전 세계적으로 비디오 게임 업계는 2020년의 격변기에 가장 잘 대처한 업계 중 하나였을 것입니다. 소비자들이 집에 머무르면서 참여도가 급증했을 뿐만 아니라, 업계는 소비자들의 참여를 유지하기 위해 할 수 있는 모든 노력을 기울였습니다. 브랜드 크로스오버 이벤트, 가상 콘서트, 유명 인플루언서의 참여는 코로나19 백신으로 사람들이 다시 한 번 오프라인에서 서로를 만날 수 있게 되었음에도 불구하고 줄어들 기미가 보이지 않는 상승세에 불을 지폈습니다.
Engagement with video games was growing well before the pandemic, powered by growing mobile connectivity and a surge in free-to-play games. Yet when you add 10 months of time at home, the growing abundance of ways to engage with video games and video game content have further cemented video games in consumers’ lives. And somewhat oddly, many consumers say they’re spending more time engaging via their mobile devices despite global mobility restrictions throughout the year.
봉쇄 조치가 한창일 때 미국 소비자의 55%는 코로나19와 그에 따른 제한 조치로 인해 비디오 게임을 플레이하고 있었습니다. 2020년 2분기 닐슨 총 시청자 보고서에 따르면 18세 이상 미국 성인 중 83%에 달하는 실시간 및 시간대별 TV 시청자 비율과 비교하면 이 통계는 더욱 인상적인 수치입니다.
But consumers didn’t stop at spending more time with video games. They outspent on games as well. That might be underwhelming under normal circumstances, but through the lens of a global pandemic with widespread health and financial ramifications, it’s illuminating. Early in the year (January and February), game earnings were up just 6%—and that was before COVID-19 truly took hold in the U.S. As the year progressed, game earnings nearly doubled, rising to 14% for the rest of the year.
Importantly, consumers interact with games in ways that go beyond playing them directly. Many audience members watch games as often as they play. Largely popular with Millennials, gaming video content (GVC) is online video content about games. While 71% of Millennial gamers reported watching GVC late last year, the entire audience for GVC grew 18% to 1.2 billion people this year, generating more than $9 billion in revenue. Live stream provider Twitch has played a leading role in furthering engagement with GVC, as it helped battle royale platform Fall Guys: Ultimate Knockout become a breakout hit in August, as it went on to sell 8.2 million units on PC in one month. And after Twitch streamers popularized online social deduction game Among Us, it went on to attract the highest monthly player base of any game in history.
But video gaming has even grown to transcended entertainment: today, as a result of global movement restrictions, video games represent a newfound way to stay in touch with people and make new friends. Research from SuperData, a Nielsen company, found that roughly one in four (27%) U.S. residents used video games as a way to stay in touch with other people in 2020. And with many areas around the globe reintroducing lockdown scenarios, video games present a virtual platform for social interaction—and more. With social distancing still very much a factor in daily lives, free-to-play video games like 포트나이트 그리고 Roblox have become virtual gathering hotspots, aided by increasing presence from musicians and public figures.
포트나이트 enjoyed massive success for its in-game live events in 2020: singer-songwriter Travis Scott held a series of five virtual concerts throughout the year that attracted more than 45 million viewers; in November, Lil Nas X performed a concert in Roblox that gathered more than 33 million views. But the appeal of these gaming platforms spans beyond musicians: For example, in the U.S., Congresswomen Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Ilhan Omar streamed Among Us alongside popular Twitch streamers.
Entertainment and political figures aren’t the only ones to bridge connections through the virtual realm of the video game industry in 2020. Realizing the need to do more than use in-game ads and sponsorships, brands continue expanding their reach through an array of popular video games. Animal Crossing: New Horizons, for example, attracted the Biden-Harris campaign, which offered gamers the opportunity to deck out their island homes with official Joe Biden yard signs. Meanwhile, the NFL’s Detroit Lions used Animal Crossing: New Horizons to debut its 2020 game schedule while 포트나이트 continued building on its crossover success with an epic, several-month-long event with Marvel Comics.
There is no doubt that the unique circumstances of 2020 elevated the video game industry’s ability to engage new and existing users, particularly through a wealth of creativity and collaboration. The arrival of vaccines to combat COVID-19 are very welcome signs of hope, but they will not induce a sudden pullback in video gaming. While the video game industry was trending upward well before the pandemic, research suggests that 10 months of new behavior (during the pandemic) is far longer than it takes for it to become the norm. According to findings from health psychology researcher Phillippa Lally, new behaviors become automatic after an average of 66 days. 2021 will be a welcome new chapter for many around the world, but brands should remain focused on engaging consumers where they spend their time—and money.
For additional video gaming insights, download SuperData’s 2020 Year in Review report.
