Online gaming has become a major growth industry over the last two decades. From a niche market at the turn of the millennium to a multi-billion-dollar entity, gaming is now bigger than ever. As great as this is for all involved, rapid growth can cause issues when it comes to targeting key demographics. Indeed, big data is more popular than ever. However, making the best use of what’s available isn’t always easy.
This issue is particularly prominent in the gaming industry because of the massive amount of data available to business. According to Accenture, the video game industry has “some of the richest customer data available.” Because gamers want instant access to content anytime, anywhere, developers and operators have a myriad of data points from which to collect information.
Gaming Has Become Multidimensional
As per Accenture’s report, 80% of gamers use more than one device. Of those that use more than a single device, 55% use all available platforms, while 19% use mobiles and PCs. The remaining percentages use either mobiles and consoles or PCs and consoles. Put simply, single-platform gaming is now a thing of the past. This dynamic has two consequences. Firstly, it’s forced brands to become more homogenous. Instead of having divisions between types of content and devices, each product has to flow from one medium to another. The second consequence is that is that it has homogenised the gaming community.
“Traditional segmentation no longer captures a deep enough view of the gamer. No gender dominates the gaming world. 46% of gamers are women, and everyone plays everything,” reads Accenture’s report.
Put simply, there are no typical games, gaming devices or gamers anymore. Companies across the industry are slowly tapping into this idea. An obvious example is video game giant Nintendo. Sensing that players want more flexibility, the company released the Switch in 2017. Essentially three gaming devices in one, the product has proved to be a commercial hit, so much so that the Nintendo Switch 2 is rumoured to be in development.
Across the gaming spectrum, Mr Green has also embraced the idea of homogenisation and data analytics. In the early days of online betting, operators tended to keep casino, poker and sports separate. Today, however, an operator like Mr Green has distilled everything into a single platform that’s available across all devices.
Using Modern Technology to Redefine the Lines
Because everything has been stitched together, gaming companies are using the latest technology to enhance their marketing efforts. Because there isn’t just one type of gamer, it’s harder for businesses to sift through the big data they have an identify patterns and trends. To help target its marketing moves, Mr Green has partnered with NetEnt and Ve Global.
As a games developer, NetEnt has a global database of information on player tendencies and preferences. To complement this, Ve’s Demand Side Platform (DSP) technology has the power to filter and analyse datasets on a granular level. From this, Mr Green can personalise its marketing material and improve retention by targeting specific groups within the wider gaming community.
This type of business strategy is one that’s likely to become increasingly common within the industry over the next decade. Because gaming has become a multi-faceted activity, the amount of data available to operators is huge. However, with this cross-platform fluidity comes the problem of homogenisation and the blurring of lines between demographics. Indeed, without being able to identify a core “type”, targeting any promotional material is tough. This is why big data analytics is crucial for any company wanting to stay competitive not only in the gaming industry, but the business world as a whole.
