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Roblox not roadblocks – the rise of gaming

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Gaming is one of the fastest growing entertainment categories in the world. In fact, the global revenue of gaming was over €155bn ($180bn) in 2020, more than revenue from movies and North American sports combined in the same year. And this surge won’t stop as the world recovers from COVID-19 – there will be over 3bn gamers by 2023 (source: Newzoo), that is 39% of all humans on earth!

Despite the extremely sophisticated gaming technology and its growing zeitgeist, the industry itself is still an unexplored territory for brands and advertisers to navigate. In addition to the plethora of games brands could have a presence in, there are different ways to engage with players. From in-gaming advertising and commerce, esport sponsorship, influencer partnership to creating a whole new IP, gaming is a fast-moving and complex industry with a global community who wants authentic and meaningful experience.

"Gaming has changed the media landscape forever. Brands can engage with their existing and future customers in ways that wouldn’t be possible in the real world. We launched dentsu gaming to not only help brands capitalise on the emerging potential of gaming, but also become part of a cultural touchstone."

Thomas Le Thierry, EMEA CEO, Media
dentsu international

We can’t talk about gaming in 2021 without mentioning the metaverse - a term that was originally coined in a 1992 science fiction novel and arguably the word of the year.

How do we define metaverse

An extension of the internet into an open ecosystem made of hybrid, shared spaces that blend physical, digital, and virtual realities. It enables participants to maintain a sense of presence that persists across these spaces and to take part in immersive experiences that have the potential to scale, expand and interoperate with one another.

Read more about our view on the future of metaverse.

Whether it’s through video games, metaverse or immerse technology, both B2B and B2C brands are presented with new opportunities for businesses to reimagine their branded experiences in the digital world. Our team in Italy recently worked with global retail brand United Colors of Benetton and brought its brand, iconic knitwear and its focus on sustainability on Animal Crossing.

What should brands do in 2022?

As the gaming opportunity grows, brands will flock to this space and fight for players’ attention. It’s important for brands to be natural and authentic in the way they connect with gamers, integrating and improving the gaming experience.

Brands who are serious about investing in gaming should first immerse themselves into the gaming culture and better understand this rapidly growing form of entertainment. They should also see their investment as building a long-term presence in gaming and creating meaningful exchange with gamers rather than as one-off activations. Global skateboarding apparel brand Vans launched an interactive skateboarding playground Vans World on Roblox bringing skateboarding, fashion and community permanently onto the metaverse.

No game is the same, no gamer is the same. Working directly with influencers and agencies with gaming expertise to further understand the ecosystem is a good start for brands to explore different opportunities. For those who have already embarked on the gaming journey, 2022 should be the year where you reimagine your marketing mix and customer experience with gaming in mind to incorporate gaming across the customer journey. Read more about our 2022 Media Predictions.

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