digital purchases Archives

AppWizard

June 3, 2026

Coming to XBOX Game Pass: Starseeker: Astroneer Expeditions, Beastro, Undisputed, and More

Herdling (Cloud, XBOX Series X|S, and PC) – June 4, available with Game Pass Premium. Total Chaos (Cloud, XBOX Series X|S, and PC) – June 4, included with Game Pass Premium. Solarpunk (Cloud, XBOX Series X|S, and PC) – June 8, available on day one with XBOX Game Pass. Undisputed (Cloud, XBOX Series X|S, Handheld, and PC) – June 8, available through Game Pass Ultimate, Game Pass Premium, and PC Game Pass. Persona 5 Royal (Cloud, Console, and PC) – June 9, available with Game Pass Ultimate, Game Pass Premium, and PC Game Pass. Beastro (Cloud, XBOX Series X|S, Handheld, and PC) – June 11, available through Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass. Frog Sqwad (Cloud, XBOX Series X|S, and PC) – June 11, available with Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass. Starseeker: Astroneer Expeditions (Game Preview) (Cloud, XBOX Series X|S, and PC) – June 11, available day one on XBOX Game Pass. Junkster (Cloud, XBOX Series X|S, Handheld, and PC) – June 16, available on day one with Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass. Batman: Arkham Knight (PC, Handheld) – May 16, part of the XBOX on PC lineup. Escape the Backrooms (Cloud, XBOX Series X|S, and PC) – May 28, available through Game Pass Ultimate, Game Pass Premium, and PC Game Pass. EA Sports UFC 6: EA Play Early Access Trial (Console) – Coming June 12, includes a 10-hour trial and progress carryover. Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Siege: Blitz Bushido Set (Cloud, Console, and PC) – Available now, includes exclusive skins for a limited time. Leaving June 15: - Jurassic World Evolution 2 (Cloud, Console, and PC) - Lost in Random: The Eternal Die (Cloud, Console, and PC) - Scott Pilgrim vs. The World (Cloud, Console, and PC) - Warhammer 40K Space Marine: Master Crafted Edition (Cloud, Console, and PC) - Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder’s Revenge (Cloud, Console, and PC)

AppWizard

February 17, 2026

Kingdom Come Deliverance II & The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt Heading to Xbox Game Pass

Aerial_Knight's DropShot, Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora, and Avowed are available today on February 17 through Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass. Death Howl and EA Sports College Football 26 are coming soon on February 19, along with The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt - Complete Edition. TCG Card Shop Simulator is in Game Preview and will be available on February 24, followed by Dice A Million on February 25 and Towerborne on February 26. Final Fantasy III and Kingdom Come: Deliverance II will be released on March 3. Menace and Diablo II: Resurrected were released on February 5 and February 11, respectively, while High on Life 2 was released on February 13. Overwatch: Season 1: Conquest launched on February 10, introducing new Heroes and events. Microsoft Mahjong will have in-game benefits on February 24. Titles leaving Game Pass on February 28 include Monster Train, Expeditions: A MudRunner Game, Injustice 2, and Middle Earth: Shadow of War.

AppWizard

February 17, 2026

Coming to Xbox Game Pass: Kingdom Come Deliverance II, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, EA Sports College Football 26, and More!

AerialKnight’s DropShot is available on February 17 for Cloud, Xbox Series X|S, Handheld, and PC via Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass. Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora is also available on February 17 for the same platforms, featuring a first-person action-adventure experience. Avowed receives an update on February 17, introducing new playable races, a New Game Plus Mode, and a Photo Mode. Death Howl will launch on February 19 for Cloud, Xbox Series X|S, Handheld, and PC on Game Pass Ultimate and Premium. EA Sports College Football 26 is available on February 19 for Cloud and Xbox Series X|S, allowing players to represent 136 FBS schools. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt – Complete Edition launches on February 19 for Cloud and Console. TCG Card Shop Simulator enters Game Preview on February 24 for multiple platforms. Dice A Million will be available on PC on February 25 with Xbox Game Pass. Towerborne releases as a complete game on February 26 for Console, Handheld, and PC. Final Fantasy III and Kingdom Come: Deliverance II are set for March 3 on multiple platforms. Menace entered Game Preview on February 5 for PC, and Diablo II: Resurrected was released on February 11 for Console and PC. Overwatch: Season 1: Conquest began on February 10, introducing new heroes. Microsoft Mahjong will feature in-game benefits on February 24 for PC. Titles leaving Game Pass on February 28 include Monster Train, Expeditions: A MudRunner Game, Injustice 2, and Middle Earth: Shadow of War.

