yougov.com
VIDEO GAMING
& ESPORTS
GAMING AND
ESPORTS: THE
NEXT GENERATION
YouGov analysis of the global video games
and esports landscape
4 YOUGOV.COM Gaming and Esports: The Next Generation
With the arrival of the next generation
of consoles, the release of major titles
such as The Last of Us: Part II and
Marvel’s Avengers, and new entries into
the competitive multiplayer landscape
such as Valorant, journalists and
analysts predicted that 2020 would be
an important year for the gaming and
esports industries.
Thanks to COVID-19, they were more right than they knew.
Data from YouGov shows that on average, four in ten gamers
have been playing more during the coronavirus outbreak than
they were last year.
Beyond the pandemic, gaming’s success in 2020
is an extension of its increasing significance as
a force in worldwide entertainment: one with
revenues that comfortably exceed those of the
global film, TV, and digital music industries.
Our data shows that in all but two of the 24
international markets we surveyed, a majority of
consumers are gamers in some form or another.
In this white paper, YouGov combines syndicated
Plan & Track data with custom research to examine
this large and valuable consumer group across
24 global markets. In five of these markets, we
have conducted an extended ‘deep dive’ survey to
gain a deeper understanding of the preferences
and behaviours of gamers – whether they play on
mobile devices, consoles, or PCs, and whether
they watch competitive FIFA games on YouTube or
Fortnite streams on Twitch.
Among other things, our research explores the
next generation of gaming consoles, global
familiarity with gaming video content (GVC) and
streaming, the evolving esports landscape, and
the short and long-term impact of COVID-19.
INTRODUCTION
Frequency Australia Germany Singapore UK US
More 44% 31% 47% 43% 40%
About the same 40% 52% 32% 42% 42%
Less 11% 8% 12% 8% 11%
Don’t know 5% 8% 9% 7% 7%
Compared to last year, how much more or less are you playing video games on any device (PC, console,
mobile/tablet, etc.), during the COVID-19 outbreak?
Gaming and Esports: The Next Generation YOUGOV.COM 5
Do you play video games or mobile games on any device?
Market Gamers Non gamers Not sure
Denmark 45% 52% 4%
Norway 45% 52% 3%
France 51% 46% 3%
Sweden 51% 46% 3%
Iraq 57% 33% 10%
Malaysia 60% 36% 4%
Saudi Arabia 61% 27% 12%
Italy 62% 35% 2%
Germany 64% 33% 3%
UAE 65% 29% 6%
China 67% 27% 6%
Spain 67% 31% 2%
UK 67% 32% 1%
Egypt 68% 24% 9%
Vietnam 70% 26% 3%
Hong Kong 71% 28% 2%
India 71% 26% 3%
US 71% 27% 2%
Australia 72% 26% 2%
Singapore 76% 23% 2%
Indonesia 77% 21% 2%
Taiwan 77% 20% 3%
Philippines 80% 18% 2%
Thailand 82% 16% 2%
6 YOUGOV.COM Gaming and Esports: The Next Generation
Platforms: Console, PC, and Mobile Gamers
Gamers by platformWhile next generation consoles have dominated
much of the gaming discussion over the past
several months, mobile gamers are the largest
gaming audience.
In every market we explored, mobile gamers
– those who play on a smartphone or tablet –
comfortably outnumbered console and PC gamers.
Germany, for example, has twice as many mobile
gamers as console gamers (47% vs. 23%).
South and South East Asian countries generally
have a higher percentage of mobile gamers and
a lower share of console gamers. In Thailand, just
12% play on consoles compared to 78% who use
a smartphone or tablet; in India, the proportion is
12% vs. 67%.
Our data shows that the leading markets for
console gamers as a proportion of population are
Hong Kong (32%), Spain (29%), the US (28%), the
UK (28%), and Australia (27%).
And while industry conversation tends to focus
on Sony, Microsoft, and Nintendo systems, our
findings demonstrate that in most of these
countries, PC gamers outnumber console
gamers. In Taiwan and China the gap exceeds 20
percentage points.
The wider uptake of PCs could be attributed to
its sheer variety of games that appeal across a
broader range of genres and demographics. It
is a platform that at the higher end can service
demanding, graphically-intensive titles such
as Red Dead Redemption II, competitive team-
based games such as League of Legends, and
pre-installed mainstays such as Solitaire and
Minesweeper.
