": "Read the benchmark",
      "id": "answer-median-aov",
      "question": "What is the average order value benchmark for Video Games & Esports?",
      "text": "The median account AOV for Video Games & Esports is $15.34 USD. This is the middle account-level average order value in the benchmark.",
      "context": "USD · Equal-weight account aggregate. Snapshot read 11 October 2026; underlying reporting period not supplied.",
      "url": "https://madgicx.com/labs/industries/video-games-esports#answer-median-aov",
      "citation": "Madgicx Research & Labs. Video Games & Esports. What is the average order value benchmark for Video Games & Esports? The median account AOV for Video Games & Esports is $15.34 USD. This is the middle account-level average order value in the benchmark. USD · Equal-weight account aggregate. Snapshot read 11 October 2026; underlying reporting period not supplied. Source: https://madgicx.com/labs/industries/video-games-esports#benchmark Answer: https://madgicx.com/labs/industries/video-games-esports#answer-median-aov",
      "source_url": "https://madgicx.com/labs/industries/video-games-esports#benchmark"
    },
    {
      "group": "Read the benchmark",
      "id": "answer-aov-range",
      "question": "What is the typical AOV range in Video Games & Esports?",
      "text": "The middle 50% of account AOVs runs from $4.67 to $107.16 USD. This is the interquartile range, not the minimum and maximum.",
      "context": "USD · Equal-weight account aggregate. Snapshot read 11 October 2026; underlying reporting period not supplied.",
      "url": "https://madgicx.com/labs/industries/video-games-esports#answer-aov-range",
      "citation": "Madgicx Research & Labs. Video Games & Esports. What is the typical AOV range in Video Games & Esports? The middle 50% of account AOVs runs from $4.67 to $107.16 USD. This is the interquartile range, not the minimum and maximum. USD · Equal-weight account aggregate. Snapshot read 11 October 2026; underlying reporting period not supplied. Source: https://madgicx.com/labs/industries/video-games-esports#benchmark Answer: https://madgicx.com/labs/industries/video-games-esports#answer-aov-range",
      "source_url": "https://madgicx.com/labs/industries/video-games-esports#benchmark"
    },
    {
      "group": "Read the benchmark",
      "id": "answer-lower-quartile-aov",
      "question": "What is the lower-quartile AOV?",
      "text": "The 25th-percentile account AOV is $4.67 USD. It marks the lower edge of the middle 50% of this distribution.",
      "context": "USD · Equal-weight account aggregate. Snapshot read 11 October 2026; underlying reporting period not supplied.",
      "url": "https://madgicx.com/labs/industries/video-games-esports#answer-lower-quartile-aov",
      "citation": "Madgicx Research & Labs. Video Games & Esports. What is the lower-quartile AOV? The 25th-percentile account AOV is $4.67 USD. It marks the lower edge of the middle 50% of this distribution. USD · Equal-weight account aggregate. Snapshot read 11 October 2026; underlying reporting period not supplied. Source: https://madgicx.com/labs/industries/video-games-esports#benchmark Answer: https://madgicx.com/labs/industries/video-games-esports#answer-lower-quartile-aov",
      "source_url": "https://madgicx.com/labs/industries/video-games-esports#benchmark"
    },
    {
      "group": "Read the benchmark",
      "id": "answer-upper-quartile-aov",
      "question": "What is the upper-quartile AOV?",
      "text": "The 75th-percentile account AOV is $107.16 USD. It marks the upper edge of the middle 50%, not a performance target.",
      "context": "USD · Equal-weight account aggregate. Snapshot read 11 October 2026; underlying reporting period not supplied.",
      "url": "https://madgicx.com/labs/industries/video-games-esports#answer-upper-quartile-aov",
      "citation": "Madgicx Research & Labs. Video Games & Esports. What is the upper-quartile AOV? The 75th-percentile account AOV is $107.16 USD. It marks the upper edge of the middle 50%, not a performance target. USD · Equal-weight account aggregate. Snapshot read 11 October 2026; underlying reporting period not supplied. Source: https://madgicx.com/labs/industries/video-games-esports#benchmark Answer: https://madgicx.com/labs/industries/video-games-esports#answer-upper-quartile-aov",
      "source_url": "https://madgicx.com/labs/industries/video-games-esports#benchmark"
    },
    {
      "group": "Read the benchmark",
      "id": "answer-aov-calculation",
      "question": "How is account AOV calculated for this benchmark?",
