The gaming world is flourishing. It’s more than just a game of Mario Kart. The billion-dollar industry is now taking on new angles and advertising opportunities through VR (virtual reality) hardware and games, eSports, and even eSports betting. But, up until now, minimal scientific consumer research has been done about gaming trends and gamers, especially in the emerging of VR And eSports. So, AnalyticsIQ’s Department of Cognitive Sciences decided to take the plunge and delve further into this arena. We have now made two new AnalyticsIQ research reports available for you!
DOWNLOAD >>> Research Report: eSports Behavior
DOWNLOAD >>> Research Report: The Data Driven Reality Behind Virtual Reality
Why You Need to Understand and Engage with Gamers and eSports Players
Did you know that gamers and eSports players spend billions of dollars with advertisers? With the advancements in technology, the gaming industry is only going to grow further in the future. So, understanding and engaging with gamers is crucial to capitalize on the available opportunities. Here are compelling reasons to do so!
A Large Market with Untapped Potential
The gaming and eSports industry is massive, with millions of dedicated enthusiasts worldwide. Indeed, this sizable and diverse audience offers an exceptional opportunity to reach a wide demographic range, from teenagers to adults, spanning various backgrounds and interests. Marketers can tap into this diverse market, tailoring campaigns to specific gamer profiles.
The Incredible Enthusiasm of Gamers
The engagement level within the gaming and eSports community is unparalleled and one that cannot be treated lightly. Gamers spend countless hours immersed in their favorite titles, creating a prime environment for targeted advertising and brand integration. This deep engagement enables marketers to identify gaming trends effectively and also establish meaningful connections with their audience, building brand loyalty and trust.
Lucrative Marketing Opportunities
The gaming industry is ripe with marketing opportunities. The eSports ecosystem, in particular, presents opportunities for partnerships and sponsorships. eSports tournaments attract enormous viewership, rivaling traditional sports, and this viewership can be harnessed by advertisers to promote their products or services.
The Need to Tap into Gamer Demographics
Understanding who gamers are is pivotal to leverage this fruitful market successfully. However, marketers must recognize that gamers are not a homogeneous group. They vary in age, gender, interests, and behaviors. By comprehending these gaming trends and distinctions, advertisers can tailor their strategies effectively, ensuring their messages resonate with the right segments of the gaming and eSports community. As per our research reports, the gaming and eSports world offers a vast, engaged, and diverse audience for marketers and advertisers to tap into. So, understanding the nuances of this audience is key to crafting effective strategies and capitalizing on this ever-growing gaming industry.
The Revolutionary Role of VR Gaming
Virtual reality gaming, or VR, is one of the immersive gaming experiences where players use headsets to dive into video games with both audio and visual displays. Despite being projected to grow by 6.6 times over the next 7 years, from $25 billion in 2023 to an estimated $165 billion by 2030, VR gaming ranks fourth in consumer preferences, lagging behind PC and mobile gaming, as per a 2022 AnalyticsIQ report.
Our Survey Research on VR Gamers Covering Usage, Demographics, Preferences, and Motivations
The increasing buzz around VR gaming, paired with the lack of available insights into who these gamers are and why they use VR, shows there’s a significant demand for fundamental metrics to shed light on this gaming market. Therefore, to address this gap, the Cognitive Sciences research team at AnalyticsIQ conducted a comprehensive survey of a random sample of the US population in April 2023.
This survey aimed to gather data on VR gaming behavior, preferences, and usage patterns. At the time, there were limited nationwide metrics available, making this research an essential foundation for understanding VR gaming habits and assessing the potential for growth in this exciting gaming space.
Power Up Your Strategy with Our Consumer Insights on VR Gamers
Primarily, our research report answers some of the important questions in the industry, such as,
- How popular is VR overall?
- What motivates people to play or not play VR games?
- How frequently do VR gamers play?
- What are the most popular types of games?
- Do consumers prefer to play alone or with friends?
Our research also uncovered that 87% of respondents had not played any type of VR game in the past 12 months. However, the primary reason 56% of these non-players stated is that they simply didn’t have access to VR equipment. For those who do play, many choose to do so with friends and family, with Action (31%) and Exploration (30%) games taking the top spots in terms of popularity. If you want to read about all the insights and the answers to the questions above, download the full 2023 VR Gaming Research Report from AnalyticsIQ.
The Rise and Growth of eSports
eSports is another arena of the game industry that is continuing to grow in popularity and spending. Today, eSports tournaments are pulling in global audiences well into the millions, with over 2 million viewers for games like League of Legends. The prize money is no joke either, with Dota 2 offering over $9 million in May 2023. According to Nerdstreet’s 2023 report, there are more than 20 major eSports tournaments planned in the coming year, promising big crowds. eSports are similar to traditional sports, organized into competitive tournaments for individuals or teams, but most fans watch them online rather than in person. The games played in these tournaments can change quickly based on what’s hot at the moment.
The Role of Biggest eSports Players, Vewers, and Gamblers
At present, eSports has become a star-studded affair. High-earning and famed eSports players like Kyle “Bugha” Giersdorf are making millions. Even celebrities from outside the gaming world are jumping in, like Lil Nas X creating content for a League of Legends event. Celebrities are also investing in eSports teams, with folks like Drake, Michael Jordan, and Michael B. Jordan getting in on the action. Importantly, the gaming trends and spending don’t stop there. Many viewers and players are also betting on eSports events, including the ones they participate in. With this growing interest, understanding the habits and preferences of eSports fans is becoming increasingly important.
What Our Game-Changing Data Reveals about eSports Players and Fans
In April of 2023, a large, random, representative sample of the US population was collected by the Cognitive Sciences research team at AnalyticsIQ to assess gaming trends, behavior, and motivations around eSports. These data were collected via a voluntary online survey, and all participants were compensated for their time. From this research, we were once again able to answer really important questions about this rapidly growing industry, such as:
- Who is playing vs. viewing?
- What are their motivations for participating?
- How frequently do they engage?
- What are their preferred eSports games?
- What are the preferred platforms for watching eSports?
- Who is betting on eSports?
- What are the typical eSports gambling wager and win amounts?
Moreover, a few of our key takeaways include that White/Caucasian millennials with some postsecondary education are most likely to watch or play eSports. But it’s not all men. The gender split was 60% male, 40% female. The most popular game touted in the survey was Call of Duty, and both eSports players and watchers are engaged in gambling behaviors. And that’s just scratching the surface. Read all about the insights and answers to the questions above by downloading the full 2023 eSports Behavior Research Report from AnalyticsIQ.
Score Goals Like a Pro with Our Data
At AnalyticsIQ, we integrate cognitive science approaches into all our research studies to gather context related to our data. These reports on gaming trends in eSports and VR gaming hold a lot of actionable insights. If you want to understand your audience more in-depth, you can utilize our data on gamer audiences. In addition to gaming, we help companies in automotive, education, health, and many other sectors! Need help with taking the right approach to targeting customers accurately? Get in touch with us today at sales@analyicsiq.com for a customized marketing solution. Let’s talk!