The gaming industry is the fastest growing media industry in the world. With more than 2 billion gamers, it has surpassed film and TV with revenues of about $100 billion in online business earnings.
Its growth potential is enormous, but for marketers it can be hard to see where to focus their efforts. Should they target teenage males? Or should they give attention to women who are older than 25? And what about other demographics like education level, income bracket or location? The following article will try to answer all these questions by exploring different types of gamers and identifying some profitable niches that you may not have considered before.
What are the different types of gamers in the world, and which group of them brings in the highest levels of revenue?
The gaming industry has a wide range of consumers, from casual mobile gamers to people who dedicate hours every day to their favourite games. In terms of revenue, the most profitable group of gamers are those who play on desktop or laptop computers. These gamers are typically male, aged 18-34, with a college education and a monthly income varying depending grossly based on age. The average starting salary of a US college graduate is around $55 000 per year – check out our learn how to become a game designer article for more information on this.
However, other groups of gamers can be profitable too. For example, women over the age of 25 make up a large proportion of mobile gaming revenue. And although teenage boys still dominate console gaming, there is growth potential in other demographics like older women. If you already know how to become a game designer, then read this article to maximise on the profits.
Does age or gender matter to find a good niche?
Age does matter when it comes to the gaming industry. As mentioned earlier, teenage boys are the most dominant group of gamers when it comes to console gaming, and they also have some of the highest spending power. This is partly due to the fact that they have more disposable income as mommy and daddy are paying for everything.
The group with the largest collective revenue, however, are adult males above 18 years old. They spend an average of $65 per month on games.
Gender also matters when it comes to gaming. A recent study showed that 48% of gamers are women, but they tend to play less frequently than men do. This is because gaming has been historically perceived as a recreation activity for young males.
Education and jobs can also play a factor on gamers’ spending habits. Gamers with higher education naturally have more money available to them.
Which game niche is the most profitable for internet marketing?
When it comes to attracting big spenders, console gaming is the way to go. This is because hardcore gamers who play on consoles tend to spend more money on games than any other type of gamer. In fact, the average monthly spending for a console gamer is $85, which is significantly more than the $65 that desktop and laptop gamers spend.
One reason for this is that many console gamers are what are called “power users”. They play games for hours on end, and they’re always looking for the newest and latest releases. They’re also willing to pay extra for exclusive content or early access to games.
Mobile gaming is the next best option for gamers with high spending power, followed by PC gamers. Casual mobile games are popular among anyone who has a smartphone, but they tend to be less profitable than console or desktop games. The flip side is that it’s a lot cheaper to design mobile games than it is to design console or PC games.
What kind of gamer spends the least amount on a monthly basis?
The gamers that spend the least on a monthly basis are those who play casual mobile games. These tend to be non-gamers who play only occasionally, and they usually spend under $20 per month. In fact, 72% of mobile gamers spend less than $20 on games per month.
Do older gamers spend more than younger ones? Do “gamers” spend more than “non-gamers”?
Another factor that can affect how much a gamer spends is their level of engagement with the game. Gamers who play daily and stay in touch with the gaming community are more likely to spend money on games than gamers who don’t. This is because they will have limited access to the game until they “unlock” it by buying extra content, avatars or features.
Non-gamers are harder to target with advertisements and whatnot since they don’t visit gaming websites or forums as frequently as people who do.
Youtube gaming has also added a lot of different options to find profitable game niches. Many streamers also produce gaming blog style videos to create “let’s play” style content as a new way to advertise games. This is great for the average affiliate marketer, who now has additional platforms to promote games as opposed to just through gaming news sites.
Which profitable gaming niche should I target?
When it comes to attracting big spenders, console gaming is the way to go. This is because hardcore gamers who play on consoles tend to spend more money on games than any other type of gamer which makes for a huge market.
When it comes to getting the biggest possible market share as an indie game developer, PC and mobile games are the way to go. Casual mobile games are popular among anyone who has a smartphone, but they tend to be less profitable than console or desktop games. These types of games are also more easily featured on popular gaming channels.
The cheapest platforms to design games on are mobile and PC games, so if you’re on a tight budget, this is the way to go. Do keep in mind that because it’s so cheap to get in here, it’s quite a saturated niche. It’s also hard to get your mobile games on a gaming channel, as these are primarily focused on one game style (PC’s).
As always, there is no “one fit all” type answer that will show you which is the best niche for you to develop your games in. It’s always better to focus on quality and the love of game design rather than the art of making money.
The most profitable niches are PC style strategy games that can constantly be updated to provide more content. A good example of a game provider who employs such a strategy is Paradox studios.
Summing it up
Find your target audience and focus your affiliate marketing to getting the most out of them. People spend money on games quite easily, and as long as you develop an interesting and challenging game, you’ll make money online on any platform you choose (Google Play, Consoles, PC, Mobile, …,).