Almost every product and brand has undergone a change as today more number of people are online than at any point in history. Today people not only search for products but also compare and purchase them online. The gaming industry is not immune to this phenomenon. Let us look at how the gaming industry has been affected as new technologies and faster internet connections have proliferated. However, do keep in mind that the digital shelf life of any video game is no more than one year.
These days no one buys a video game on instinct. In fact serious gamers read and research about the game for almost six months before it is officially launched. They not only download the game but also download/read reviews and also buy updates and newer features that are released after the initial release. Keeping this in mind smart video game companies are adapting to the recent changes and have changed their marketing strategies accordingly. Smart companies launch their games differently and also promote the game for long durations to keep in touch with the gamers. This rewards them by driving sales northwards. A study was conducted on the gaming industry and here are the key findings.
- There is almost 18 to 20 percentage increase in game related search on desktops and laptops. However, on handheld devices like tablets this figure reaches an astounding 168 percent. One explanation for this is that there is far more competition and increased number of game titles.
- Before buying a game, gamers prefer to take a sneak peak, watch videos of the game, or play trial versions six months before its official launch.
- Almost 20 percent of purchase related searches are done on mobiles.
- Gamers don’t just buy games but they also stay connected to the game. Content related to games is viewed by a significant number of gamers. Before buying games buyers usually read several reviews.
- Longer engagement with the end users provides gaming companies an opportunity to push sales. The number of clicks an ad receives during a pre launch promotion of the game indicates the probable sale post-launch. For example if a game received 250000 clicks on its ad during the pre-launch promotion phase then the game will sell between 2 to 4 million units post launch.
So what do these finding tell us. Well, it means that the longer the engagement with the gamers the greater the sales. Longer engagements also afford companies sufficient time to influence buyer’s decision.
Companies need to stay connected with buyers during the entire life cycle of the game. This engagement has to occur across all platforms like laptops, desktops, and handheld devices.
These are just some of the findings. In case you want to know more then you can download the full whitepaper from Think with Google.