Today, more than 40 percent of Internet users are also gamers. The term ‘gamer’ here is defined as anyone interested in gaming and who enjoys this particular activity on one or more devices. Among this audience, 63 percent are male, and 37 percent are female.

When it comes to smartphones, however, each gender is equally likely to play games on their phones, showing how important this device is when it comes to appealing to new gamers. Slightly less than 50 percent of millennials play games on any device, with approximately 25 percent of Gen Zs and Gen Xs included in the same category.

Unsurprisingly, baby boomers are not a group big on gaming, with just four percent classed as gamers. Latin American gamers are the strongest group, with their interest in the activity unmatched anywhere. Close to 50 percent of all Latin American users are classed as gamers, which is 12 percent more than MEA. But when switching continents, we see very different gaming trends. In New Zealand, besides the popular games, the online casino games genre has attracted a lot of players. Using the information we have, we’re going to look at the biggest trends in gaming across the globe.

The Console Comeback

Gaming has been traditionally linked to PCs/laptops and consoles. While we’ve seen an increase in smartphone owners over the past decade leading to more smartphone gamers, console manufacturers are continuing to add to their version of the gaming experience.

Nostalgia Triggers

While only 16 percent of U.S. and UK Internet users experienced a nostalgic feeling from console games in the past year, it was especially the case among 16-34-year-olds. We’ve seen nostalgia used effectively in the film industry for years, with movie studios such as Disney achieving staggering box office numbers from its live-action movies based on classic animated features.

In the same way, the act of remastering games allows developers an opportunity to re-sell classics to new audiences, while they also appeal to older audiences who helped make these games classics in the first place.

Cloud Gaming

While there are multiple services on the market, Google’s first foray into gaming with Stadia marks the very first solely dedicated cloud gaming device without a need for a console. While buying a console calls for a financial outlay, the $119 cost for Stadia is an advantage over its competition. With Stadia, there’s a monthly payment required to use it. Approximately, one in five UK and U.S. Internet users have said they’d pay a maximum monthly fee of £/$10 for such a source. The price model is not dissimilar to Amazon Prime and Netflix.

Microsoft and Sony’s next-gen consoles, however, could well be a test of Stadia’s staying power. To compete with these consoles in the long-term, Stadia will have to make great use of its broadcasting features and continue to add to its library in order to satisfy its expanding audience.

Broadcasting

In 2019 alone, Twitch reached more than $1.5 billion in revenue, generating thousands of houses of user-generated content. Broadcasting is now as relevant to gaming as are game releases and hardware. In just a single month, 20 percent of Internet users viewed a live gaming stream, increasing to 30 percent among gamers.

After the 2013 announcement of the PS4, typical performance and visual upgrades were overshadowed by Sony’s Share button. This button was a convenient addition, as it allowed gamers to instantly capture gaming content. Gamers could then share it to their social media accounts...