Companies targeting these markets should bear in
mind relative populations.
Market Mobile Console PC
Norway 36% 18% 18%
Denmark 39% 9% 15%
France 41% 18% 23%
Sweden 41% 18% 22%
Germany 47% 23% 33%
Iraq 51% 10% 17%
Saudi Arabia 52% 20% 22%
UK 52% 28% 25%
Malaysia 56% 14% 28%
Spain 56% 29% 33%
UAE 57% 21% 28%
Australia 58% 27% 37%
Egypt 58% 14% 34%
Italy 58% 24% 23%
US 59% 28% 32%
China 61% 16% 45%
Hong Kong 63% 32% 34%
India 67% 12% 34%
Taiwan 71% 26% 46%
Indonesia 72% 15% 37%
Singapore 72% 21% 33%
Philippines 77% 13% 44%
Thailand 78% 12% 34%
Gaming and Esports: The Next Generation YOUGOV.COM 7
What kind of games do PC gamers play?
Germany US UK
Pre-installed games (such as Solitaire, Hearts, Minesweeper) 31% 39% 27%
Games that are played for free online through a gaming or social
networking website (such as Armor Games, Pogo, Farmville)
49% 49% 30%
Games that need to be installed or downloaded (such as League of
Legends, Minecraft, World of Warcraft)
65% 59% 75%
8 YOUGOV.COM Gaming and Esports: The Next Generation
We asked smartphone gamers – those who
play on mobile devices excluding tablet
computers – in each market how often they
play and categorised them as:
• Light gamers: who play for less than one
hour a week
• Moderate gamers: who play for 1 - 10
hours a week
• Heavy gamers: who play for 10 to 25 hours
a week
• Heavy+ gamers: who play for over 25
hours a week
Moderate gamers account for over half of
smartphone players in every country.
There is more variation in other markets:
China and Taiwan, for example, have the
lowest proportion of Moderate gamers
(52% China; 54% Taiwan) and the highest
proportion of Heavy+ smartphone gamers
(15% in both markets). China also has the
highest proportion of Heavy smartphone
gamers (22%) and has the second-lowest
proportion of Light gamers (10%).
As a general rule, markets where Heavy and
Heavy+ gamers are overrepresented have
correspondingly low proportions of Light
smartphone gamers.
How often do smartphone gamers play?
Market Light Moderate Heavy Heavy+
Thailand 8% 64% 20% 8%
China 10% 52% 22% 15%
Taiwan 11% 54% 19% 15%
Vietnam 12% 61% 19% 9%
Indonesia 13% 63% 16% 6%
Philippines 14% 56% 17% 12%
Hong Kong 15% 57% 20% 8%
Egypt 17% 56% 17% 7%
India 17% 65% 13% 3%
Malaysia 17% 61% 15% 6%
France 18% 65% 14% 3%
Spain 18% 66% 13% 3%
Iraq 19% 59% 13% 5%
Italy 19% 62% 15% 3%
Saudi Arabia 19% 57% 17% 4%
UAE 19% 60% 16% 3%
Singapore 20% 58% 15% 5%
US 20% 56% 18% 5%
Australia 22% 60% 15% 2%
Germany 22% 63% 11% 3%
Sweden 22% 58% 14% 2%
UK 25% 60% 12% 2%
Denmark 26% 58% 11% 1%
Norway 26% 62% 8% 1%
Smartphone gamer level by market
Gaming and Esports: The Next Generation YOUGOV.COM 9
Gaming, gaming video content and esports in the US
Marketers should not assume that gamers, those
who watch game streams, and esports fans
will always neatly overlap. Though gaming is
the common denominator, many players do not
engage with esports or gaming video content
(GVC); equally, enjoying a game streaming service
does not mean that a player will necessarily
engage with esports.
YouGov’s tools allow us to profile gamers, those
who engage with streaming services, and those
who engage with esports to see how they map
onto each other.
Looking at these three groups in the US, seven
in ten (71%) consumers are gamers, while 47% are
gamers who do not engage with GVC or esports.
A quarter (25%) engage with GVC in some form or
another; interestingly, a small portion (2%) of this
audience engages with GVC alone and do not
game – indicating that watching others play games
is becoming a legitimate pastime in itself.
