Gaming is no longer a niche pastime with a set audience, there is no such thing as an ‘average gamer’ anymore and the number of male and female gamers is pretty similar.
Despite being popular among 15-34 year-olds, the industry has gained momentum with a broader demographic – which means getting in front of a mixed audience at a large scale.
So what is the most effective way to engage that audience?
Gamers want to see creative ads that are seamlessly integrated into the gaming experience. 41% of US gamers ages 18 to 34 would like rewards for providing time and attention to in-game ads. However, 32% believe ads should never interrupt a hardcore gamer’s flow. What does this mean for the future of in-game advertising?
This data heavily supports the shift away from intrusive advertising formats such as interstitial ads which take the user away from their intended experience and towards less intrusive, more natively designed advertising. In addition, advertisers are increasingly becoming aware that there is a value exchange between themselves as an advertiser and the gamer. The expectation to deliver on formats that provide in-game rewards has never been made more clear by gamers.
Mobile, which is the most popular gaming device, will earn $6.26 billion in US gaming ad revenues in 2022, 14.0% more than last year, per Insider Intelligence’s The Metaverse Report. And that will be money well spent, considering 73% of 18- to 34-year-old gamers in the US would welcome more advertising—if done right. It’s up to brands to advertise on gamers’ terms by rewarding attention and enhancing the gaming experience.
Sources:
https://www.emarketer.com/content/in-game-advertisers-level-uphttps://www.allresponsemedia.com/the-future-of-in-game-advertising/
