Challenge your luck
According to industry research, more than 300 million people worldwide play claw machines each year, and about 65% of those players play at least once a month. In the Chinese market, the revenue of claw machines in the Chinese market exceeded 1.5 billion yuan in 2019. Statistics show that about 48% of players invest between 20 and 50 yuan each time they participate in the game, while about 30% of players invest more than 50 yuan each time they participate.
The success rate of the claw machine is between 10% and 15%, and players need to invest more than 10 times per attempt to successfully catch a doll. According to the survey, the average player will try four to five times to catch a doll, and each play time is about three to five minutes.
The average daily revenue of each claw machine is about 150 renminbi, or about $150, and in busy shopping malls or entertainment venues, a single machine can generate $5,000 to $7,000 a month. In some high-traffic areas, such as large shopping malls or arcades, the monthly income of a machine can even exceed 10,000 yuan.
Young people between the ages of 18 and 35 make up about 60 percent of the total number of players. According to a survey of young players, more than 70 percent said they play claw machines for relaxation and entertainment, and about 40 percent spend more than 100 yuan per month on claw machines.
The initial investment cost of each claw machine is about 8,000 yuan to 12,000 yuan, while the monthly operation and maintenance cost is usually between 500 yuan and 1,000 yuan. The annual net income of each claw machine can reach 50,000 yuan.
According to the feedback of equipment manufacturers, the success rate of the claw machine introduced AI technology has increased by about 10%, and the average game time of players has also increased by 20%. According to research, about 68% of players say they continue to try even though they have failed multiple times. About 55 percent of players invest again after each failed attempt, and 43 percent of players say they invest more after each failed grab.
In large shopping malls and playgrounds, player participation rates for claw machines are typically 30 to 40 percent higher than elsewhere. Data show that the monthly income of claw machines in malls is usually more than 50% higher than that in ordinary neighborhoods.
About 36 percent of gamers said they spend time and money on the claw machine while shopping or having fun, while 31 percent said they play the claw machine exclusively. About 40 percent of claw machine operators said they change the prizes in their machines based on seasonality and holidays. For example, during the Spring Festival, businesses will change the prizes inside the doll machine to holiday-related themed items, thus attracting more players to participate in the game. Statistics show that the income of claw machines during holidays is usually 30% to 50% higher than usual.
Fun for couples
According to the 2023 survey data, about 55 percent of couples said they go to the claw machine at least once a month, of which 40 percent said they are more inclined to go to the claw machine store on weekends or holidays. In some large shopping malls and entertainment venues, the proportion of couples participating accounts for about 30% of the total customers.
According to the study, about 47 percent of couples said they would discuss claw machine strategies together to improve their chances of success. According to the data, 40 percent of couples say that working together on the claw machine has helped them increase their trust and understanding.
According to industry statistics, about 65% of couples will choose to participate in the game with a higher prize attraction, and 50% of the couples said that they particularly like those with special commemorative prizes. On certain holidays, such as Valentine’s Day and Christmas, couples engage more than 40 percent more often than usual.
According to market research, couples spend an average of 30 yuan each time they play the claw machine, while the average cost per operation is 5 yuan. Statistics show that on each busy weekend, a single claw machine earns about 1,000 yuan, with about 60 percent of the revenue coming from couples. During holidays and promotions, couples spend about 50 percent more than usual.
According to the data of some high-end shopping malls and entertainment venues, the success rate of lovers is usually 10%-15%, and a survey shows that the probability of successfully capturing prizes increases to 25%-30% in the case of couples working together.
The study found that about 56 percent of couples said they discussed each other’s interests and daily trivialities while playing the claw machine. Statistics show that about 30 percent of couples say their relationship is more stable after a pleasant game of claw.
According to psychological research, about 65 percent of couples say they experience a “common goal” mentality during gaming. According to the data, about 50 percent of couples said that after successfully capturing a prize, they would celebrate and share the achievement together.
In 2022, more than 70 percent of couples said they were more interested in the new smart claw machine. According to the data, in the holiday season of 2022, the number of participants of the smart claw machine increased by about 40% compared to the traditional style.
Statistics show that couples spend an average of about 150 yuan per month on the claw machine, and the return rate is usually about 10 to 20 percent. In Japan, about 75% of couples say they often go to the claw machine together, and about 50% of couples choose to use specific couple-specific equipment or customized prizes when playing the claw machine. About 40% of couples in China go to a claw machine every weekend.
About 50 percent of couples said they prefer claw machines that offer virtual rewards or other entertainment. According to the survey data, the foot traffic of such claw machines is 30% higher than that of ordinary models, and the monthly revenue per machine has increased by an average of 20%.
Relieve stress
According to 2023 survey data, about 65 percent of adults say they turn to the claw machine when they feel anxious or stressed. Thirty percent of gamers said that playing the claw machine was a daily or weekly stress reduction activity, usually taking about 15 to 20 minutes to relax after work.
According to one survey, about 50% of participants reported a significant improvement in mood after playing with a claw machine. 37% of players said that the moment they successfully captured the prize, their stress was reduced by about 60%.
