Games discovery and conversion Navigating between generations in the 2020s
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The 20,000 Foot View: The 2020s population is split between digital natives and older digital migrants, which shapes how consumers discover and convert to new games. Younger consumers are more likely to discover via channels and formats pioneered by digital natives, such as creator coverage and social media feeds. Older consumers remain more likely to discover via traditional word of mouth and formal reviews. Games discovery and conversion now depends upon planning and building around the generational nuances of discovery.
Key insights
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of consumers discover games via social media feeds, the same as word of mouth, traditionally considered the most important marketing tool
and over discover via social media feeds and word of mouth (social media skews younger and word of mouth older), with clear implications for campaign optimisation
- Digital native tactics (e.g., creator reviews, Discord) still niche but point to future of games discovery
- Formal reviews creator recommendations are both niche but of the former are and of the latter are
- More consumers games from social media ads YouTube or Twitch ads with activities nearly equally distributed across natives and older consumers
- Free trials the key driver of trying games at penetration, though the skews towards those over at of of consumers consider online multiplayer to be a key driver of trying a new game (of which are digital natives)
- Metaverses present opportunity for discovery and conversion, for digital games distributors who increasingly need to give consumers reason to hang around, rather rely on appointed purchase intent
Companies and brands mentioned in this report: App Store, Discord, Epic Games, Netflix, Peloton, PlayStation Now, Polystream, Spotify, Steam, Twitch, Xbox Game Pass, YouTube, Zoom