The game streaming audience (25%) outnumbers
esports fans (7%) by more than three to one, while
the majority of esports fans (6%) also engage with
GVC.
Given esports fans’ motivations for following the
competitive gaming scene, it’s not surprising that
in the US all esports fans are gamers in some form.
Broadly speaking, GVC viewers are a larger group
than esports fans among the markets in this study.
In many cases, the former group is more than
twice the size of the latter group – and (unlike
the US) in some instances it even amounts to a
majority of gamers. As a rule, esports audiences
are larger in countries with a larger GVC audience.
While overlap between the two groups varies,
we can see a few high-level trends across certain
regions. In Anglosphere markets (Australia,
UK, US), the esports audience is more likely
to represent a significant minority of the GVC
audience; by contrast, a clear majority of GVC fans
also engage with esports in East Asian and South
East Asian countries – where GVC engagement
tends to be highest.
GAMERS
47%
ESPORTS
FANS
6%
STREAMING
ENGAGED
17%
1% 2%
1. Gamers (71%)
Play games on any platform
2. Streaming engaged (25%)
Watch and/or stream gaming
video content (GVC)
3. Esports fans (7%)
View and/or attend esports events,
or regularly follow esports
Games, game streaming, and esports engagement in the US
10 YOUGOV.COM Gaming and Esports: The Next Generation
Gaming and Esports: The Next Generation YOUGOV.COM 11
In the past 20 years, three console manufacturers
– Sony, Microsoft, and Nintendo – have dominated
the global market. While Nintendo occupies
its own distinct place in the industry, Sony
and Microsoft have been consistently in direct
competition.
November 2020 will see both brands release
new consoles, marking the beginning of the
ninth generation of console gaming. Focusing on
five key markets, this chapter explores whether
consumers are more likely to buy a new Sony or
Microsoft console at this early stage.
Also highlighted within are some crucial
differences between Sony’s and Microsoft’s
consoles and the respective approaches they are
taking to the ninth generation of gaming.
PLAYSTATION, XBOX,
AND THE NINTH
GENERATION OF
GAMING CONSOLES
12 YOUGOV.COM Gaming and Esports: The Next Generation
The PlayStation 5 ($499 USD) is considered an evolution of
Sony’s strategy for the PlayStation 4 – which outperformed
the Xbox One during the eighth generation thanks to its
line-up of exclusive games, more powerful hardware, and
competitive pricing.
So while the new system is more powerful than the PS4 and
Sony’s marketing has touched on its improved capabilities,
the company’s strategy has largely focused on the console's
game library – with new entries in the PlayStation-only
Horizon, God of War, and Spider-Man franchises taking centre
stage at its recent brand showcases.
The PlayStation 5 Digital Edition ($399 USD) has the same
specifications as the PS5 – but it comes without a disc drive.
A digital-only high-end console was less viable a generation
ago (to the point where, in 2013, a requirement for an internet
connection was enough to stoke controversy) but the market
has changed. Industry data has shown that digital sales have
grown over the PS4’s lifespan, and this has created a space
for a fully discless console.
This will benefit consumers in the short-term – the PS5 Digital
Edition costs less upfront than the PS5. But as Sony does not
share revenue from digital sales with physical retailers, it also
benefits from a consumer group that cannot buy physical
games (including lower-priced pre-owned games).
Both consoles are expected to be backwards compatible with
most titles in the PS4 library, but they are not expected to
offer the same level of compatibility with games from earlier
generations.
SONY: PLAYSTATION 5/
PLAYSTATION 5 DIGITAL EDITION
Gaming and Esports: The Next Generation YOUGOV.COM 13
The Xbox Series X ($499 USD) has more advanced graphical
capabilities than the PS5: with 12 teraflops to Sony’s 10.28, it
has been marketed as the most powerful console ever made.
In several countries, it is retailing at the same price as the
disc-based version of Sony’s console.
The Xbox Series S ($299 USD) has less powerful hardware
and is unable to play games in 4K – but it is available at a
significantly lower price point.
Both Xbox consoles will offer extensive backwards
compatibility, supporting all Xbox One games (except those
that require the Kinect Sensor) and a wide range of games
from earlier generations.
While Halo Infinite’s delay has robbed the Series X | S of a
major launch title, it and many more games are on the way.
