In this blog, we will explore recent key data and insights in order to unpack the question: what does the modern-day gaming landscape actually look like?
We’ll then dig into the market in greater detail to understand where demand is coming from, which platforms are most popular, and what key behaviours and trends are obvious in today’s market compared to that of the past. We hope that this will prove useful in helping you structure your marketing campaigns, particularly when it comes to releasing your newest title or preparing your non-endemic brand to enter the gaming space.
First, some vital definitions:
- Gen Alpha (born 2010 or later / 10-12 y.o.)
- Gen Z (born 1995-2009 / 13-27 y.o.)
- Millennials (born 1981-1994/28-41 y.o.)
- Gen X (born 1965-1980 / 42-53 y.o.)
- Baby Boomers (born 1946-1965 / 54-65 y.o.)
So what’s it worth, and how does the split look?
Firstly, it’s safe to say we’ve come a long way from the days of the Sega Genesis and the Atari 2600. Today the global games market and landscape is a pretty varied and busy place – from modern consoles to mobile gaming, it’s clear that gaming has transformed in the last 50 years.
At the start of 2022, Newzoo estimated the total value of the global gaming market to be worth a whopping $203.1bn, with an impressive year-on-year growth of 5.4% based on 2021. The graph below gives a deeper dive and breakdown of how this 200bn is split up.
You’ll notice how heavy-hitting mobile gaming is, and with the natural accessibility of mobile gaming and companies like King and Tencent dominating this space, it’s no surprise. It’s interesting to see that console gaming still commands a respectable portion of the global market, as does tablet gaming.
Over the last 10 years, gaming as a pastime and modern form of multimedia has become increasingly ingrained in our day-to-day society. The massive rise in casual gaming can be seen as a significant vehicle for this. This leads us to our next topic – how does age influence the gaming industry landscape?
Aging like a fine wine
Now we understand the breakdown in value per segment, let’s take a closer look at how the landscape is influenced by age, and how this affects people’s usage and their relationship with ‘gaming’.
A key trend identified recently has been that with each passing generation, gaming becomes more and more entrenched in society.
Check out this infographic from Newzoo which illustrates changes in forms of entertainment in generations. Notice how the proportion that modern entertainment takes also grows with each passing generation. It’s important to highlight that this also includes watching streamers/being involved in the wider video game space.
Gaming is more than playing
Gaming is more than just sitting around and playing. In today’s modern gaming world, streaming is huge – in fact, last year the live streaming industry reached around $70bn. The bulk of this can of course be attributed to gaming and esports. More than ever, people are watching others broadcast live through the internet via dedicated streaming software (in most cases – 91% of the time – via Twitch).
The main driving factor for this is choice. Unlike traditional TV broadcasting, viewers have greater influence over how they consume the content and even influence over the content itself. It’s crucial that when designing your game that you bear steaming in mind and implement a game’s streamability into its design, as this can really boost your discoverability.
The key takeaway is that the industry is fast-paced and always evolving and adapting. How people consume video games and how frequently/how seriously they play is also on the rise. Regardless of what you have learned, it is vital that you do your research before entering space.
We have an ebook that you can download to help you get started on marketing your game and entering the space. And as always, if there is anything else we can help you with, get in touch here!