45% of gamers value the presence of brands in video games because it makes them feel a “more realistic experience.” This is revealed by a recent study carried out by the team of Comscore Custom Solutionswhich provided some revelations regarding how the gaming world is positioning itself as an attractive advertising platform so that brands can connect effectively with their target audiences and new audiences.
The research, which was carried out in six Latin American countries and in which only active players and 20 industry experts participated, also revealed that two out of three players acknowledge having seen brand ads in video games and in the transmission of gamer events, something that they receive positively and does not bother them, although they consider that 6 minutes of advertising during 1 hour of transmission – which is what 65% say they watch continuously, at least – could be “too much.” And in detail, among the brands they claim to have seen in an esports broadcast, respondents mention Coca Cola, Samsung, Amazon and Nike.
In this regard, the Nexoplay CEO and who also participated in the Comscore study in his role as an expert, Jaime Boetsch, indicates that, “gamers embrace advertising because brands add value to the gaming experience or to tournament broadcasts, where brands are a contribution and have many ways to insert themselves into them. Along these lines, we have seen that the brands that have made alliances with our esports platform have found a new and effective showcase that has allowed them to reach new audiences that are not in the more traditional media.”
The growing relevance of advertising in gaming is also related to the fact that video games are not limited to a single platform, but can be played on consoles, PCs and mobile devices. According to the study carried out by Comscore, 48% of those surveyed claim to play on all three devices. For this reason, we can affirm that the showcase that the gaming world offers for advertising is multiplatform, and allows us to reach a diverse audience.
Regarding the type of consumer that is video game players or viewers, the study carried out by Comscore indicates that those who play through consoles have bought video games 1.41 times more than those who prefer to do so through PC.And when we talk about the “mobile only” gamers, 75% of them prefer free games instead of purchasing. The most common payment method? 54% prefer payment through credit cards.
Boetsch maintains that “there is no doubt that the gaming industry, with almost 180 billion dollars in sales, is the most relevant form of entertainment in the world today. By 2026, half of the world will declare themselves gamers. In short: this is the place where brands should be to connect with consumers and build new and unique experiences.”
