Mobile Games: A pop culture medium for all generations
Mobile Games: A pop culture medium for all generations
Almost every new medium is initially viewed skeptically. Alongside the skepticism, new things are pushed into a "nerd" or "geek"-corner, coming along as a natural behavior. It was the same thing when video games were first introduced from 1972 onwards. Games did not become the world's most successful entertainment medium overnight; instead, they took decades! From the first "Pong" to game worlds which are graphically and excellently designed to a mass medium reaching 3.2 billion people around the world regularly play video games. Most players nowadays use their smartphones for gaming (source: Statista 2022). Video games are now the most valuable media industry, generating US$180 billion in revenues worldwide last year (source: Newzoo 2021). All generations globally drive this economic success: Everyone and every age group is drawn to games and can find exactly the game that fits their talent, need and occasion within the genre-enriched game catalogue. COMBO! The Gaming Media Network bundles the biggest partners and publishers in mobile gaming and thus reaches all generations. By the end of November 2022, over 1 billion impressions have already been delivered through COMBO!
Everyone plays video games.
Stereotypes take a long time to emerge into a more realistic picture. But the stereotype of the gaming nerd is absolutely long and forever gone! 42 percent of the Boomer generation, for example, are gamers, so almost every second person within the group of 56- to 72-year-olds plays games. They devote an average of around 2.3 hours per week to good games, and 92 percent say that they play to relax and unwind from their (sometimes hectic) everyday life. Within Generation X (born between 1965 and 1980), 60 percent already play video games, and most use their smartphones. The average playing time is also longer in Generation X, with approx. 4.25 hours per week. They are very interested in games with a focus on racing and sports. (Source: McKinsey 'True Gen'; Newzoo GI Games & eSports; GWI) and (mobile) esports are getting more importance within this generation.
One specific group that plays games regularly is mothers and fathers. Moms and Dads play because they want to spend time with their children. In addition, gaming is a hobby that they had pursued long before their children were born. Dads play over six hours more per week than men who do not have children. "Gaming dads" are also more active and agile when it comes to their choice of gaming device (Source: ActivisionBlizzard / Dads). A second survey by Activision Blizzard found that two-thirds of all moms are gamers. In addition to playing video games, they have a keen interest in entertainment overall and compile their own media according to their preferences. Not only are moms dedicated to gaming, but they are also more active on social media and stream more shows than non-gamer moms. They are generally more open to digital content than moms who are not part of the gaming community (Source: ActivisionBlizzard / Moms).
The pandemic has also created a push toward digital games among grandparents. The motives are similar to those of parents in many ways: Spending time together with their grandkids, staying in touch, and using the time at home to try something new. In the UK, a survey by GlobalWebIndex found that 55- to 64-year-olds were the group that grew the fastest in gaming – by nearly a third (32 percent) during the pandemic months compared to 2018 (Source: The Guardian)
In-game advertising reaches all generations.
Video games, then, are a platform that reaches and invites all generations to interact and collaborate with them - advantages that are used for in-game advertising and thus make games the most attractive channel for brands and their advertising. Ads and campaigns implemented in the immersive medium "game" mean more attention from the users. Surveys have shown that 41 percent of gamers pay attention to ads – compared to only 17 percent to online ads (source: Emarketer, Tapjoy). Moreover, the reasons to dive into a video game are linked to positive motives and emotions (e.g., relaxation, leisure, a distraction from everyday life). These positive emotions ensure that advertising in a mobile game is preferred by 67 percent of the community than, for example, via YouTube (29 percent) or on Facebook (25 percent) (Source: AdColony, 2021). For 2023, in-game advertising is the channel that completes any marketing- and communications mix and COMBO! The Gaming Media Network is the largest premium publisher network, making it easy for brands to upgrade their campaigns.
Learn more about COMBO! In-game Advertising here!
