Fortnite

Although Fortnite is technically free-to-play, Epic Games’ 2017 battle royale pioneered the FOMO-driven rotating shop and limited-time battle passes that aggressively target children, with parents reporting hundreds of dollars spent on V-Bucks for purely cosmetic items. These non-functional skins cost 30% more than the average in-game currency pack in mobile games, yet the lack of gameplay value makes it a worse value than #8 Hogwarts Legacy’s Deluxe Edition. The average player spends $58 annually, but the addictive cycle of limited-time skins exploits psychological triggers more effectively than any other entry on this list.