Following criticism over the Xbox One’s lack of exclusive
titles, Microsoft has made a number of notable acquisitions
to bolster its library. These include Obsidian Entertainment,
Double Fine Productions, and perhaps most notably, Zenimax
Media/Bethesda Softworks – a major publisher that operates
six studios and owns popular franchises such as The Elder
Scrolls, Fallout, Doom, and Wolfenstein (among others).
Whether these franchises will also arrive on other platforms
remains to be seen.
To bolster its offering to customers further, Microsoft has also
announced that every first-party game it publishes will be
available on its Game Pass subscription service – which offers
access to a large library of first and third party games for a
flat monthly fee – from Day 1. It is a move that signifies the
company’s intent to move away from its “console wars” with
Sony and towards pulling customers into the overall Microsoft
ecosystem – regardless of the system they choose to play on.
MICROSOFT: XBOX SERIES X/
XBOX SERIES S
14 YOUGOV.COM Gaming and Esports: The Next Generation
YouGov BrandIndex's daily tracking of
consideration for the PlayStation and Xbox
brands suggests that Microsoft’s move away
from the “console wars” narrative could be to its
benefit. There is evidence to suggest that while
PS5 holds an advantage among early ninth gen adopters
PlayStation actively benefits from its own events,
Xbox’s marketing has recently been more likely to
negatively affect its competitor than it is to benefit
the console itself.
PlayStation vs. Xbox consideration scores among US console owners - July - October 2020
50
45
40
35
30
25
20
15
10
5
0
02 JUL 20
09 JUL 20
16 JUL 20
23 JUL 20
30 JUL 20
06 AUG 20
13 AUG 20
20 AUG 20
27 AUG 20
03 SEP 20
10 SEP 20
17 SEP 20
24 SEP 20
01 OCT 20
PlayStation
Xbox
July 23 - Xbox
Games Showcase
August 6 -
PlayStation State
of Play event
August 20 - First
global PS5 ad
September 9 -
Xbox Series X/S
pricing confirmed
September 22 -
Xbox Series X
pre-orders begin
September 16 -
PS5 showcase event
with price reveal
Initially, we surveyed consumers about their intent
to purchase either the PS5 or the Xbox Series X
before Microsoft announced the Series S. Our
data indicated that, at least where the higher-end
consoles SKUs are concerned, Sony has the early
advantage in several markets. (survey data was
collected before Microsoft announced the Series S
version and price).
PlayStation’s lead from the eighth generation
appears set to carry through to the ninth in
Australia. There is an eleven percentage point gap
between gamers who are likely to buy a PS5 (31%)
and those who are likely to buy an Xbox Series X
(20%).
Our data shows that as well as retaining much of
its current customer base in the early stages of
the next generation, PS5 is also gaining traction
among those with access to an Xbox.
When you are in the market next to purchase a consumer electronics product, from which of the following
would you consider purchasing? (%)
Gaming and Esports: The Next Generation YOUGOV.COM 15
Australia: Net likelihood to buy a PS5 or Xbox Series X in the 12 months after launch
PlayStation 5
Xbox Series X
6
0%
50
%
4
0%
3
0%
20
%
10%
0%
Nat repAll gamers
Has access
to PlayStation
Has access
to Xbox
Has access to
Nintendo console
Sony has recently announced it will be launching its newest PlayStation, the PS5, at the end of 2020. Microsoft
has also announced that it will be launching its newest Xbox 'Series X' in November 2020. How likely are you
to buy the new PS5 or the Series X within 12 months of launch? (% who answered “Very/Somewhat likely”)
16 YOUGOV.COM Gaming and Esports: The Next Generation
Germany: Net likelihood to buy a PlayStation 5 or Xbox Series X in the 12 months after launch
PlayStation 5
Xbox Series X
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
Nat repAll gamers
Has access
to PlayStation
Has access
to Xbox
Has access to
Nintendo console
Singapore: Net likelihood to buy a PlayStation 5 or Xbox Series X in the 12 months after launch
Nat repAll gamers
Has access
to PlayStation
Has access
to Xbox
Has access to
Nintendo console
PlayStation 5
Xbox Series X
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
Gaming and Esports: The Next Generation YOUGOV.COM 17
UK: Net likelihood to buy a PlayStation 5 or Xbox Series X in the 12 months after launch
Nat repAll gamers
Has access
to PlayStation
Has access
to Xbox
Has access to
Nintendo console
PlayStation 5
Xbox Series X
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
US: Net likelihood to buy a PlayStation 5 or Xbox Series X in the 12 months after launch
Nat repAll gamers Has access
to PlayStation
Has access
to Xbox
Has access to
Nintendo console
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
PlayStation 5
Xbox Series X
While the extent of the gap varies, the PS5 holds
a consistent lead over the Xbox Series X in the
other markets where we conducted an extended
survey: Germany, Singapore, the UK, and the US.
