Console microtransactions account for $352 million in annual sales - Superdata

Microtransactions are doing pretty well on consoles, according to industry digital research firm Superdata.

According to Superdata's latest report, 23 million US gamers take advantage of microtransactions, resulting in $352 million in sales annually.

This figure does not include full game downloads, expansion packs, maps and other add-ons - it's strictly small purchases tied to in-game economy, like vanity items, extra music, weapons, vehicles, classes, currency and unlocks.

Superdata said "almost half" of the 23 million gamers buy microtransaction content for shooters or action adventure games.

The firm cited growing experimentation with mcirotransactions as part of the reason for the increasing success of the business model, pointing to Grand Theft Auto 5 and Assassin's Creed 4: Black Flag as examples.

The success or otherwise of World of Tanks on Xbox 360 will be an important factor on whether free-to-play, microtransaction games go big on consoles sooner rather than later, the firm predicted.