      "text": "Each account value is purchase ROAS multiplied by cost per purchase in USD. The benchmark reports the median and middle 50% of those account values. Accounts are counted once and receive equal weight.",
      "context": "USD · Equal-weight account aggregate. Snapshot read 11 October 2026; underlying reporting period not supplied.",
      "url": "https://madgicx.com/labs/industries/video-games-esports#answer-aov-calculation",
      "citation": "Madgicx Research & Labs. Video Games & Esports. How is account AOV calculated for this benchmark? Each account value is purchase ROAS multiplied by cost per purchase in USD. The benchmark reports the median and middle 50% of those account values. Accounts are counted once and receive equal weight. USD · Equal-weight account aggregate. Snapshot read 11 October 2026; underlying reporting period not supplied. Source: https://madgicx.com/labs/industries/video-games-esports#benchmark Answer: https://madgicx.com/labs/industries/video-games-esports#answer-aov-calculation",
      "source_url": "https://madgicx.com/labs/industries/video-games-esports#benchmark"
    },
    {
      "group": "Put it in context",
      "id": "answer-median-or-mean",
      "question": "Is this the mean AOV across all orders?",
      "text": "No. It is the median of account-level average order values. Each account receives equal weight; it is not a pooled average of every order.",
      "context": "USD · Equal-weight account aggregate. Snapshot read 11 October 2026; underlying reporting period not supplied.",
      "url": "https://madgicx.com/labs/industries/video-games-esports#answer-median-or-mean",
      "citation": "Madgicx Research & Labs. Video Games & Esports. Is this the mean AOV across all orders? No. It is the median of account-level average order values. Each account receives equal weight; it is not a pooled average of every order. USD · Equal-weight account aggregate. Snapshot read 11 October 2026; underlying reporting period not supplied. Source: https://madgicx.com/labs/industries/video-games-esports#benchmark Answer: https://madgicx.com/labs/industries/video-games-esports#answer-median-or-mean",
      "source_url": "https://madgicx.com/labs/industries/video-games-esports#benchmark"
    },
    {
      "group": "Put it in context",
      "id": "answer-benchmark-period",
      "question": "What dates does this AOV benchmark cover?",
      "text": "The snapshot was read on 11 October 2026. The underlying reporting period was not supplied. The October 2026 label identifies the page edition, not the period in which the advertising results were measured.",
      "context": "USD · Equal-weight account aggregate. Snapshot read 11 October 2026; underlying reporting period not supplied.",
      "url": "https://madgicx.com/labs/industries/video-games-esports#answer-benchmark-period",
      "citation": "Madgicx Research & Labs. Video Games & Esports. What dates does this AOV benchmark cover? The snapshot was read on 11 October 2026. The underlying reporting period was not supplied. The October 2026 label identifies the page edition, not the period in which the advertising results were measured. USD · Equal-weight account aggregate. Snapshot read 11 October 2026; underlying reporting period not supplied. Source: https://madgicx.com/labs/industries/video-games-esports#benchmark Answer: https://madgicx.com/labs/industries/video-games-esports#answer-benchmark-period",
      "source_url": "https://madgicx.com/labs/industries/video-games-esports#benchmark"
    },
    {
      "group": "Put it in context",
      "id": "answer-benchmark-coverage",
      "question": "Which industry or subcategory does this benchmark cover?",
      "text": "This benchmark covers Video Games & Esports classifications at the industry root and its subcategories. It is an aggregated advertising-data benchmark, not a census of all businesses.",
      "context": "USD · Equal-weight account aggregate. Snapshot read 11 October 2026; underlying reporting period not supplied.",
      "url": "https://madgicx.com/labs/industries/video-games-esports#answer-benchmark-coverage",
      "citation": "Madgicx Research & Labs. Video Games & Esports. Which industry or subcategory does this benchmark cover? This benchmark covers Video Games & Esports classifications at the industry root and its subcategories. It is an aggregated advertising-data benchmark, not a census of all businesses. USD · Equal-weight account aggregate. Snapshot read 11 October 2026; underlying reporting period not supplied. Source: https://madgicx.com/labs/industries/video-games-esports#benchmark Answer: https://madgicx.com/labs/industries/video-games-esports#answer-benchmark-coverage",
