Table of Contents
Executive Summary
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- Most consumers play video games, and single-player remains popular
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- Figure 1: Ways of playing video games in past three months, December 2019
- Consumers do watch others play video games but are still the minority
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- Figure 2: Video game viewing behaviours in past three months, December 2019
- There is different demand for what games to play vs what to watch
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- Figure 3: Video games played vs games watched, December 2019
- Cloud-based gaming has good potential, but gamers have concerns
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- Figure 4: Interested in using cloud-based gaming platforms, by type of gaming device, December 2019
- Many aspire to succeed in esports and live video game streaming
- What it means
The Market – What You Need to Know
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- Hardware is no longer a barrier to entry for gaming
- Home internet is getting faster with higher limits
- 5G networks mean faster mobile speeds
- Video game streaming channel battles are part of a larger competition
- In-game advertising creates another option for brands
Market Factors
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- Hardware is no longer a barrier to entry for gaming
- Home internet is getting faster with higher limits
- 5G networks mean faster mobile speeds
- Video game streaming channel battles are part of a larger competition
- In-game advertising creates another option for brands
Key Players – What You Need to Know
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- The value of esports and streaming
- How esports players and streamers get paid
- Concerns about an esports bubble
- Video game retailers are being pushed out by digital gaming
- 2020 will be a year of new consoles
- New entrants into the gaming industry
What’s Working?
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- The value of esports and streaming
- How esports players and streamers get paid
Challenges
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- Concerns about an esports bubble
- Video game retailers are being pushed out by digital gaming
What’s Next?
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- 2020 will be a year of new consoles
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- Figure 5: Xbox Instagram Post, December 2019
- Figure 6: PlayStation Instagram Post, January 2020
- New entrants into the gaming industry
The Consumer – What You Need to Know
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- Video game playing habits
- Video game viewership
- Video game categories and channels
- The potential of cloud-based gaming
- Game streaming and esports as a hobby or career
Video Game Playing Habits
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- Most consumers are playing video games
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- Figure 7: Devices used to play video games in past three months, December 2019
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- Figure 8: Played video games in past three months, by age, December 2019
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- Figure 9: Devices used to play video games in past three months, by gender, December 2019
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- Figure 10: Devices used to play video games in past three months, 18-34s: Asian vs overall, December 2019
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- Figure 11: Razer Instagram Post, January 2020
- Figure 12: Played video games in past three months, by region, December 2019
- Online gaming has momentum but has not yet taken over
- Single-player games are still relevant, while multiplayer shifts online
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- Figure 13: Ways of playing video games in past three months, December 2019
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- Figure 14: Play video games on their own, by age, December 2019
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- Figure 15: Multiplayer gaming: online vs in-person, by age, December 2019
- Online gaming skews heavily to young men
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- Figure 16: Play video games with/against other people online, by age and gender, December 2019
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- Figure 17: Play video games with/against other in the same room, by age and gender, December 2019
Video Game Viewership
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- Some gamers are watching others play, but are still in the minority
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- Figure 18: Video game viewing behaviours in past three months, December 2019
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- Figure 19: Video game viewing behaviours in past three months, by age, December 2019
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- Figure 20: Watch video games (streaming or esports), by age and gender, December 2019
- Watching video games is primarily for entertainment
- Gaming streams and esports offer unique value to viewers
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- Figure 21: Reasons for watching video games, December 2019
- Esports fans take the competitions seriously
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- Figure 22: Durham College Lords Instagram Post, October 2019
- Watching video games is competing with playing video games
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- Figure 23: Reasons for not watching video games, video game players vs overall, December 2019
Video Game Categories and Channels
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- Popular games to play are not always popular to watch
- Puzzle games are the most commonly played video games
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- Figure 24: Video games played, December 2019
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- Figure 25: Video games played, by age, December 2019
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- Figure 26: Video games played, by gender, December 2019
- Battle royale games have a high demand for watching
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- Figure 27: Video games played vs watched, December 2019
- YouTube is the leading source for watching video games
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- Figure 28: Platforms used to watch video games, December 2019
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- Figure 29: Mixer Instagram Post, August 2019
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- Figure 30: Platforms used to watch video games, gaming streams vs esports viewers, December 2019
The Potential of Cloud-based Gaming
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- Many video game players are interested in cloud-based gaming
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- Figure 31: Currently subscribe to a video game library, by age and gender, December 2019
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- Figure 32: What is Stadia and How it Works – Everything You Need To Know Before Launch, October 2019
- Figure 33: Interested in using cloud-based gaming platforms, by type of gaming device, December 2019
- Lag is a concern for some consumers
- Most consumers have sufficient hardware
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- Figure 34: Own a personal computer capable of running modern games, by household income, December 2019
Game Streaming and Esports as a Hobby or Career
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- Streaming is a goal for many video game viewers
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- Figure 35: Streamed myself playing video games in the past three months, by gaming activities, December 2019
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- Figure 36: Hope to have a successful game streaming channel one day, by age and gender, December 2019
- Esports is seen as an attainable goal for many
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- Figure 37: Hope to be a competitive esports player one day, by age and gender, December 2019
Appendix – Data Sources and Abbreviations
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- Data sources
- Consumer survey data
- Consumer qualitative research
- Abbreviations and terms
- Abbreviations
- Terms
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