1、NIELSEN GAMES GAMES 360 U.S. REPORT 2018 2 Michael Flamberg Vice President and General Manager, Nielsen Games GAMES 360 2018 Change is inevitable and nowhere is that more so than in video games, where transformation can happen in the blink of an eye thanks to the velocity inherent in digital media.

2、This report marks the 9th year Nielsen Games has closely gauged the overarching consumer attitudes and economic trends that have shaped the industry. From this unique vantage point, weve been able to chart both the most recent developments and how they fit into the broader trajectory of the games in

3、dustry as it continues to grow, steadily attracting new gamers and gaining wider mainstream acceptance. This past year, the sheer volume of digital titles gave gamers unprecedented choice, but the costs of developing and marketing those games have also grown. And although organic marketing methods h

4、ave opened the doors to more consumers through a multitude of social channels, it has also added to the noise. At the same time, consumer preferences and expectations have shifted from a product-centric era to a relationship-centric model. In this crowded environment, having a strong brand is critic

5、al to developing a long-term relationship with consumers that goes beyond merely transactional. Gamers increasingly want game experiences that are tailored to them, delivered by brands that understand their needs and whose core values match with their own. Amid the whirl of innovation and change, un

6、derstanding the consumer perspective and what it means for your business is more important than ever. At Nielsen Games, our team is comprised of passionate gamers with proven experience assisting clients through actionable insights and tailored recommendations to help them succeed in this ever evolv

7、ing industry. Were also uniquely positioned to combine our global expertise in entertainment and technology with our knowledge of games to give clients the important context and clarity needed to find opportunities and grow their businesses. This report represents an initial step towards gaining tha

8、t crucial understanding. We hope it provides you with insights to guide your strategy in this vibrant and dynamic industry. “GAMERS INCREASINGLY WANT GAME EXPERIENCES THAT ARE TAILORED TO THEM, DELIVERED BY BRANDS THAT UNDERSTAND THEIR NEEDS AND WHOSE CORE VALUES MATCH WITH THEIR OWN” Copyright 2018

9、 The Nielsen Company3 CONTENTS 1 | GAMING INDUSTRY OVERVIEW Growth of the gaming audience 2 | EVOLUTION OF THE GAMER Playing time, purchasing habits and the way gamers are using consoles 3 | TRENDS TO WATCH 05 15 29 METHODOLOGY Data collection Annual data for the Nielsen Games 360 Report is collecte

10、d via consumer online surveys in Q1 of each year using Nielsens proprietary, high-quality ePanel in the United States. Sample Groups surveyed general population/teens/adults aged 13+: 2,000+ interviews among 50% male/50% female sample. Representivity Post-survey, raw data is weighted to ensure repre

11、sentation of the US general population based on U.S. Census data. New consoles, virtual and augmented reality, esports audience broadens, delivering past experiences to todays gamers 4 1 66% OF THE U.S. POPULATION (AGED 13+) ARE GAMERS. Copyright 2018 The Nielsen Company5 In 2018, two-thirds of the

12、U.S. population 13 years and older are gamers, up from 58% in 2013. The steady growth of self-identified gamers illustrates how far the medium has evolved to become an integral component of the mainstream entertainment diet. This has as much to do with supply as demand. The past year has seen a boun

13、ty of new titles and experiences designed to appeal to a deeper and broader audience, continuing a decade-long trend of games designed to reach more types of people with varying gameplay preferences, platforms and interests. Nintendo continued to draw in a new generation of players with its accessib

14、le Switch console, launched in March 2017, and its broadly appealing titles, with Super Mario Odyssey and The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild being among the most anticipated titles of 2017. Gamers were treated to more-powerful hardware in the form of the PlayStation 4 Pro and the Xbox One X, al

15、ong with a slew of AAA releases in all major genres, such as Call of Duty: WWII (shooter), FIFA 18 (sports), Horizon Zero Dawn (role playing and action-adventure) and PlayerUnknowns Battlegrounds (battle royale). Meanwhile, PC and mobile platforms served up a smorgasbord of titles for every demograp

16、hic in between with Opus Magnum, Fortnite and Lineage 2 Revolution. INDUSTRY OVERVIEW GROWTH OF THE GAMING AUDIENCE 2014 I 61% 2015 I 63% 2016 I 63% 2017 I 64% 2018 I 66% 2013 I 58% PERCENTAGE OF GAMERS 6 More players are consolidating their gaming to one or two platforms, with fewer gamers saying t

17、hey played on three platforms. This could be due to influx of more casual gamers who start off on one console before later exploring other platform options. It could also be the result of more established gamers gravitating to one platform experience after having sampled multiple options. WHERE ARE

18、GAMERS PLAYING? % of gamers who play on two device types % of gamers who play on three device types % of gamers who play on only one device type PLATFORM PLAYERSHIP % OF CONSUMERS (AGED 13+) 41% of the general population, aged 13+, are mobile/tablet players. DEVICE TYPEConsolesMobile/TabletComputer