Interestingly, the country where loyalty to Xbox is
stickiest between the eighth and ninth generations
is the UK, the only market where Xbox users show
a preference for the Series X over PS5.
18 YOUGOV.COM Gaming and Esports: The Next Generation
Series S drives increased consideration of Xbox overall
Despite PlayStation 5’s lead across the higher-
priced ninth gen systems, Microsoft still has reason
to be optimistic about its prospects for the next
generation.
While the PS5 and PS5 Digital Edition are
essentially two versions of the same console –
separated by a disc drive – the more expensive
Series X and the more price conscious Series S are
different systems with different capabilities (and
price points). Both will play the same games, but
they are expected to appeal to more differentiated
consumer groups.
Australia: Net likelihood to buy an Xbox Series X|S (after being informed of the consoles' prices)
Series S
Series X
Nat repAll gamers
Access
to PlayStation
Access
to Xbox
Access to
Nintendo console
50
%
40
%
30
%
20
%
10%
0%
Consumers certainly appear to appreciate having
the option. When Australians are informed of the
respective capabilities and prices of the Series
X and Series S, the Series S holds a small but
consistent advantage in preference. In other
markets, however, the more expensive console
has a slight lead especially among current Xbox
owners. But for the most part, there is a relatively
even split between the two systems.
Microsoft has announced that the more powerful Series X will be priced at Now that you know the price USD
499, how likely are you to purchase it within 12 months of its launch?
Microsoft has announced that the cheaper, less powerful Series S version of its latest console will be priced at
USD 299. Now that you know the price, how likely are you to purchase it within 12 months of its launch? (% who
answered Very/Somewhat likely)
Gaming and Esports: The Next Generation YOUGOV.COM 19
Germany: Net likelihood to buy an Xbox Series X|S (after being informed of the consoles' prices)
Nat rep
All gamers Access
to PlayStation
Access
to Xbox
Access to
Nintendo console
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
Series S
Series X
US: Net likelihood to buy an Xbox Series X|S (after being informed of the consoles' prices)
Nat rep
All gamers
Access
to PlayStation
Access
to Xbox
Access to
Nintendo console
Series S
Series X
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
With the launch SKUs for PlayStation vs. Xbox
being more differentiated than we've seen in
the past, this November and holiday period will
provide a peek into the current console gamer's
psyche. What reigns most important to this
consumer? Brand? Price? Game library? Power?
Add in the impacts of the coronavirus pandemic
on gaming time but also disposable income, and
we are entering a console launch period unlike any
we've seen before. Our data suggests Sony will
benefit from the momentum it earned during the
eighth generation as we move into the ninth, but
Xbox is primed to capitalize on a more budget-
aware consumer who in previous generations may
not have purchased this early in the console cycle.
20 YOUGOV.COM Gaming and Esports: The Next Generation
GAMING VIDEO CONTENT
AND STREAMING
Over the past decade, gaming video content (GVC
has developed its own distinct online subculture,
and even its own celebrities. Millions of viewers
follow their favourite YouTube, iQiyi and Twitch
streamers as they offer commentary on Fortnite,
assume different roles in Overwatch, or play
through Dark Souls III using a jury-rigged toaster –
among many other things.
For an important sub-section of players, watching
video games online has become as much of a
pastime as gaming itself.
This chapter explores the general awareness
of GVC streaming, how viewers engage with
streaming platforms, and the demographics of
people who consume GVC content.
Gaming and Esports: The Next Generation YOUGOV.COM 21
Which gamers are aware of streaming platforms?
Our data shows that awareness of streaming
platforms among gamers varies heavily from
market to market. Twitch, YouTube Gaming, and
Facebook Gaming are the services gamers are
most likely to be familiar with, while InstaGib
TV and Caffeine have low familiarity overall, but
higher levels of awareness in countries like Saudi
Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.
