Megan Ingram
May 18, 2021
When we say “gamer” does a Gen-Z, male, data nerd appear in your head? Get rid of the stereotype. What defines a gamer in 2021 is changing and we’re here for it. If you're a brand thinking gaming insights aren’t applicable for you, you’re dead wrong. Gaming is one of the most frequently cited activities in a post-COVID world and it’s here to stay. There are many applications and opportunities for brands across the gaming landscape. So let’s dive in.
• The gaming industry is very large and growing – set to exceed $200 billion in revenue in 2023. A gamer can now be defined as 78% of the online population. With many other pastimes stripped away and events gone, the pandemic has shown us just how many people take part in gaming. 70% in the UK/U.S. who started gaming because of the pandemic are still doing so and its estimated that 2.5 billion people are in the mobile gaming market.
• It’s more diverse than you think. Recent data shows strong increases among women and those aged 55+. The days of the stereotype of male nerds as gamers is gone as women and older people continue to show a strong interest and desire to want to play games.
• The gaming micro-communities are vast and audience affinities are widely different from actual gamers to device/gaming populations to people consuming gaming content to Esports (which is its own sleeping lion).
• Family gamers are a very interesting sub-community (with high buying power) within gamers. Console gamers with children are 24% more likely to own 2 or more consoles. While PS4 ownership is leading outright, Nintendo’s device has seized on the “second console” slot in a record-breaking year.
Check out our Gaming in Influencer Marketing “Your Brand. Your Story.” podcast just released featuring former Twitch strategist, Alicen Lewis, and Influencer Manager for Golin LA, Samantha Abernathey who works with Nintendo of America as they unleash gaming influencer insights.
For a brand looking to define the gaming audience it’s complex, multi-faceted, and becoming inclusive. We’ve highlighted some keys ways different types of gamers can be segmented:
• “Immersive gamers”: As seen by the increases in simulation, battle royale, and open-world games, gamers are increasingly looking to persistent virtual worlds as places they can inhabit and create immersive game experiences.
• “Competitive gamers”: Genres based on competitive multiplayer, like MOBAs, and particularly battle royale, have seen rapid growth (thanks, Fortnite). Servers are now much more comfortable hosting hundreds, if not thousands of players at once, creating more powerful social experiences through gaming software.
• “Cognition gamers”: Gamers aren’t just playing as a casual hobby. Problem-solving is a key motivator among a growing group of gamers who are looking for mentally stimulating experiences. Party and rhythm/music games have fallen in popularity as the pandemic has reduced the scope for local multiplayer.
This goes beyond just motivations for gamers but the behaviors of gaming audiences, which typically fall into three categories:
• “Passive gamers”: People who recommend games to friends or watch streamers on social apps like YouTube or Twitch but are not active social media users or players.
• “The Critics”: People who love to blog, write, review, and comment about games in online communities or social media and often are influential in the gaming conversation.
• “The Streamers”: People who stream, upload, or share games, and video footage who - similar to critics are active but they can be more informed about gaming.
Understand what audience is buying what: Micro-transactions and DLCs have emerged as prominent sources of revenue in recent years. 1 in 4 gamers have purchased micro-transactions in the last year. Many free-to-play games like Fortnite and League of Legends have made serious bucks off in-app purchases. But for any publisher looking to land with these more premium gamers, they firstly need a grasp on who’s buying.
The best way to find your niche of gamers is to identify the micro-communities that are best aligned with your brand and the types of gamers that would be interested in your product/service, and target those gamers.
We’ve already established this is a “noisy” and growing industry. This can make entry into gaming communities challenging to find the right gaming audience for your brand. Gaming is community-driven even among the most casual gamers. Look no further than what we’re seeing happen with Twitch in the last year. Gamers like to share or discuss their experiences with each other, those with the most active social media presence can prove important advocates for brands without historical ties in gaming.
We just elaborated on some of the more common micro-communities but less established, highly engaged influencers who may not be seen as a “gaming influencer” are great untapped opportunities for brands. Building a relationship with a lesser-known influencer among gaming circles can still create the brand impact they’re seeking. Brands should be looking for informed gamers who have influence as they can be a great source of brand ambassadors to talk about your product.
In previous blogs, we’ve talked about the Gen-Z Sports problem. A Gen-Zer is more likely to watch an Esports tournament than they are to watch the NBA, the UAEFA Champions League, or Formula 1. But even 40% of Esport followers consider gaming as legitimate a pastime as sports. This speaks to the trend that is rising amongst all generations. Esports has some very interesting dynamics developing between the sports community and the gaming community. So no surprise, a large part of Esports users are diverse, community-driven, and want brands to make them feel involved. All traits we’ve seen among the Gen-Z audience. Sports brands are seeking ways to help solve the problem and the rise of Esports provides a solution.
Sports sponsorship has become a growing theme. Around 2 in 5 say it’s OK for brands not related to Esports to sponsor teams or events. Sponsorship stands to pay off from this trend. But to really engage this group, brands need to understand their unique culture and what matters to them. Enter: the opportunity on social media for gaming. Digital and mobile gaming usage is skyrocketing and brands that can use digital to create interactive and immersive experiences have a great chance to find users that will support and sponsor their brands.
• The major shift in inclusivity and diversity among gaming is a significant trend - it’s already begun to change long-held bad behaviors like cyberbullying and the overall “gaming” stereotype, which will create an interesting dynamic between different gaming communities moving forward.
• Targeting all “gamers” is a mistake; this is definitely an audience to pick a niche and go hard after it. Determine which type of gamers are best suited for your audience and create a strategy targeted to that community - you’ll find better success.
• Gaming influencer marketing plays a big role in creating an entry for many brands - competitive tournaments and gaming sponsorships are great ways for brands to get involved with well-aligned influencers.
• There is a major overlap happening between sports fans and gamers especially among the younger audiences. As we’ve seen with the NFL x Nickelodeon sponsorship, GenZ has been a hard-to-reach audience for many sports brands. Expect sports brands to continue to invest more dollars in Gen-Z sponsorships and campaigns to go after this audience using Esports events and activations.
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May 18, 2021