19、38% 18% 17% 42% 38% 38% 48% 13% 46% 40% 2016 2017 2018 Copyright 2018 The Nielsen Company7 60% 40% 2018 CONSOLE PLAYERS GAMING ON MOBILE/TABLET DEVICES WHICH OF THE FOLLOWING, IF ANY, DO YOU PERSONALLY PLAY GAMES ON? % OF CONSOLE GAMERS (AGED 13+) Gaming on a mobile or tablet The majority of console

20、 players (60%) continue to embrace mobile and tablet gaming, albeit at a slightly lower rate than in 2017, when 62% of console gamers also played on mobile or tablet devices. Looking at the long-term trend, mobile and tablet gaming has gained ground overall, rising from 46% in 2013 to 60% in 2018, s

21、ignalling sustained health in the mobile-gaming ecosystem. MOBILE AND TABLET 46% 54% 2013 50% 50% 2014 57% 43% 2015 66% 34% 2016 62% 38% 2017 Not gaming on a mobile or tablet 8 PLATFORM PREFERENCE AMONG GAMERS WHICH OF THE FOLLOWING DO YOU MOST PREFER TO PLAY GAMES ON? % OF CONSOLE, PC AND MOBILE/TA

22、BLET GAMERS (AGED 13+) The blockbuster launch of Nintendos Switch console, along with releases of more- powerful versions of so-called 8.5 gen consoles, including Sonys PlayStation 4 Pro and Microsofts Xbox One X, likely cut into the popularity of PC gaming. In addition, the computers tradition as a

23、 platform for more avid gamers may have contributed to its decline in share of overall preference as new gamers enter the market. Nevertheless, the PC historically has a core group of players who passionately prefer the platform for gaming. PLATFORM PREFERENCES GAMING CONSOLE Xbox One X, PlayStation

24、 4, Wii U, Xbox 360, Wii, PlayStation 3, Switch, etc. MOBILE DEVICE Smartphone or tablet COMPUTER 47% 49% 2017 2018 26% 30% 27% 21% Copyright 2018 The Nielsen Company9 INCREASING OVERALL AWARENESS OF CONSOLES Historically, each console launch is typically supported by advertising and marketing campa

25、igns that go into the hundreds of millions of dollars. Last year saw the release of two new consolesthe Nintendo Switch and the Xbox One X. Ads flooding mainstream channels, including Nintendos Super Bowl advertising debut spot in 2017, have boosted awareness across gamers and non-gamers alike of ne

26、arly all major gaming consoles in the market. Awareness among the general population of the Nintento Switch, for example, more than doubled year-on-year, while those who have heard of the Xbox One X nearly tripled. Overall, 86% of the general population age 13 years or older in 2018 have heard of at

27、 least one of the current generation consoles, up from 82% a year earlier. 10 AWARENESS OF CURRENT GENERATION CONSOLES 59% Xbox One X 54% Xbox One /Xbox One S 48% Nintendo Switch 72% PlayStation 4 29% PlayStation 4 Pro 14% None of the above 37% PlayStation 4 Pro 66% Xbox One X 64% Xbox One /Xbox One

28、 S 78% PlayStation 4 58% Nintendo Switch 7% None of the above PlayStation 4 Pro 15% Nintendo Switch 29% Xbox One X 45% PlayStation 4 60% 35% Xbox One /Xbox One S 28% None of the above GENERAL POPULATION (AGED 13+) GAMERS (AGED 13+) NON-GAMERS (AGED 13+) Copyright 2018 The Nielsen Company11 Microsoft

29、 Corp.s November 2017 launch of the Xbox One Xbilled as “the worlds most powerful console”significantly elevated the devices profile, particularly among avid gamers who already own an 8th Gen console (Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4) and are looking for an upgrade. To tap into that demand,

30、console manufacturers launched mid-cycle updates to their 8th Gen devices with Sony introducing the PlayStation 4 Pro in November 2016, followed a year later by Microsoft with the Xbox One X. While more powerful and more expensive than their earlier counterparts, these updated consoles use the same

31、operating system as their base counterparts, allowing consumers to play their existing library of games on the upgraded device. Nevertheless, PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 4 Pros positions as the overall market leaders have helped them to gain appeal in 2018 among owners of prior generation consoles

32、 looking to enter the current generation. Although the fervor for the Switch has somewhat diminished a year after the consoles launch, it continues to perform well, selling 14.9 million units worldwide in the first 10 months of launching, according to Nintendo, making it one of the fastest-selling g

33、ame consoles in history. General Population (Aged 13+) Gamers (Aged 13+) 20% 14% Microsoft Xbox One/ Xbox One S 23% 16% Nintendo Switch 24% 17% Sony PlayStation 4 22% 14% Sony PlayStation 4 Pro 22% 15% Microsoft Xbox One X HOW LIKELY ARE YOU, OR ANYONE ELSE IN YOUR HOUSEHOLD, TO BUY EACH OF THE FOLL

34、OWING GAME SYSTEMS?* DEFINITELY/ PROBABLY WILL BUY 12 Among the most pronounced and historically persistent characteristics of the gaming population is the divide between PC gamers and console gamers. Those who prefer to play on consoles have a strong preference for physical packaged media, but tend

