We all know videogames are an integral part of life for most people born after 1970, and for many older people as well. The advent of the iPhone in 2007 and the wide adoption of smartphones throughout the 2010s expanded the videogame world from consoles like PlayStation/Xbox or mobile platforms like the GameBoy to this powerful device in almost everyone’s pocket. Along the way, videogames almost stealthily became ubiquitous, occupying an expanding amount of consumers’ free time while emptying their wallets through in-game micropurchases in “freemium” games.
The evolution of videogames has spawned brand new entertainment categories – like eSports or gaming content on Twitch – as well as providing new avenues for advertising and marketing. Videogames continued strong appeal among young persons offers marketers a great way to reach this highly desired demographic.
It’s not just about games either: gaming platforms aspired to be hubs through which consumers find and consume content of all kinds. Gaming platforms can influence or act as gatekeepers for other content options like streaming video, streaming music, or communicating with friends – the latter being a particularly interesting cultural development.
This study will explore the devices and platforms gaining, or losing, share as well as the role gaming plays in how consumers allocate their disposable time. It will reveal both threats and opportunities gaming represents for media companies in 2023, as well as provide context by showing how key metrics have shifted since Hub’s first Gaming 360report in 2019.
Source: Interviews with 2,518 U.S. consumers 16-74