      "source_url": "https://madgicx.com/labs/industries/video-games-esports#benchmark"
    },
    {
      "group": "Put it in context",
      "id": "answer-compare-aov",
      "question": "How can I compare my AOV with this benchmark?",
      "text": "Enter your AOV in USD in the comparison field above. It shows the difference from the median and whether your value falls below, within or above the middle 50%. Your entered amount stays on this page.",
      "context": "USD · Equal-weight account aggregate. Snapshot read 11 October 2026; underlying reporting period not supplied.",
      "url": "https://madgicx.com/labs/industries/video-games-esports#answer-compare-aov",
      "citation": "Madgicx Research & Labs. Video Games & Esports. How can I compare my AOV with this benchmark? Enter your AOV in USD in the comparison field above. It shows the difference from the median and whether your value falls below, within or above the middle 50%. Your entered amount stays on this page. USD · Equal-weight account aggregate. Snapshot read 11 October 2026; underlying reporting period not supplied. Source: https://madgicx.com/labs/industries/video-games-esports#benchmark Answer: https://madgicx.com/labs/industries/video-games-esports#answer-compare-aov",
      "source_url": "https://madgicx.com/labs/industries/video-games-esports#benchmark"
    },
    {
      "group": "Put it in context",
      "id": "answer-aov-performance",
      "question": "Does an above-median AOV mean better advertising performance?",
      "text": "The comparison describes position in the account AOV distribution, not profitability. It is not a performance score.",
      "context": "USD · Equal-weight account aggregate. Snapshot read 11 October 2026; underlying reporting period not supplied.",
      "url": "https://madgicx.com/labs/industries/video-games-esports#answer-aov-performance",
      "citation": "Madgicx Research & Labs. Video Games & Esports. Does an above-median AOV mean better advertising performance? The comparison describes position in the account AOV distribution, not profitability. It is not a performance score. USD · Equal-weight account aggregate. Snapshot read 11 October 2026; underlying reporting period not supplied. Source: https://madgicx.com/labs/industries/video-games-esports#benchmark Answer: https://madgicx.com/labs/industries/video-games-esports#answer-aov-performance",
      "source_url": "https://madgicx.com/labs/industries/video-games-esports#benchmark"
    },
    {
      "group": "Use this research",
      "id": "answer-download-research",
      "question": "Can I download this industry research?",
      "text": "The exports section provides this edition in Markdown and JSON, along with a research index. This private draft is not licensed for public redistribution.",
      "context": "",
      "url": "https://madgicx.com/labs/industries/video-games-esports#answer-download-research",
      "citation": "Madgicx Research & Labs. Video Games & Esports. Can I download this industry research? The exports section provides this edition in Markdown and JSON, along with a research index. This private draft is not licensed for public redistribution.  Source: https://madgicx.com/labs/industries/video-games-esports#reuse Answer: https://madgicx.com/labs/industries/video-games-esports#answer-download-research",
      "source_url": "https://madgicx.com/labs/industries/video-games-esports#reuse"
    },
    {
      "group": "Use this research",
      "id": "answer-cite-research",
      "question": "How should I cite a finding from this page?",
      "text": "When reuse is permitted, credit Madgicx Research & Labs and link to the exact source. Keep its snapshot date and scope. This private draft is not licensed for public redistribution.",
      "context": "",
      "url": "https://madgicx.com/labs/industries/video-games-esports#answer-cite-research",
      "citation": "Madgicx Research & Labs. Video Games & Esports. How should I cite a finding from this page? When reuse is permitted, credit Madgicx Research & Labs and link to the exact source. Keep its snapshot date and scope. This private draft is not licensed for public redistribution.  Source: https://madgicx.com/labs/industries/video-games-esports#reuse Answer: https://madgicx.com/labs/industries/video-games-esports#answer-cite-research",
      "source_url": "https://madgicx.com/labs/industries/video-games-esports#reuse"
    }
  ]
}