It has become a trend to spend large amounts of money on video games around the world, so The Birdwatch decided to research how much money students at McAuliffe Middle School were spending on video games. 

People play games on their phones, computers or gaming consoles. According to Businessinsider.com, “Americans spent $36 billion on video games in 2017,” and this figure is expected to continue to rise. About 200 McAuliffe students were recently polled on their video game usage and purchases. The research revealed that students spend the most money on Minecraft. In the game Minecraft, they can buy minecoins, maps, texture packs, skin packs, pets, and gamemodes. 

Additionally, according to the survey, 50% of students stated that they spend about $0-$20 per year on video games. Most video games cost about $50. On the other hand, 10% of McAuliffe students spend over $100 per year.

Marc Medina, a seventh-grader who attends McAuliffe Middle School and has played NBA Live for three years explained that he plays for about 1 hour and 30 minutes per week. He has spent $50 on the game and stated, “It is very addicting if you play basketball.” 

Furthermore, Liam Gray, also a seventh-grader who attends McAuliffe, has spent about $450 on Fortnite and 2k20. According to Gray, he only plays when his friends are online and typically plays for about two hours a week. He has been playing NBA 2k games for eight years and Fortnite for two. 

Focusing on games will most likely lead to students doing less school work, but kids should enjoy their hobby and play fun games they find amusing. In conclusion, while the research shows that Americans are spending lots of money on video games, it appears that at McAuliffe only a small percentage of students are splurging on this hobby.