Market Twitch
YouTube
Gaming
Facebook
Gaming
InstaGibTV Caffeine
Iraq 14% 40% 42% 7% 3%
Egypt 15% 39% 53% 10% 8%
India 16% 59% 50% 9% 5%
Vietnam 19% 74% 69% 11% 6%
Denmark 20% 17% 8% 2% 1%
Hong Kong 20% 43% 35% 6% 4%
UAE 21% 51% 51% 9% 9%
Indonesia 21% 72% 46% 7% 5%
Thailand 22% 68% 61% 10% 5%
France 22% 23% 14% 2% 3%
Italy 25% 29% 18% 4% 7%
Malaysia 25% 58% 64% 6% 4%
Saudi Arabia 26% 44% 38% 15% 11%
Singapore 28% 39% 32% 3% 4%
Philippines 28% 66% 80% 3% 4%
Germany 28% 26% 19% 1% 2%
Taiwan 30% 56% 52% 10% 5%
Sweden 31% 26% 12% 3% 2%
Norway 33% 29% 13% 2% 2%
Spain 34% 39% 24% 2% 2%
Australia 35% 36% 31% 5% 5%
US 37% 32% 27% 3% 5%
UK 37% 25% 16% 1% 1%
Streaming platform awareness by market among gamers
As a general theme, Twitch awareness among
gamers is higher in Western markets, while
YouTube and Facebook's gaming sub-sites likely
benefit from halo awareness of their parent brands.
22 YOUGOV.COM Gaming and Esports: The Next Generation
Streaming engagement
across global markets
The proportion of gamers who actively
engage with streaming platforms –
those who watch videos, upload their
own content, or both – varies greatly
from market to market.
YouTube Gaming
YouTube Gaming has significantly higher
engagement than any of its major rivals
in many of our 24 markets.
Its advantage is particularly pronounced
in Southeast Asia. In this region, higher
levels of awareness have translated into
higher levels of engagement. The region
accounts for YouTube Gaming’s top four
markets by engagement: Vietnam (64%),
Indonesia (58%), Thailand (49%) and
Malaysia (48%).
Twitch
Twitch’s engagement at a global level
may be lower than YouTube Gaming,
but in some regions it has a distinct
advantage.
In Scandinavia, for example, it enjoys
higher uptake than YouTube and
Facebook Gaming.
In the UK and US more are aware
of Twitch than they are of any other
platform, and this advantage carries
through to relative engagement, with
Twitch being more commonly used by
gamers in these markets.
Of note, Twitch has more recently set
its sights on expansion into Southeast
Asia, where it has to date had a more
limited on-the-ground presence - so the
gaming world will be watching closely
to see if its success in the West can
be replicated on the other side of the
globe.
Gaming and Esports: The Next Generation YOUGOV.COM 23
Market Twitch
YouTube
Gaming
Facebook
Gaming
India 12% 49% 12%
Iraq 12% 34% 18%
France 12% 10% 4%
UK 13% 6% 2%
Hong Kong 14% 29% 7%
Sweden 15% 10% 2%
Germany 15% 12% 3%
Denmark 15% 12% 3%
Egypt 15% 31% 25%
Indonesia 16% 58% 8%
Italy 16% 16% 3%
Malaysia 17% 48% 17%
Singapore 17% 21% 8%
US 17% 12% 5%
Australia 17% 16% 4%
Vietnam 18% 64% 14%
UAE 19% 41% 13%
Thailand 19% 49% 11%
Norway 20% 10% 2%
Philippines 22% 46% 20%
Spain 22% 15% 5%
Saudi Arabia 25% 38% 14%
Taiwan 25% 41% 10%
Streaming platform engagement among gamers
Facebook Gaming
As a relative newcomer in a space
where companies such as Microsoft
– which shut down its “Mixer” live-
streaming service in June 2020 – have
struggled, Facebook Gaming has lower
engagement than YouTube Gaming in
every market, and lower engagement
than Twitch in every market except
Egypt (25% vs 15%), Iraq (18% vs. 12%)
and Malaysia (17% for both).
This data may have implications for
brands looking to market their products
and services in these markets. In the
Philippines, for example, there is higher
than average engagement across every
service – so a multi-platform approach
may lead to greater rewards.
