The global online gaming economy reached an estimated revenue of over USD 455 billion in 2024, according to U.S. data platform Statista.
And Brazil continues to gain relevance in this market: the country is the largest consumer of online games in Latin America and ranks fifth worldwide.
Gaming has become a regular habit for a significant portion of Brazilians, spanning generations and appearing across various platforms—traditional or portable consoles, computers, and smartphones.
Given their prominence, Brazilian gamers should be a top priority for any business in the sector.
Naturally, Brazil’s unique digital payment behaviors must be reflected in the operations of companies looking to stand out from the competition.
In this article, PagBrasil offers an overview of the Brazilian gamer profile and the key moments and habits that shape their in-game purchase experience.
We’ll also explore payment solutions for gaming businesses developed by PagBrasil, demonstrating how you can optimize your operations in this fast-growing market.
Gaming in Brazil: Key Insights to Understand Local Players
Digital gaming is no longer just for one generation. It’s now a multigenerational experience. Today’s Brazilian audience is as diverse as it is massive.
The Game Brazil Survey (Pesquisa Game Brasil – PGB) has been tracking Brazilian gamers for over 10 years. Its 2025 report brings valuable insights that help quantify the potential of Brazil’s player base for companies in the industry.
Generational Breakdown of Brazilian Online Gamers
In 2024, the survey revealed that 73.9% of Brazilians regularly played some form of online game. By 2025, that number jumped to 82.8% of the population.
Generation Z, made up of those aged 15 to 29 in 2025, leads the way: 86.7% of respondents in this group said they engage with online games.
However, the gap between generations isn’t drastic: Millennials (30 to 44 years old) followed closely at 85.5%, and 75.9% of Generation X (45 to 59) also reported gaming habits.
Even over half of the Baby Boomer generation (aged 60 to 78) are in on the action, with 59.8% reporting they play online games.
Where Do Brazilians Play? Cross-Referencing PGB and IBGE Data
Using data from Brazil’s 2022 national census (IBGE), the 2025 Game Brazil Survey mapped out how online gaming consumption is distributed by platform.
Raw numbers show that smartphones are the most used device for gaming in Brazil, with over 55 million players.
Consoles come in second, with 33 million users, followed by PC gaming, which has 27 million users.
Looking at generational behavior here is key: Millennials make up more than half of Brazil’s console users.
Generation Z tends to prefer PC gaming, while Baby Boomers are more active on mobile platforms.
These insights from PGB offer a deep behavioral guide, helping us explore the different types of purchases and payment flows that drive the online gaming economy, along with key market opportunities for businesses.
Purchase Scenarios in the Brazilian Gaming Experience
The wide variety of devices and platforms available creates diverse purchase experiences throughout a gamer’s journey.
Here are the key purchase triggers for Brazilian gamers while playing online:
- Buying consoles or gaming PCs: Players investing in devices like PlayStation, Xbox, or the Nintendo Switch, as well as PCs built for gaming with specific hardware (“gaming rigs”).
- Purchasing accessories for PC gaming: Headsets, webcams, mics, custom mice, and ergonomic keyboards are essential for many PC gamers to fully enjoy their setup.
- Purchasing games: Whether in physical or digital format, bought via online stores on consoles or mobile app stores.
- Subscribing to games or platforms: Many popular titles, such as World of Warcraft and Final Fantasy, offer subscription-based access. Gamers also subscribe to services like EA Play, PlayStation Plus, Xbox Game Pass, Ubisoft+, and Nintendo Switch Online.
- Buying physical game merchandise: Gaming creates a strong sense of identity and belonging, driving players to purchase themed decor, collectibles, apparel, and other branded merchandise.
These recurring services often provide extra perks like multiplayer access, cloud saves, and cross-device integration.
Microtransactions: A Billion-Dollar Revenue Stream
Microtransactions deserve a dedicated section—they play a vital role in the online gaming industry’s profitability. They’re present across all genres and platforms.
In 2023, Yahoo! Finance reported that microtransactions made up 30% of global gaming industry revenue.
On PC, they accounted for 58% of player spending in 2024, according to U.S. outlet CNET.