35、 to spend less time playing than players who prefer PCs. The opposite is true of PC gamers, who vastly prefer digital media and who tend to spend more time playing games. PC gamers also tend to spend more money on games than console gamers. Over the past year, however, those preferences have become

36、slightly less pronounced as publishers continue to enhance the appeal of their digital shops with more titles and improved user experiences. Spending on games jumped significantly across all player groups in 2018 compared to 2017, except for console gamers who prefer digital purchases. Meanwhile, ti

37、me spent on games declined for all player groups except for PC gamers who prefer physical discs. PHYSICAL VS DIGITAL Copyright 2018 The Nielsen Company13 VIDEO GAME FORMAT PREFERENCE Console Gamers (Aged 13+) 66% 34% PC Gamers (Aged 13+) 29% 71% Prefer Physical Prefer Digital WHICH OF THE FOLLOWING

38、TYPES OF CONSOLE GAMES/COMPUTER GAMES DO YOU MOST PREFER? WEEKLY GAMING HOURS OVERALL GAMING TIME 5.0 6.4 Console Gamers (Aged 13+) PC Gamers (Aged 13+) 6.0 7.6 Prefer Physical Prefer Digital IN A TYPICAL WEEK, HOW MANY HOURS OF YOUR LEISURE TIME DO YOU PERSONALLY SPEND ON VIDEO GAMES? MONTHLY $ SPE

39、ND ON VIDEO GAMES PC Gamers (Aged 13+) $38 $15 $23 $15 Console Gamers (Aged 13+) Prefer Physical Prefer Digital IN A TYPICAL MONTH, ABOUT HOW MUCH MONEY DO YOU SPEND ON VIDEO GAMES? 14 2 Gamers are spending about the same amount of their leisure time as last year playing video games or engaging in e

40、sports activities. Copyright 2018 The Nielsen Company15 Gamers have devoted a remarkably stable portion of their leisure time to video game activities over the years. This year, gamers are spending 11% of their leisure time either playing video games or engaging in esports. As in past years, gaming

41、time falls behind time spent on television programming, movies and Internet activities, which include social networking. Interestingly, time spent on in-person social activities captured more share this year among gamers, pointing to a potential for content creators to further engage gamers through

42、social or group play experiences. EVOLUTION OF THE GAMER PLAYING TIME, PURCHASING HABITS AND THE WAY GAMERS ARE USING CONSOLES 11% OF U.S. GAMERS LEISURE TIME IS SPENT ON VIDEO GAMES. 16 11% 2018 OVERALL TIME SPENT GAMING IN A TYPICAL WEEK, ABOUT HOW MANY HOURS OF YOUR LEISURE TIME DO YOU SPEND ON V

43、IDEO GAMES? 11% 2013 12% 2014 12% 2017 11% 2015 11% 2016 SHARE OF WEEKLY LEISURE HOURS, GAMERS (AGED 13+) Copyright 2018 The Nielsen Company17 Internet (General WHAT ARE THE MAIN REASONS FOR THIS REDUCTION? (GAMERS, AGED 13+) 29% I play free games or trials 28% Games I currently own keep me engaged

44、21% There hasnt been a new video game that Ive been interested in 20% I typically wait for games to be discounted Copyright 2018 The Nielsen Company25 Viewership in gameplay videos, once considered niche, has grown considerably in recent years, with millions of viewers tuning in to both livestreamed

45、 gaming and pre-recorded videos. When it comes to watching gaming content, fans continue to turn to YouTube as their main source of video, with nearly seven out of ten gamers this year turning to YouTube and its livestreaming YouTube Gaming service, launched in 2015. This year, Twitch continued to g

46、ain momentum after having overtaken GameSpot in 2017 as the second-most popular source of gameplay videos. WATCHING GAMING CONTENT 69% OF GAMERS WATCH GAMING-RELATED CONTENT ON YOUTUBE. 26 WHERE DO YOU TYPICALLY GO TO WATCH/VIEW ANY OF THE FOLLOWING TYPES OF GAMING-RELATED VIDEO? AMONG GAMERS (AGED

47、13+) WHO HAVE WATCHED GAMING-RELATED VIDEOS IN THE LAST 12 MONTHS TOP 5 VIDEO SERVICES 2017 YouTube 70% Twitch 19% ESPN 17% GameSpot 17% IGN 15% 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 2018 YouTube 69% Twitch 21% GameSpot 19% ESPN 19% Steam 14% 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Copyright 2018 The Nielsen Company27 WHICH OF THE FOLLOWING SOCIA

48、L NETWORKING SITES, IF ANY, ARE YOU A MEMBER OF? SOCIAL MEDIA MEMBERSHIP Facebook 79% 82% Twitter 40% 47% Instagram 45% 51% Pinterest 41% 43% General Population (Aged 13+) Gamers (Aged 13+) Gamers generally are more likely to be members of social media than the general population, favoring Facebook

49、as their top social media destination. This year, Instagram overtook Twitter in popularity, claiming 51% of gamers compared to Twitters 47%. Snapchat 29% 33% 28 3 Copyright 2018 The Nielsen Company29 To unlock more value for players for each generation of hardware, manufacturers have introduced mid-cycle launches. Sony kicked off the latest upgrade