Over the past 45 years, gaming in all forms has shown remarkable growth and development across the globe. It is now everywhere in our lives, from video games on our consoles, PCs and mobiles to the “gamification” that has become part of our social media, work-life and messaging apps.

The Evolution of Gaming

The Internet Trends Report by internet guru Mary Meeker dedicated a large section to gaming and esports and their effects on various industries. Once a solitary niche activity, gaming has evolved and is now firmly part of our mainstream culture. It is clear that marketers would be short-sighted to miss out on the opportunities that the gaming industry provides.

No other digital media has the engagement that gaming has. According to the report, video games command more attention than even Facebook — Data from a variety of sources show that users spend an average of 51 minutes playing video games per day compared to 50 minutes on Facebook. King mobile games, famous for games such as Candy Crush and Farm Heroes engage users for an average of 35 minutes, compared with Snapchat (30 minutes) and Instagram (21 minutes).

As Gary Whitta, Screenwriter of Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, says, “When I play a video game, it’s the only time I put away the phone and forget it exists. Video games command your attention in a way that nothing else can or will”

Although it is often said that millennials make up the core of the gaming and esports market, any marketer looking to target consumers in their 40s or younger should consider the gaming and esports markets. These generations have been “gamified” since birth, from Generation X in the 1970s and 80s to the present day — nowadays every new generation is a generation of gamers. According to the Entertainment Software association, the average age of gamers has remained stable at 35 since 2003.

Generation X — Millennials — Generation Gamified Since Birth

Games and esports are exploding, with viewing time up 40% year on year and more than half of millennials now prefer esports to traditional sports. The Internet Trends Report also notes how game genres targeting female players have grown in popularity since 2000. Games such as Sims and Bejeweled, have audiences made up of roughly 69% female players. While it is still a predominantly male pastime, a growing number of females are getting involved in gaming and esports (as both participants and spectators).

The Gamification of Life

While it is beyond the scope of this article, The Internet Trends Report also dedicates a large and interesting section to how skills learnt in games are transferable to real life learning situations, and can infact optimize learning and engagement.

The relationships between particular game genres and things like pattern recognition, critical thinking, time management and resource efficiency are explored. A lot of the gamification of the mainstream internet such as reputation and rankings, messaging, and even likes and shares also have roots in video games. This kind of crossover of gaming principles and technology into other areas of our lives should not be overlooked.

Marketing Opportunities through Games and Esports

The digital world is becoming increasingly saturated with media making it harder for advertisers and marketers to compete for consumers attention. Banner ads, once a mainstay of the digital advertiser, are showing shrinking returns due to banner blindness and ad blockers. On the whole, consumers becoming more tech savvy discerning about what they pay attention to.

However, in this era of perceived disengagement, audience engagement in video games is rising. As reported above, video games and mobile games command more attention than various social media platforms.

As esports and gaming grow more popular with the broader population, it represents a fantastic opportunity for brands and advertisers to convey their message to an audience which is already highly engaged. As the audience expands and becomes more mainstream, digital marketers need to become involved or risk getting left behind.