1、GAMING: THE NEXT SUPER PLATFORM A NEW WAVE OF SOCIAL-SEEKING GAMERS IS DRIVING INDUSTRY GROWTH TO THE NEXT LEVEL The gaming market just keeps getting bigger. It has surpassed movies and musiccombined. It is popular in every corner of the globe, with all ages, and with all demographic groups. Gamers

2、are spending more and more time engaged in play, and increasingly its a social and community activity. The limits on this growth remain uncharted. This ongoing market expansion has huge implications for the many businesses operating within the gaming ecosystem, including developers, distributors, co

3、ntent creators, and game platforms. In this overview, we explore the industrys rapidly growing revenue streams, the drivers of growth, the changing demographics of the gaming universe, and the increasing importance of gamings social interactions. To get started, lets consider a few numbers: In simpl

4、e terms, these figures all add up to one thing: opportunity for those businesses ready to make the commitment. This is the first in a series of three articles exploring gamings explosive growth. Well look at the factors driving the industry forward, some of the challenges that such rapid growth gene

5、rates, and how gaming companies can navigate the opportunities and challenges ahead. the estimated number of gamers worldwide in 2021. Accentures estimate of the direct and indirect value of the gaming industrymuch higher than previous industry estimates. the number of subscribers on YouTube to the

6、top-ten gaming influencers. 2.7 billion 405 million $300+ billion While gaming represents $ 200B in direct spend, it influences another 100B+ Gamings economic reach and impact The impact of gaming on entertainment and culture globally is also significant spanning successful movie franchises, arena-

7、based tournaments, toys and more. And innovations born in gaming are being widely used in other sectors too, from medical and defense to corporate training and education. In fact, one of the fastest growing parts of the Roblox platform is K-12 education. The whole concept of gamification, now widely

8、 applied in many industries, uses game design mainstays like badges, points, and rankings to educate and engage users. Meanwhile, were seeing gaming platforms evolve into digital social platforms where players can meet, communicate, watch live-streamed events, listen to music, and make purchases. Wi

9、despread adoption of smartphones globally is bringing in new players to the gaming world. And mobile will continue to enable new opportunities within gaming that simply didnt exist even just a few years ago. But rather than cannibalizing existing markets for console and PC gaming, the industry has a

10、dapted by increasingly emphasizing gamings social dimension. As this happens, were seeing new levels of engagement, with different groups turning to online competition. During the pandemic, for example, we saw some the worlds leading race- car drivers competing online, and top chess players adopting

11、 Discord, a communications platform. Some industry leaders have recognized that gaming is no longer a product-centric industry. Instead, theyre becoming continuous service-oriented businesses that put customer experience first. And that means in order to realize its full potential, the gaming indust

12、ry must balance the needs of its newest adopters and the 400 million new gamers expected within the next few years with the expectations of historical gaming loyalists, many of whom are still the industrys most lucrative customers. Whats driving this massive growth? 6 Global Rank CountryRevenue ($B)

13、 % Global revenue # of gamers % of gamers 1China$51B26%929M35% 2 United States $48B24%219M8% 3Japan$24B12%75M3% 6 United Kingdom $7B3%40M1% Everywhere, all the time So who are todays 2.7 billion gamers? To better understand their perceptions, needs, and motivations, Accenture collected data from 4,0

14、00 of them (people defined as playing video games for an average of four hours or more per week) across four of the largest markets for gaming: China, Japan, US, and UK. Combined, these markets represent 47% of all gamers globally and 64% of all direct consumer spend on gaming. At least 14 other mar

15、kets, including South Korea, Germany, France, Canada, Italy, and Spain, generate more than $1 billion in consumer-related revenue. And gamings popularity is surging elsewhere, particularly in Latin America, Middle East, and many southeast Asian countries with a mobile-first profile. Our research sho

16、ws that the stereotype of young men making up the majority of gamers is wide of the mark. Mainly as a result of widespread mobile adoption, there are now nearly as many female gamers (46%) as there are male (52%), with 2% identifying as gender non-binary or opting not to answer. Played 5+ years, 79%

