Gaming In The Mainstream: The Future Is Now
“That’s what I love about these video games, man. I get older, they stay the same age.” — Matthew Mcconaughey, maybe.
Congratulations! If you’re reading this, you’re in the timeline in which video games have finally become mainstream.
Unless you’re a devoted gamer, you’ll be forgiven for not knowing about the silent revolution that’s been happening within the gaming world these past few years. Yes, you might’ve noticed a little more buzz taking place around your favorite games. Perhaps your favorite Twitch stream has become slightly more crowded. Maybe, for some reason, you’re feeling more comfortable sharing with a coworker that you own several max-level Horde characters on World of Warcraft.
This is not a coincidence.
Gaming as a culture and pastime has seen a major explosion in the past decade, becoming as popular — if not outright surpassing — more traditional media such as sports, books, and cinema. Goldman Sachs’ research division goes as far as saying that video games are currently in the midst of a renaissance.
Looking at the numbers, it’s hard to argue: for example, online gaming traffic is projected to increase by an incredible 1008% over the short span of 5 years. By comparison, the total online internet traffic is projected to increase by ‘only’ 189%.
This is only the tip of the iceberg. Major upturns are present in every single aspect of the gaming world; whether it’s eSports, streaming, and overall industry profit — they’re all exponentially increasing and are not showing any sign of slowing down.
This begs the question: why gaming? Why now? Although the answer isn’t clear cut, we’re able to paint a general picture.
Mobile gaming as a “gateway drug”
Admittedly, to be considered a gamer nowadays, all one has to do is to pick a smartphone and download Angry Birds. The bar of entry into being considered a ‘gamer’ low, but that is not to say meaningless. Mobile (and by extension casual) gaming are arguably responsible for increased acceptance of the ‘core’ gaming scene, and for its popularity.
Mobile gaming still reigns supreme as far as profits go, easily surpassing the revenue of PC and Console games at a very impressive $46.1 billion (as of 2017). The reason is relatively simple: literally anyone can jump in; initial investment is low compared to a PC or Console that may cost up to hundreds of dollars. Moreover, mobile games require relatively little time and patience, making it ideal for anyone who has a few minutes to spare.
“But video games are for children!” No, Karen, that is factually incorrect. The ease of developing mobile games, in addition to their incredible variety, all contribute towards their popularity across all age groups. PC gamers in the US tend to be older and affluent, with an average age of 38 years. They’re also just as likely to be men as they are women. Whether it’s slinging angry fowls or filling in a crossword with friends, there is something out there for everyone.
Mobile gaming, moreover, is arguably the reason ‘core’ gaming took off as much as it did; not unlike a gateway drug, modern mobile games often introduce players the ropes to some of the pastime’s more competitive features. The advent of Clash of clans, Dungeon Hunter, and the like helped shape the discussion around video games by acclimatizing players with more engaging content. This led to more people migrating from the comfort of their smartphones to the big screen, where their newfound hobby could be further expanded upon.
The end result, however, was changing the stigma which had enveloped the concept of “gaming”: the more mobile games grew in popularity, the less taboo the concept became. It should come as no surprise, then, that concurrent rise of both mobile and ‘core’ games are not coincidental: mobile gaming had single-handily revitalized an entire industry.
Putting the ‘e’ in ‘eSports’
As of today, Twitch viewership easily rivals that of traditional sports networks as ESPN. In 2016, more people watched League of Legends than the NBA finals. Leading companies such as Facebook, Time-Warner, and even Alibaba are pouring millions of dollars in the ever-growing eSport scene — and for good reason.
Much like its viewership, revenues are also skyrocketing: eSports revenues have quadrupled since 2014, when they were still considered an oddity by most. Entertainment pundits were quick to dismiss competitive gaming as a childish fad, only to be proven incredibly wrong. Even ESPN’s president John Skipper has changed his tune from outright denying their viability towards embracing its potential.
These trends haven’t gone unnoticed by large brands and traditional enterprises. Brands as Coca Cola and Intel have been among the first to sponsor eSports events and teams. Major telcos and ISPs were next to join in, with Vodafone partnering with ESL and T-Mobile partnering with Overwatch league.
There is no denying the popularity of video games in the realm of spectator sports. So much so, that as a bid to attract more viewers, eSports are being seriously considered for admission in Tokyo’s 2020 Olympic games. Imagine playing League of Legends in the service of your country!
There’s so much more to watch
Video game viewership isn’t limited to competitive eSports, however. Twitch streamers are breaking milestones of their own: just last month the streamer “Ninja” had managed to amass a record of 680,000 concurrent viewers on his channel, and is estimated to be earning around one million dollars a month. These are exciting news both for the industry and for aspiring streamers, showing there’s money to be made doing what you love.
Although Amazon-owned Twitch currently reigns supreme in gaming video content, YouTube has also made strides in the past couple of years with YouTube Gaming. The latter hasn’t quite caught up to its rival in terms of eyeballs, but it’s pleasing to know that the big-name players are committed towards getting a piece of that sweet gaming pie.
Gaming — the new frontier
Whether it’s PCs, consoles, or viewership: revenues from every aspect of video games are on the rise. Gaming is the fastest growing form of entertainment, already reaching mainstream status. Major brands and companies simply can’t afford to miss out on taking part in it all.
Bold new ventures in every facet of gaming ensures its longevity for years to come. As the new chapters of the gaming industry unfold, one thing is perfectly clear: this is a good time to be a gamer.
