Gaming Demystified: 10 Myths Dispelled

The diverse and expansive realm of gaming is a rich environment where advertisers can reach a highly-engaged, attentive audience. Spanning all ages, genders, life-stages, and more, players are a vibrant and empowered group of consumers. For the past few years, gaming has been challenging preconceived notions and demonstrating its opportunities for innovative strategies for brands to engage this massive, dynamic audience. 

We’re debunking myths and showcasing why the gaming channel, valued not just for its entertainment but also for its immersive marketing environments, should be a cornerstone of modern advertising strategies.

Demystifying Gaming for Advertisers

Myth 1: Gamers are a niche, predominantly young male audience.

Reality: The gaming audience is diverse, spanning all ages, genders, life-stages, and demographics, making it a prime target for a wide range of brands. For example, 20% of players are Late Adopters—an older segment (51 years old on average) who game about 9 hours a week, 78% of whom are women. Ten percent (10%) of players fall into a Devoted category, spending about 29 hours a week gaming. These players have been gaming for 16 years on average and skew towards men, with an average age of 37. (Activision Blizzard Media, The Many Ways We Play, 2024) 

When brands set aside their preconceived notions about the gaming audience, they gain the opportunity to connect with valuable segments in a highly fragmented world.

Myth 2: In-game advertising doesn't capture attention.

Reality: In-game advertising excels at capturing attention. Gaming environments achieve higher viewability and attention rates than other channels, as revealed by research conducted in partnership with Dentsu.

The "Play Attention" study, utilizing eye-tracking technology, demonstrates that 99% of impressions on gaming ads are viewable, surpassing the 87% norm. The video ads on Candy Crush Saga achieve an average of 10,043 attentive seconds per thousand impressions, outperforming the 6,100 online video benchmark and highlighting the superior attention-capturing capability of in-game advertising.

Myth 3: Gamers are not interested in advertising.

Reality: When integrated seamlessly into the gaming experience, advertisements can enhance the user experience and drive engagement. Rewarding players for their time and attention is particularly effective, with 78% of mobile players preferring ads in the game to be reward based. 

For a mobile in-game ad to be considered “premium” according to players, it must have high-quality graphics and be rewarded, intrinsic to gameplay, non-intrusive, and short. (Activision Blizzard Media, Premium By Design, 2023)

Myth 4: Mobile games are low quality and not taken seriously by players.

Reality: Mobile gaming has evolved tremendously, now with high-quality graphics and immersive gameplay that captivates millions of players globally. 73% of mobile players today think of mobile games as high quality. And among all players, about half engage with mobile gaming on a daily basis.

Myth 5: Gaming ads are intrusive and disrupt the player experience.

Reality: Effective gaming ads are designed to complement and enhance the gaming experience, providing value rather than disruption. Publishers, like King, exclusively leverage 100% opt-in, non-intrusive ad formats, garnering industry-leading engagement rates as a result. 

Myth 6: Gamers do not have disposable income.

Reality: The majority of players are adults over 30 years old with disposable income, making them a valuable audience for advertisers. When brands partner with popular games, players are more likely to spend. Positive brand affinity leads to increased purchase likelihood.

For example, when Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG) brands are paired with Candy Crush Saga, 68% of players say they are likely to purchase from those brands—but any game with a strong fanbase stands to benefit from this fandom phenomenon. By aligning with the strong fandom of the gaming community, brands can create impactful campaigns that drive better engagement and conversion rates.

Myth 7: Only gaming-related brands can benefit from advertising in games.

Reality: A wide range of brands, from consumer goods, to beauty, to financial services, can effectively reach their target audience through in-game advertising. Among Candy Crush players, Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG) and Quick-Service Restaurant brands resonate in particular. Among Call of Duty: Mobile players, Automotive brands are often perceived more positively. 

The list of industries that can benefit from gaming partnerships is long. 

Myth 8: Console and PC gaming dominate the gaming market.

Reality: Mobile gaming represents the largest and rapidly growing segment of the gaming market, offering extensive reach and engagement opportunities. Of the 3.4B people who game globally, 79% play mobile games and 35% are even exclusively mobile-only players.

Myth 9: Advertising in games is too complex and technical.

Reality: Advances in technology and partnerships with experienced publishers make it easier than ever for brands to integrate into games seamlessly. From more familiar formats that leverage existing creative like Rewarded Video and Interactive End Cards; to highly-designed, high-performing custom Playables—in-game advertising doesn’t need to be complicated to excel.

Publishers often have creative teams ready to help advertisers ensure their ads fit the game environment, while honoring their brand and key messaging. 

Myth 10: Gaming is just a passing fad.

Reality: Gaming is a well-established and continuously growing industry with a strong and dedicated user base that shows no signs of waning. Global games revenue is forecasted to reach $188 billion in 2024, a +2.1% growth year over year. The average tenure of today’s players is 13 years, with most being 30 or older.

Additionally, today’s parents are gaming with their children. In fact, 50% of US Gamer Moms play video games with their children, who are their most popular gaming companions. This demonstrates that gaming is crossing generational lines and becoming a regular feature for today’s families.

Exploring the Realities of Gaming for Brands

The era of gaming as a cornerstone of modern advertising strategies is here, and those who adapt will secure a powerful edge in this growing market.

Letting go of preconceived notions about gaming opens up a multi-billion dollar market of opportunity. Gaming is a dynamic, rapidly expanding industry that offers unparalleled access to a diverse, engaged, and financially capable audience. Brands that embrace this reality can harness the immense potential of gaming to create innovative, effective marketing strategies. By integrating seamlessly into the gaming experience, advertisers can foster positive brand affinity and drive strong engagement and conversion rates. 

Appendix

Myth 1 Source: Activision Blizzard Media Gaming Study via Toluna, July 2023 (Base: US & UK Adults 18+)

Myth 2 Source: Play Attention: Calling Focus to Gaming, dentsu Media US in partnership with Lumen Research, Twitch Ads, Activision Blizzard, and Anzu, January 2024

Myth 3 Source: Activision Blizzard Media Premium Gaming Study via Alter Agents, December 2022 (Base: US Adults 18+)

Myth 4 Sources:

1. Activision Blizzard Media Premium Gaming Study via Alter Agents, December 2022 (Base: US Adults 18+)
2. Activision Blizzard Media Gaming Study via Toluna, July 2023 (Base: US & UK Adults 18+)

Myth 5 Sources: MOAT Analytics, King Performance 2022-2024 Q1 YTD; MOAT Analytics Benchmarks, Video Mobile In-App Q1 2024; Google Ad Manager Analytics - CTR King Performance 2024; Extreme Reach Mobile App Video CTR Q3 2023

Myth 6 Source: Halo and Brand Impact Study, Activision Blizzard Media via Alter Agents, June 2023 (Base: US Adults 18+, weekly mobile gamers and streaming/social media users)

Myth 7 Source: Halo and Brand Impact Study, Activision Blizzard Media via Alter Agents, June 2023 (Base: US Adults 18+, weekly mobile gamers and streaming/social media users)

Myth 8 Sources:

1. Newzoo, Global Games Market Report, July 2024
2. Newzoo, How Consumers Engage With Video Games, 2023

Myth 10 Source: 

1. Newzoo, Global Games Market Report, July 2024
2. Activision Blizzard Media Gaming Study via Toluna, July 2023 (Base: US Adults 18+)