AppWizard

August 31, 2025

Report shows 90% of European gaming revenue in 2024 was digital purchases, but only 15% was on PC

Recent findings indicate that digital purchases dominate the gaming market in Europe, with 90% of overall gaming revenue in 2024 coming from digital sales, marking a 5% increase from the previous year. Physical game purchases have decreased to 10% of total revenue, down from 20% in 2020, representing a 50% decline over four years. Overall gaming revenue grew by 4% in 2024. The reasons for the decline in physical sales remain unclear, whether due to consumer preference for digital formats or fewer physical game releases.

AppWizard

August 19, 2025

Google is loosening its hold on the way Android apps make money in Europe

Google is allowing app developers in Europe to direct users to external websites for payments related to subscriptions and digital purchases, a change from its previous requirement to use Google's in-app payment system. This decision aligns with the European Union's Digital Markets Act (DMA), which aims to reduce excessive control by major tech companies. Developers will benefit from retaining a larger portion of their revenue, and Google is reducing its first-year acquisition fee from 10% to 3%. The DMA prohibits self-preferencing and mandates that companies like Google open their platforms to competitors, with penalties for violations reaching up to 10% of global revenue. Google has faced over €8 billion in EU antitrust penalties in the past decade.

AppWizard

July 29, 2025

7 in 10 German game purchases are now digital downloads

Digital downloads represent 70% of all video game purchases in the German market, according to a report from the German Games Industry Association (game) released on July 29. The share of digital downloads increased by 8% in 2024, rising from 60% to 68%, while physical media accounts for 32% of purchases. Nearly all PC games (99%) were acquired digitally in 2024, and digital purchases of console games increased from 40% in 2023 to 44% in 2024. Physical media still holds 56% of the console market. Individuals aged 20 to 29 purchase 77% of their games as downloads, while those aged 50 and above account for 47% of all physical purchases. The German games industry is facing a downturn, with a 4% decline in the number of game companies in 2025 and a 6% decrease in total sales revenue from 2023 to 2024. There was a 17% decrease in purchases across mobile, PC, and console games, and a 10% drop in hardware sales, although revenue from online gaming services increased by 12% since 2023.

AppWizard

June 16, 2025

Today’s Android app deals and freebies: DREDGE, Inked, Rogue Hearts, and more

This afternoon, discounted games and applications are available for Android users on the Google Play Store. There are notable deals on PC notebooks, including the first discount on Microsoft's 2025 touchscreen Snapdragon Surface Laptop with 16GB of RAM, and the ASUS OLED Vivobook S 15. The Google Pixel 9 Pro XL has a significant price reduction, and there is an early discount on the 43mm OnePlus Watch 3. Several Android app and game deals are still active, providing value for digital purchases. The game DREDGE allows players to sell their catch, complete quests, and explore a remote archipelago called 'The Marrows,' featuring over 125 deep-sea creatures and unique island regions.

BetaBeacon

May 3, 2025

Epic Games announces 0% revenue share model & app store workarounds for developers

Epic Games will implement a 0% revenue share for developers on their first ,000,000 in revenue per app per year starting in June 2025.

AppWizard

October 15, 2024

Steam now confirms you’re buying a license, not a game — here’s why that sucks

Valve's update to the Steam storefront clarifies that purchasing a game on Steam grants a license rather than ownership, stating that "The Content and Services are licensed, not sold." This change has raised concerns among Steam's 123 million active users, especially in light of California's “AB 2426,” which requires digital storefronts to inform consumers that they are acquiring a license instead of outright ownership. The law affects various digital products, and non-compliance could lead to fines. An example of the implications of this shift is seen with Ubisoft's The Crew, which was delisted from Steam, resulting in users losing access to the game. This situation has prompted some users to reconsider their purchasing habits and consider physical copies for true ownership.

AppWizard

October 14, 2024

Valve reminds gamers of the real cost of its epic Steam Sales

Many gamers have accumulated large libraries of Steam games due to discounts, but recent discussions reveal that purchasing a game on Steam grants a license rather than ownership, resembling a rental agreement. This clarification is linked to California's AB 2426 law, which aims to improve transparency in digital purchases. In contrast, Good Old Games (GOG) offers offline installers for their games, allowing users to retain access even if the platform ceases operations. However, if GOG were to shut down, access to those games could also be lost.