24 YOUGOV.COM Gaming and Esports: The Next Generation
Australia’s game streaming fans
Who watches streamed gaming video content? It
depends on the market and the platform.
Australia, for example, is a rapidly growing market
in the streaming and esports scenes in the APAC
region – but also one more Westernised than other
countries in the same group.
Looking at the demographics of Australian game
streaming viewers reveals that Twitch’s audience
skews strongly male, with more than seven in ten
viewers being men (72%), compared to six in ten
YouTube Gaming viewers (58%) and just over half
of Facebook Gaming viewers (53%).
Twitch also commands the highest proportion of
its audience being in the 18-24 (31%) and 25-34
age groups (42%), while Facebook Gaming has the
greatest proportion of viewers in the 25-34 (30%)
and 35-44 (35%) brackets.
Twitch’s viewers are also most likely to be single
(47%) and least likely to be married (32%), while the
reverse is true for Facebook Gaming (57% married;
23% single). YouTube Gaming fans are in between
the two (40% married; 37% single).
A relevant buyer persona for the average
Australian Twitch viewer might therefore look like a
single, 25-year old man – while a relevant persona
for a Facebook Gaming fan could be a married 40-
year old man or woman.
Australia: Game streaming fans by gender
Twitch engaged
YouTube Gaming
engaged
Facebook Gaming
engaged
Nat rep
80
%
70
%
60
%
50
%
40
%
30
%
20
%
10%
0%
Male
Female
Gaming and Esports: The Next Generation YOUGOV.COM 25
Australia: Game streaming fans by marital status
Separated Widowed Divorced Living with
partner
Single MarriedIn relationship
but not living
with partner
60%
50
%
40
%
30
%
20
%
10%
0%
Twitch engaged YouTube Gaming engaged Facebook Gaming engagedNat rep
Australia: Game streaming fans by age group
18-24 35-44
45-54
55+25-34
45%
40
%
35%
30
%
25%
20
%
15%
10%
5%
0%
Twitch engaged YouTube Gaming engaged Facebook Gaming engagedNat rep
26 YOUGOV.COM Gaming and Esports: The Next Generation
THE GLOBAL
ESPORTS MARKET
Video game competitions are not a new
phenomenon: Nintendo has held occasional
World Championships since 1990, and informal
Quake and Counter-Strike tournaments have been
mainstays of multiplayer gaming for decades.
Today, esports is a multi-million dollar industry
with its own sponsors, leagues, and competitors.
Formalized league and tournament structures
attracted major investment from within and
outside the industry, driven by the attractiveness
of the audience's demographics and the ever-
growing influence of gaming on youth culture.
More recently, the traditional sport world has
also entered esports in a big way - for example,
English soccer teams have even signed
professional FIFA players to represent them in
international competitions, and the NBA has built
its own league for the popular NBA2K franchise.
But for all that esports has grown in recent years,
it is still unfamiliar territory for many consumers
– and in that sense, it continues to represent an
untapped opportunity for marketers and even
gaming companies - around the globe. This
chapter focuses on consumer attitudes towards
esports across 24 different markets.
Esports familiarity across the globe
A major obstacle - or from another angle,
opportunity - for esports as a commercial
endeavour is the simple fact that many consumers
still do not know what they are.
We asked consumers “which of the following
best describes esports (also known as eSports or
e-sports)?” with the answer options being:
1. Competitive video gaming, primarily in the
form of organized/professional events
2. Playing sports video games
3. Coverage of sports highlights/recaps
4. Never heard of esports
The first answer is the correct one and the
responses show that levels of familiarity with
esports vary greatly from market to market.
Broadly speaking, consumers in East Asia tend to
have the greatest familiarity with it, with seven in
ten people in China (72%), Taiwan (71%) and Hong
Kong (70%) giving the correct answer.
This is perhaps due to a more established cultural
affinity for gaming culture and esports within the
region. In countries such as South Korea – which is
not featured in this study – team-based Starcraft
tournaments have been running for almost 20
years.
On the lower end of the scale, countries in the
Middle East tend to be less familiar with esports:
in Iraq (26%), the UAE (26%) and Saudi Arabia
(31%), three in ten consumers chose the correct
definition.
Nevertheless, more than a quarter of consumers
across all nations are familiar with esports.
