Brands, advertisers and media owners are failing to grasp the marketing potential of gaming despite almost three quarters (73%) of the British online population now playing computer games, according to a new piece of research from by RealGames.
The platform offers a way for brands to reach players in a direct and highly targeted way, with minimum wastage, with user receptiveness during online gaming playing a major part.
The report found that the average gamer spending 5.1 hours per week on gaming, only falling marginally below the time spent on TV and Internet in general, but equal to radio and far more than on newspapers or magazines.
The game console is the most popular gaming platform, used by 76% gamers. Three other platforms are played by at least one in four gamers: standalone PC games (47%), game portals (44%) and mobile phones (26%).
Overall, men like the genres related to action (sports, racing, shooting, adventure), while women like the casual genres (puzzle, brain training, cards). Interestingly, across both genders, puzzles are still the most popular portal genre – this is due the immense popularity of games such as Sudoku.
The usage of computer games as a source of entertainment is highest among the youngest age groups, whilst traditional media (print, TV, radio) are more popular among older age groups.
The report found gaming most often takes place alone and at home and young players are the most social gamer though, as they play more frequently together with family members or friends.
Gamers in older age groups are less likely to play with others, and use their game time as a chance to relax in between looking after the kids, or after work. The report for Zylom found that casual gaming is a lifestyle choice, as opposed to ‘gaming’ in its traditional sense.
Women could either be reading a magazine, on the phone to a friend or playing a quick 20-min game. She would never call herself a ‘gamer’ in the way her son would, for example.
The research reveals the reasons people play games - primarily to relax or because they are bored, although men see it more as a hobby or entertainment form. Moreover, boys and younger men (up to 35 years) play games also because of the competitive element: they like to win, and they like the challenge.
Over half of gamers play to relax and unwind (52%), whereas others want a challenge (33%) or play when they’re bored (28%). Gamers believe that gaming is better than other forms of entertainment or simply want to escape the real world.
The number one reason for not playing games is lack of interest (62%), whereas others prefer other entertainment (39%), have no time (33%) or don’t want to spend money on gaming (20%).
Kids and teens are most likely to play games, whereas within the 50+ age group, the gaming penetration is lowest. However, interestingly enough over 50’s spend the same amount of time gaming (3.8hrs/wk) as teenagers (13-19), which dispels the myth that the older a person is, the less interested in games they are.
There are no remarkable differences between gamers and non-gamers when looking at their media consumption pattern. Gamers also spend more time playing games than chatting to friends on instant messenger, an equal amount of time gaming as they do either surfing the internet or shopping online, and slightly less time gaming than using social networking websites.
The data shows that 82% people watch TV 6 or more days per week, (compared with 79% of people using the internet 6+ days per week). This highlights a new learning – TV and online combined could be a powerful medium.
The majority of the portal players play up to ten different games in half a year. One out of five plays more than 25 games. Almost half of the British portal players also play on social networking sites, with 14% doing this on a daily basis (Zylom’s Facebook game Uno now ranks 4th on the site). Playing with friends and the ease to play once logged in are the drivers for playing here.
Within the 35-49 age segment, 92% of gaming women are existing online shoppers and spend more time on the internet (82%) than watching TV (79%). Zylom is the UK’s number one portal for this group with 24% of women preferring this portal.
The 50+ age group has similar comparisons, with 85% using the internet, compared with 82% that watch TV. One in four use the Zylom portal, with portal games being played more than any other gaming platform.
“This highly compelling data, which has never before been investigated in such detail, will provide an access point for marketers, advertisers and the media with a fully comprehensive means to understand the gaming world, whilst also providing a platform for new investment into the industry,” said UK Country Head of RealGames, Rumbi Pfende.
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