So, what are microtransactions? They’re small in-game purchases that allow players to unlock content, such as virtual currency, exclusive items, progress boosters, or cosmetic upgrades like character skins.
Payment Methods for Online Gaming: PagBrasil’s Solutions for the Market
Digital payment methods are deeply embedded in the everyday lives of gamers. They simplify access to new titles and provide a smoother entertainment experience every time a player wants to make a purchase or try a new feature.
In Brazil, the online gaming payment experience still has room to grow. While credit cards are the most used option on many platforms, a large portion of Brazilians still don’t own one, as reported by CNN Brasil.
In addition, options like boleto bancário come with a standard clearing time for this payment method, which can take up to one business day depending on the time and day of the purchase, as well as the bank’s processing conditions. (Next, you’ll see how PagBrasil can speed up boleto payments for your customers.
Another crucial factor is the country of origin of the gaming platforms, subscription services, and publishers. Many international companies miss out on Brazilian players by not offering Pix, the country’s most-used payment method according to the Central Bank of Brazil.
PagBrasil sees strong growth potential in Brazil’s gaming market and actively looks for ways to optimize the experience.
This approach ensures a more efficient transaction experience for Brazilian gamers, while enabling businesses to offer a wider range of payment methods with PagBrasil’s support.
For gaming businesses, PagBrasil can act as a full-service payment processor.
This includes managing technical aspects like contracts with banks and acquirers, fund collection, reconciliation, and settlement.
Check out some of the in-game payment solutions we offer below.
Pix Solutions: Fast, Seamless Checkout for Brazilian Gamers
Pix is a must-have for any game-related business targeting Brazilians. Not offering Pix today means being out of sync with the local payment landscape.
Pix’s speed is critical for online gaming. It ensures frictionless entertainment experiences.
To make it even better, PagBrasil developed 1-Click Pix. This technology lets users complete their payment right at checkout, without copying a code, opening their banking app, and pasting it.
For international game publishers targeting Brazilian players, we offer International Pix. It brings the same Pix-like convenience, converting foreign currency in real time at checkout.
And starting in June 2025, Automatic Pix will be officially launched and available through PagBrasil. Players will authorize recurring Pix payments just once within their bank app, and future payments will be automatically debited, enhancing user experience and reducing churn.
This feature is ideal for subscription-based gaming services.
Boleto Flash®: A Fast, Reliable Alternative
Boleto Flash® is PagBrasil’s exclusive technology that confirms bank slip payments in under an hour.
Generated via a link, its barcode format is instantly recognizable to Brazilian consumers.
Compared to traditional boletos, Boleto Flash® offers faster processing, dynamic due dates, and built-in payment reminders via SMS and personalized emails featuring your brand.
Success Story: Xsolla’s Transformation in Brazil with PagBrasil
Xsolla, a global payment infrastructure company for the gaming industry, was founded in 2005 to provide solutions for players who didn’t have access to traditional payment methods.
Over time, it became a key payment partner for major gaming brands—including Epic Games, which uses Xsolla for global payment flows, including those for Fortnite in Brazil.
Before partnering with PagBrasil, Xsolla used traditional boleto bancário as its alternative payment option in Brazil. Even though it’s a common option, it comes with some clear downsides.
Due to the limitations of boleto bancário, Xsolla faced high checkout abandonment rates, which negatively impacted conversion, particularly for lower-value purchases.
By implementing Boleto Flash®, Xsolla increased its revenue by 30% in the first month and saw a 15% increase in boleto conversion rates in the following months.
The addition of Pix further boosted results: conversion rates rose from 65% to 76% by December of the first year of partnership in 2021.
Alain Delcourt, Xsolla’s CTO, shared more in an episode of PBtalks, PagBrasil’s official podcast.
PagBrasil: A Strategic Partner for the Online Gaming Industry
PagBrasil PagBrasil has global expertise in payment methods and in optimizing financial services for digital operations.
That makes us a strategic partner for gaming businesses, especially in Brazil, where consumers interact with global brands every day and demand seamless entertainment experiences.
We invite you to contact our team of experts and explore the best solutions for your business.