According to 2022 data, 60% of gamers play the claw machine at least 10 times per month, and about 15% of gamers say they spend 30 minutes to an hour per week playing the claw machine. Studies have shown that about 40 percent of players choose to play the claw machine for only five to 10 minutes at a time.
The survey found that more than 55 percent of gamers turn to the claw machine to distract themselves when they feel anxious. 50% of players say that each time they successfully capture a prize, they feel like they have experienced a small victory, which helps them reduce stress.
According to a study of claw machine behavior, about 48 percent of players said they kept trying after every failure. According to a 2019 study on mental health, about 30 percent of gamers reported greater psychological comfort and support when playing claw machines with a partner or friend. Twenty percent of couples said they often go to claw machine stores together on weekends or holidays.
2023 data shows that the participation rate of “theme claw machine” in large malls is 35% higher than that of ordinary models. 35% of players say they play the claw machine three to five times each time, and that this iterative process helps them relieve stress.
The claw machine usually costs between 5 and 10 yuan per game. According to 2022 statistics, about 40% of players spend about 50 to 100 yuan per month on claw machines.
According to a 2023 market survey, about 28% of players will choose to play the claw machine at different times, with the peak time between 8 p.m. and 10 p.m. During this period, the average number of participants in the claw machine in the mall reached 1.5 times the daily number.
Gather with friends
According to the 2022 China Entertainment Consumption Trend Survey Report, about 62% of young people are more inclined to play claw machines with friends. According to the statistics of the domestic game entertainment market in 2021, 60% of friend groups will choose the claw machine as one of the activities every time they get together.
Based on a survey of 1,000 young consumers, about 75 percent of participants typically spend about 30 to 45 minutes playing with the claw machine. A study of friends’ party behavior between 2019 and 2020 showed that, on average, 45 percent of friend groups participate in at least eight or more claw machine games per year. About 35 percent of the parties take place in shopping malls or entertainment districts.
According to a 2021 market analysis report, groups of friends spend an average of 50 to 100 yuan per party to play claw machines. Usually each person puts in 10 to 20 yuan.
According to a 2020 survey, about 50% of groups of friends will work together to play claw machine games. In a study of social entertainment preferences, about 65 percent of participants who were playing a claw machine with friends added a game to the fun.
Every year, about 55% of groups choose to celebrate with claw machines on holidays or special anniversaries. Survey data shows that about 40 percent of young people use the claw machine as a primary form of entertainment to celebrate birthdays and other special occasions.
About 30 percent of groups of friends use the claw machine challenge to decide who pays for a party or arranges the events that follow. According to a 2019 survey, about 42% of friend groups said that the claw machine not only provided entertainment, but also deepened the emotional connection between friends.
Nostalgic memories
According to a consumer study conducted in 2021, more than 63 percent of adults say that playing with a claw machine helps them remember their childhood. About 45 percent of participants born in the 50s and 60s said they used the claw machine to bond with their families when they were younger.
Between 2015 and 2020, the number of participants in the 30 – to 45-year-old age group increased by nearly 22 percent. According to the 2020 survey, about 50% of such participants said that the claw machine brought them more of a nostalgic emotional connection.
According to a 2020 market analysis, nearly 68% of consumers said they would prefer a claw machine with a vintage design and classic prizes. In some places, each machine costs 5 yuan, and each game lasts about 30 seconds to a minute. According to 2020 data, about 52% of consumers said they would deliberately choose these claw machines with nostalgic elements.
Some older claw machines set the fee at 3 to 5 yuan per occasion, while modern claw machines adjust the price according to the rarity of the prize, and the fee is usually between 5 and 10 yuan. According to the 2021 survey, about 55% of respondents said they would prefer to spend less money to try a retro claw machine.
According to a 2019 industry research report, about 48 percent of gamers say they play claw machines not just to win prizes, but to find a connection to the past and nostalgia for their childhood. According to the 2022 survey, about 42% of families choose claw machines as part of their party activities.
According to the 2021 data analysis, more than 58 percent of players between the ages of 40 and 50 say that certain prizes bring back memories in an instant. According to the social media behavior analysis in 2020, about 47% of players will take a photo or record a video and share it on platforms such as moments or Douyin after successfully capturing their desired prize.
Show off moments
According to a consumer behavior report released in 2022, about 72 percent of young gamers said they proudly display a doll when they successfully catch it in front of their friends. According to a 2021 social media analysis, about 58% of players will immediately take a photo and share it on platforms such as Instagram, wechat or Weibo after successfully catching a doll. According to the data, on average, posts Posting doll grabbing results receive at least 20 comments and 50 likes.
According to the 2020 market research, about 67% of claw machines in shopping malls and entertainment facilities are placed in high-traffic areas. According to a 2019 analysis, 56% of players are especially willing to show off in social situations after capturing a rare prize.
According to the 2021 Social Platform Usage survey, about 60% of young users will choose to publicize or label the location when sharing the successful experience of the claw machine to enhance the sense of participation in their social circle. The 2022 report states that about 69% of merchants have introduced unique and high-value prizes in claw machines.
According to 2020 retail industry data, more than 55% of claw machine equipment in arcades is designed to have a significant social display effect. According to a 2019 survey of family entertainment, about 50 percent of families said they bring their children and friends to play claw machines at the game center on weekends or holidays.
