There have been 28 million new mobile gamers across the US since March 2020, according to a new report by Facebook Gaming.
Moreover, thanks to COVID-19, it was not just the US that experienced a boom in mobile gamers as many people worldwide turned to the platform as a means of entertainment.
It is interesting to note that new players seemed to put more hours into mobile games, and were more open to playing with friends and family online.
As for why people chose mobile games, the top three cited reasons are to relieve stress, pass the time and to get a sense of accomplishment. However, world immersion and competition were also noted.
While the US may have seen a staggering 28 million new players, those that picked up the hobby in Germany and the UK were just as likely to take part in in-game social activities.
Furthermore, the UK and Germany boasted 8.6 million and 6.5 million new gamers, respectively. Moreover, the former country experienced the greatest growth at 50 per cent increase.
However, it was found that when choosing a game, familiarity is vital with less than a quarter of people trying titles they’d never heard of.
Catch those ads
Meanwhile, when it came to advertising, those that were surveyed preferred to see the main gameplay from a title and the characters found within. This was a common want across both new and existing players.
Overall, mobile gamers are open to in-game purchases. However, it was found that newcomers are more likely to splash some cash than established players. Interestingly, more veteran players spend money, yet still don’t match up to the spendings of new players.
Moreover, due to players being involved in both in-game and out-of-game activities, there is a new opening for marketers to hit a new audience.
Unpredictable year
“Our latest Facebook Gaming Marketing Report showed that the unpredictable nature of 2020 led to a significant increase in gaming audience and player engagement, with over 28 million new gamers joining the community in the US alone and live-stream gaming hitting a billion hours for the first time,” said Facebook vice president of global gaming Rick Kelley.
“All indications are that this boost is not a flash in the pan and this latest report offers marketers insight into new gamer preferences, behaviour shifts and advice on how to engage with these growing audiences through awareness and social connection.”
Overall, Facebook Gaming’s report featured feedback of 13,246 respondents. They were found across the US, Canada, Japan, France, Brazil, South Korea, Germany, Vietnam and the UK.
