New data indicates that gaming is set to hit new heights, as lucrative older demographics drive the adoption of mobile gaming, and the huge amount of spend on that device group.

Why it matters

Gamers aren’t always who we think they are, and while the culture of gaming proper is alive and well on Twitch and, of course, the games themselves, it’s critical for marketers to remember the many people – often older than they typical gamer – who play games online. Many don’t even think of themselves as gamers.

What’s happening

Vogue Business reports new figures from Data.ai – here are the highlights to know:

• Gen X and Boomer gamers now account for a quarter of top grossing US games
• Mobile gaming to pass 60% market share by spending in 2022
• Worldwide, there are as many as 2.7 billion gamers, a figure likely to keep rising.
• Versus the average, UK and US Gen-Z, respectively, are 1.7 and 1.9 times more likely to play on Roblox.

Deeper context

For advertising, this is still nuanced territory. Given the huge number of different types of ads, it is well worth engaging with the sentiment scores towards each. The main reaction remains negative, but there are some signs that gamers are softening to ads, especially

Credit: WARC.