By the end of 2017, the global gaming market will reach a value of nearly USD 109 billion. These are the forecasts presented in the Global Games Market Report by Newzoo. In Poland alone, this amounts to nearly PLN 1.9 billion.
This figure comes as no surprise, considering last year's Polish Gamers Research study, which found that as many as 69% of Polish internet users are active gamers. 32% are people aged 13-24, a group that is extremely difficult to reach through marketing. The same percentage (32%) are people with the highest purchasing power, aged 25-34. More than half (54%) of respondents declare that they play on a smartphone or tablet.
It is no wonder, then, that marketers have been investing in gamer-focused activities for some time now, and the largest corporations have entered gamer advertising. So how do you plan your brand's presence in the gaming world to achieve success?
Currently, the most popular method of establishing a presence in the segment is in-game advertising (IGA), which most often takes the form of investment in banner ads displayed during gameplay. It is a cheap method, but unfortunately not effective enough. The human brain is wired to ignore some of the data it absorbs daily. This is known as banner blindness. We experience it, for example, while browsing websites – we only notice information that genuinely interests us, and everything else is filtered out.
You can also create your own game for a specific brand based on commercial goals, such as increasing the number of brand fans or familiarizing users with new services and products. This is called advergaming. Undoubtedly, this form comes with higher costs than an average mobile app. Especially if the game is complex, multi-level, and features attractive graphics. That is why mainly large companies use this type of marketing.
Additionally, despite investing significant funds in game production, this approach carries a high risk of failure. Gamers above all appreciate the idea and the ability to create an engaging game. However, it often happens that even the best ideas go unnoticed due to weak or ineffective promotion of the title.
For brands that want to reach gamers directly, so-called Game Rewards Platforms – loyalty services aimed at gamers – can be an excellent alternative. This form is taking the market by storm and benefits both companies and gamers themselves. How does it work? Brands, through the platform, reward players with virtual items or virtual currency in games in exchange for completing specific tasks. These can be tasks shared within the games themselves, participation in contests and promotional campaigns on the partner's website, or even the purchase of physical products in a store.
Polish gamers eagerly participate in this type of activity. The Polish Gamers Research study shows that we like to spend little or virtually nothing on video games. As many as 67% of respondents admit that they played a free-to-play title in the past month.
The most popular games in the world are online games such as Hearthstone, League of Legends, and World of Tanks. Tens of millions of gamers play them for free, and publishers earn money from selling add-ons, such as those that allow you to change a character's appearance. Some cost several hundred euros, and not every gamer can afford that. We help players obtain upgrades without spending money
- SAYS BARTEK JĘDRYCHOWSKI, MANAGING DIRECTOR AT GAMEKIT, THE WORLD'S LARGEST LOYALTY PLATFORM FOR GAMERS, OPERATING IN POLAND UNDER THE NAME DOGRY.PL.
Within 4 years, over 14 million users registered on the platform, including more than 11 million outside Poland. The service operates in 15 markets, with the key ones being the USA, Germany, France, and the United Kingdom. The platform receives 50 million views per month, and users have claimed rewards with a total value of over EUR 2.1 million (USD 2.4 million).