17、 Played 1-4 years, 21% Male, 52% Female, 46% Other, 2% Sales A new face for gaming GenderExperience Twenty-one percent of gamers have only been playing for four years or fewer these are the hundreds of millions of new gamers who are helping to drive the industrys growth especially in mobile. As they

18、 join the gaming community, they are also changing it. Their profiles are quite different across demographic characteristics such as age, gender, and ethnicity from those whove been playing for years. Todays new gamers are younger on average: 32 years old vs 35 for those playing for five or more yea

19、rs. While 30% of new gamers are under 25, only 21% of experienced gamers fall within that age range. We also see a greater representation of females in new gamers: they account for 60% of new gamers, as opposed to 39% of experienced gamers. And one-third of new games identify as non-white, compared

20、with only 24% of those whove been gaming for longer. A new face for gaming Welcome to social gaming People are gaming across consoles, mobile devices, and PCs. While the relative popularity of different gaming genres varies by device, first-person shooter, role-playing, multiplayer online battle are

21、na and battle royale-style games are the most popular. More than half of gamers indicate theyve played cross- platform games, with new gamers (60%) significantly more likely to have done so than experienced (50%). But just as significant as what theyre playing and the devices theyre using, is who th

22、eyre playing with. The social side is a big and growing attraction. Eighty-four percent say video games help them connect with people who share their interests. And theyre gaming to meet new people, too. Thats become even more important during COVID-19, with three-quarters of gamers saying that more

23、 of their social interactions now take place on one gaming platform or another (look at Discords massive growth during the pandemic as a platform for both gaming and social interaction). Overall, its clear that video games have played a critical role in helping gamers to stay in touch with friends.

24、Percentage who agree or strongly agree with each statement Gamers are spending an average 16 hours a week playing, eight hours a week watching or participating in game streams, and six hours a week interacting in game forums and communities. Its not an escape from the real world. For many gamers, it

25、s obvious that this immersive world is just as real. The distinctions between playing a game and social interaction are blurring, if not completely disappearing. As this symbiosis between the gaming and social worlds picks up pace, were seeing social interactions become one of the key drivers behind

26、 online gamings impressive growth. About three in four gamers (both new and experienced) indicate that they expect online gaming to become a larger part of their experience in the future. Gamers expect increased gaming and online interactions, finding the right fit of players is key Percentage who a

27、gree or strongly agree with each statement 3% 6%26%39%27% With gamings explosive growth, expansion of use across demographics and increased customer desire for social interactions, gaming companies must increase their focus on the user experience. Gaming is no longer product- centric. Its a service

28、industry and, as cross- platform and social interactions become increasingly pervasive, what users see and do will make all the difference. Percentages may not total 100 due to rounding. MORE LIKELY TO PLAY IF THE GAME IS SOCIALLY RESPONSIBLE From product to service: new value-add user experiences w

29、in out AgreeCompletely agreeDisagree Completely disagreeNeutral 66% As online and social aspects of gaming increasingly define the whole experience, the industry must speed the move from a focus on franchise IP / content to see itself in the business of providing a continuous end-to-end service with

30、 positive customer experiences and gamer happiness the overriding priority every step of the way. Overall, the gaming industry looks set to continue on its unbeaten run to record a winning score. But with so many diverse new gamers joining all the time, theres bound to be some challenges in creating

31、 an experience that everyone enjoys. And thats what well look at in the next article in this series. From product to service: new value-add user experiences win out About Accenture: Accenture is a global professional services company with leading capabilities in digital, cloud and security. Combinin

32、g unmatched experience and specialized skills across more than 40 industries, we offer Strategy and Consulting, Interactive, Technology and Operations services all powered by the worlds largest network of Advanced Technology and Intelligent Operations centers. Our 537,000 people deliver on the promi

33、se of technology and human ingenuity every day, serving clients in more than 120 countries. We embrace the power of change to create value and shared success for our clients, people, shareholders, partners and communities. Visit us at . This content is provided for general information purposes and is not intended to be used in place of consultation with our professional advisors. Copyright 2021 Accenture. Accenture and its logo are trademarks of Accenture. Thank you