All kids want for Christmas are video game bucks

As gaming platforms Roblox and Fortnite have exploded in popularity with Gen Alpha, it’s no surprise that more than half of children in the U.S. are putting video games high on their holiday wish lists. 

Entertainment Software Association (ESA) surveyed 700 children between the ages of 5 and 17 and found three in five kids are asking for video games this holiday season. However, the most highly requested gift isn’t a console or even a specific game: It’s in-game currency. 

The survey didn’t dig into which currency is proving most popular, but the category as a whole tops the list with a 43% request rate, followed by 39% for a console, 37% for accessories, and 37% for physical games. 

A study published by Circana this year revealed only 4% of video game players in the U.S. buy a new game more often than once per month, with a third of players not buying any games at all. Behind this shift is the immense popularity of live service games such as Fortnite and those offered on the Roblox platform.

Both are free to play, which means the app has to generate money in other ways. Much of Roblox’s $3.6 billion revenue in 2024 was made via in-game microtransactions, particularly through purchases of its virtual currency Robux. Here, $5 will get you 400 Robux to spend in the game on emotes, character models, and skins, among other items. 

Players can also earn currency just by playing, but as with any free-to-play game, the process of earning in-game points will be slow and tedious compared to purchasing them outright.

It’s worth noting that while these games often seem innocent enough, about half of parents surveyed by Ygam, an independent U.K. charity dedicated to preventing gaming and gambling harms among young people, noted there are gambling-like mechanisms in the games their child plays, including mystery boxes and loot boxes, which may be harmful to children. 

Still, the average parent intends to spend $737 on game-related gifts, ESA reported. 

Parents who aren’t able—or willing—to drop hundreds on Robux and V-bucks this holiday may be pleased to learn that more than half of the kids surveyed said they would like to spend more time playing games with their parents, with 73% of those ages 5 through 7.

Turns out, the best gift you can give your child is quality time.