A new report from Dentsu reveals that the value of the gaming industry has reached £141.7bn ($184bn), surpassing the combined values of both the music ($28.6bn) and film industries (33.9bn) in scale.
These findings are revealed in the holding company’s newest “State of Gaming” report, created with global consumer research company GWI.
Some 2.4 billion people around the world use a device to play games, and this is increasingly spanning a wider range of generations. The average age of a gamer has gone up from 33 years of age in 2015 to 37 in 2024.
Over half (51%) feel favourable about entertainment franchises expanding into gaming, while more and more gamers are also switching between gaming and entertainment content within the same hour.
Dentsu’s research showed that in-game advertising was highly impactful – viewability was at 99%, while brand recall was 21%.
Despite this, gaming advertising spend remains low at under 5% in the US. Most ad spend was on search at £69.86bn ($90.73bn), followed by social networks £66.8bn ($86.75bn).
Dentsu EVP global gaming lead Brent Koning said: “There are too many opportunities for brands to ignore in gaming today. Integrated gaming marketing plans have touchpoints in playing, watching, and creating in and around games. Brands can be active participants and build credibility with these communities by supporting the games that players subscribe to.”
“A thoughtful gaming strategy will then be rewarded by consumers, with brand love, when the value exchange is created for the player.”
Subscribe to Marketing Beat for free
Sign up here to get the latest marketing news sent straight to your inbox each morning
The report also suggest several key tips for using gaming to ‘reach a premium inventory’:
- Tailor creative assets but don’t be held back. Sites including Twitch and Activation Blizzard have in-house capabilities that can be used.
- Assets can be reused. Brands need to focus on raw assets, brand guidelines and key messaging. More and more platforms use standard media.
- Gaming can be used to provide premium experiences that can’t occur elsewhere
‘The label of being a gamer still carries some outdated stereotypes’
Dentsu’s findings revealed that a striking 84% of internet users aged 16-64 can be considered gamers, as defined by using a console, PC , mobile or other device to play games.
Since 2015, the proportion of gamers who are parents has grown from 50% to 56%.
Targeting gamers could be beneficial for a number of industries in particular. The report revealed that gamers tend to eat fast food more, with one in eight tucking in more than once a week which amounts to 7% more likely than average.
Luxury buyers who buy themselves luxury or designer products every one to two months are also more likely to be gamers, with three quarters of this demographic using a device to play games (over half use a smartphone).
They are also 2.5 times more likely than others to own a Porsche and 64% more likely to be in the market for an electric car.
Dentsu global gaming strategy VP Magali Huot added: “Even though gaming is growing up and reaching all ages, the label of being a ‘gamer’ still carries some outdated stereotypes. When considering how your brand can tap into the gaming world, it’s important to forget the labels and really understand your audience—how they play, what drives them, and what they enjoy – that’s where the real opportunity lies.”
