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New Livewire report finds gaming is No.1 entertainment channel of choice for Gen Alpha, Gen Z and Millennial generations
Brands must master immersive, playable gaming experiences to engage the Next Gen
A new study from Livewire, the global gaming marketing and gametech company, has found that gaming is the entertainment channel of choice across the Gen Alpha, Gen Z and Millennial generations. But brands that want to capture attention must adapt to create immersive, playable experiences.
The 2024 Next Gen Attention study surveyed 1,801 gamers across the UK, US and Australia, and explored the difference in expectation, habits and gaming consumption across the three generations. It found that while gaming is the ultimate form of entertainment across these groups - beating out traditional and modern entertainment media - the younger Gen Alpha and Gen Z have different expectations, and are more welcoming of brands in gaming.
The Next Gen, defined as Gen Alpha and Gen Z combined, enjoy branded moments in games by nearly 20% more, compared to Millennials. Immersive experiences are also an increasing expectation, with interactive moments (65%) and playable experiences (69%) on the rise through characters, skins, world-builds, interactive billboards, playables, rewarded videos and more.
Gen Alpha are significantly more likely to purchase after seeing a brand in-game than the older cohorts. They’re also the most committed to gaming, with 70% of Gen Alpha gaming at least 4-5 times a week, while Gen Z align more closely in their daily gaming habits with Millennials.
Collectively, Gen Alpha and Gen Z, are increasingly accepting of brands in and around their gaming moments, with Gen Alpha having experienced brands in-game from the outset and Gen Z witnessed the overlap between media and technology. This is leading to increased branded purchases too - over 15% more than Millennials.
The report also found that while video is still king, Next Gen audiences are no longer gaming just to play. They want ever-lasting social connection and, as they get older, competition. The expectation for brands is to bring that social connection out of the game and into their whole digital world, fueling the culture through video. By contrast, Millennials are playing for play.
Tom Simpson, CEO of Livewire said: “The next generation are different from any we’ve seen before. Tech-natives raised in gaming, this is a generation that does not primarily consume media via downward-scrolling flat social-media screens. They exist in immersive, interactive, playable digital spaces. And this means how brands talk and engage with them has to be completely different too – it’s now about items, immersive ads, playability and experiences in expansive digital worlds. It’s the fundamental unit of marketing attention that’s being disrupted, not just the core marketing channel.”
See below to view the full report.