How Brands Can Reach and Reward Gamers: A Playbook

In September 2013, a new entertainment industry milestone was reached and it had nothing to do with TV program viewership, album sales or opening weekend at the box office. A new record was set when the release of the 14th installment of the video game, Grand Theft Auto, earned $800 million in worldwide sales in its first 24 hours. It was the biggest launch day ever for any piece of entertainment.

Gaming is already bigger than Hollywood. According to a report by research and consulting firm Accenture, the gaming industry is valued at more than $300 billion – more than the combined markets for movies and music. In 2020, over 214 million people in the U.S. reported playing video games at least one hour per week, and three-quarters of all U.S. households include at least one person who plays video games.

Gaming grew even bigger during the coronavirus pandemic, so it’s not surprising that more companies want a piece of the action. In January 2021, Microsoft reported $5 billion in quarterly revenue from gaming for the first time, in part because of a new generation of Xbox consoles.

According to Accenture, 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. Clearly, there is a huge opportunity for brands who want to reach this audience. It just has to be done in a way that doesn’t interrupt the experience that brought them to the game in the first place.

Get a free download of our new playbook, Reach and Reward: How Brands Can Win With Gamers to learn about how brand sponsors can successfully engage with players inside their favorite games while enhancing their experience.