5 Things Advertisers Need to Know About Gamers

When my younger brother beat me continuously at Street Fighter over a wet summer in the 1990s, I made the very definite decision that I am not ‘a gamer’.  Yet the current explosion of the gaming industry, fuelled by mobile, online, next-gen consoles, live streaming and e-sports is unavoidable, and it’s driving reappraisal en masse.

A while ago, the term ‘gamer’ would spark a vision of a teenager hauled up in their bedroom in front of a screen, living off junk food and having little contact with the outside world - but the gaming landscape has evolved so dramatically. The development in technology such as mobile gaming, virtual currency, live-streaming and e-sports means it is more accessible, more inclusive. The word ‘gamer’ now represents a huge part of the global population.

We at Momentum recently conducted a study, WE KNOW Gamers, and the research highlighted some fascinating new findings and insights into the gaming landscape of 2017.

1. From Sega to SAGA

75% of people said that gaming will always be a part of their life.  And 35% claim to be playing more as they get older.  Younger people may have more time to devote to it, but older audiences have the financial means and technology to invest more into it.  And doing so is important: older gamers are the ones who need the stress release and escapism of fantasy worlds and identities to counter the stress of real life.

But it’s not just those in their 30s and 40s who benefit from gaming. 2015 research published by the University of California identified that playing 3D games stimulates certain parts of the brain and helps to reduce or slow certain degenerative brain conditions. Angry Birds and Candy Crush won’t replace crosswords and Sudoku, but new 3D games could become an important mental health tool for older audiences – especially as current Millennials start to age.

2. Escapism from the now; connection with our past.

Nostalgia is a powerful and evocative human emotion, and gaming allows us not only to escape the present, but connect emotionally with our past.  As the age profile of gamers broadens, +30 year-olds are part of the first generation who can feel nostalgic for older games and titles.  41% of UK gamers say that “gaming triggers the best moments in my life”, while 28% cite nostalgia as a key reason for watching gaming channels like Twitch.  

While original classics such as Pong and Daley Thompson's Decathlon have a basic one-dimensional kitsch appeal, original arcade games such as Sonic, Mario, and my personal nemesis, Street Fighter, still retain huge appeal and heritage of the heart. 

Games nostalgia is a novel and deeply emotive phenomenon that the industry is tapping into with great success, through e-released versions of updated classics, re-released hardware (Nintendo Classic Mini) and mobile games that celebrate the characters of our youth (Super Mario Run and Pokémon GO!).

3. Next-gen consoles, next-gen families

With nostalgia and reignited passions comes a desire to share the joy of joysticks with the next generation.  54% of UK gamers would like to experience gaming with their child(ren).  But how we experience gaming with the next generation is also experiencing a seismic shift.

58% of UK gamers believe that gaming should be an official sport and 53% of UK gamers believe people will spend more time watching and playing computer games than playing traditional sport in the next 5 years.  From terraces to terabytes: are we seeing the start of a shift away from traditional sports as parent-child bonding takes place in more digital realms?  It’s an interesting area to watch.

4. Multi-player drives multi-social

And gaming doesn’t just connect generations.  The stereotype of the loner playing solo in the bedroom has long been debunked, fuelled by research that shows gaming is the new social glue.  While a significant number of gamers still do play on their own, 59% stated that they actually use gaming to connect with real people. 

When asked about what gaming time eats into, only 26% said that it ate into friends and family time (compared to 58% of traditional TV viewing time).  28% play with a group of friends virtually; 18% play in a more structured team.  42% multitask and chat online to gamer friends while playing, while 23% take this to the next level and talk to non-gamer friends whilst they play, and 52% meet up with friends at gaming events.  Far from being the anti-social device of old, gaming in 2017 is fast becoming the catalyst to bring people together through meaningful experiences.

5. Game On: Beyond Entertainment

Finally, we’re starting to see gaming shift far beyond its initial core remit of entertainment.  Given the current mental health challenges and our increasingly stressful lives, it’s clear that gaming has a positive role in society: 59% of UK gamers say that gaming makes their life better, while 78% use it as a tool for stress relief. 

Gaming is also a force for empowerment.  Over half feel more confident because of gaming, with online game worlds empowering them to be whoever they want, and to explore in ways they feel comfortable with.  Nearly a quarter are known to their friends by their gaming name.  And with this new freedom comes the opportunity to explore and connect in a way that’s easier than the real world.  53% believe it bridges the gap between cultures and a similar number of respondents believe gaming has opened them up to other cultures and opinions: in a world where certain people are ‘building walls’, this feels more important than ever.

Computer games have come a long way since the pixelated graphics of the 80s, but more impressive than the technological capabilities, is its relevance and power to act as a real force for good: the opportunity now is to help shape this in a world where consumers demand more meaningful experiences than ever before.