This suggests that, regardless of its relative
familiarity, it has a growing foothold on the public
consciousness, although there may be more
esports rights holders and game publishers can do
to build awareness in many of these markets.
Gaming and Esports: The Next Generation YOUGOV.COM 27
Esports familiarity by market
Market Esports familiarity
Iraq 26%
UAE 26%
Italy 28%
Egypt 30%
India 31%
Saudi Arabia 31%
France 33%
Spain 33%
US 34%
UK 37%
Vietnam 37%
Australia 40%
Market Esports familiarity
Germany 42%
Norway 42%
Singapore 46%
Philippines 48%
Sweden 51%
Malaysia 52%
Thailand 54%
Indonesia 57%
Denmark 67%
Hong Kong 70%
Taiwan 71%
China 72%
28 YOUGOV.COM Gaming and Esports: The Next Generation
Are gamers familiar with esports?
Even gamers do not necessarily know what
esports are in all markets. In many markets,
especially in the West, this in part due to more
casual and mobile gamers, who represent a large
and significant group of players – but one also less
familiar with esports.
In the US, for example, fewer than two in five
(38%) gamers can define esports correctly while
the figure in France, (41%), Spain (41%) and the UK
(44%) is only slightly higher.
Two regions’ gamers have much higher familiarity
with esports. In Scandanavia, the figures range
from 58% in Norway to 63% in Sweden and 75% in
Denmark. However, the greatest familiarity is in the
East Asian markets of Taiwan (76%) and
China (79%).
The data suggests that developing an esports
offering may first need to educate prospective
customers – even committed gamers – before
they can effectively introduce and scale their
esports initiatives.
Esports familiarity among gamers
Market
Esports familiarity
among gamers
UAE 33%
Iraq 34%
Italy 36%
India 36%
Egypt 36%
Saudi Arabia 38%
US 38%
France 41%
Spain 41%
Australia 43%
UK 44%
Vietnam 45%
Market
Esports familiarity
among gamers
Germany 48%
Singapore 51%
Philippines 53%
Thailand 58%
Norway 58%
Malaysia 60%
Sweden 63%
Indonesia 65%
Hong Kong 72%
Denmark 75%
Taiwan 76%
China 79%
Gaming and Esports: The Next Generation YOUGOV.COM 29
Among our 24 markets, higher awareness of
esports usually corresponds to higher engagement
– but not always.
If high familiarity countries like China tend to be
more active (79% aware; 47% engaged with esports
in the past 12 months), the rest of the table looks
somewhat different.
Denmark and Sweden, for example, are the top
performing European countries in terms of esports
familiarity. However, when it comes to esports
engagement they rank closer to the bottom (8%
Sweden; 10% Denmark). This suggests that if most
know what esports are, the industry itself has only
penetrated a small part of its overall potential
audience.
In the Philippines, consumers demonstrate upper-
mid-range levels of familiarity (53%) – but over-
perform in terms of engagement (36%). Here
the gap between knowing what esports are and
interacting with them in some form or another is
just 12 percentage points. Compared to a market
like Taiwan, where three-quarters (76%) are aware
but just 38% are engaged, it appears Filipinos are
more likely to embrace these competitions – once
they know about them.
When it comes to the games themselves, those in
the multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) genre,
such as League of Legends, and those in the first-
person shooter (FPS) genre, such as Call of Duty,
are consistently popular among esports fans in
most markets. However, some nuances exist. For
example, in Australia sports titles tend to attract
more attention in the esports scene.
Esports engagement across global markets
Market Esports engaged
UK 6%
Germany 7%
France 8%
US 8%
Sweden 8%
Norway 8%
Denmark 10%
Australia 11%
Italy 13%
Iraq 16%
Singapore 17%
Spain 17%
Market Esports engaged
UAE 19%
Egypt 20%
Saudi Arabia 21%
India 22%
Hong Kong 25%
Malaysia 29%
Vietnam 30%
Philippines 36%
Taiwan 38%
Thailand 39%
Indonesia 40%
China 47%
Esports engagement by country
30 YOUGOV.COM Gaming and Esports: The Next Generation
Esports fans in Singapore and the UK
Comparing those who have engaged with
esports in Singapore and the UK – two very
different markets in terms of their gaming and
esports landscapes – illustrates some of the
commonalities in each country.
Casual viewers – those who say they have a little
interest in esports – make up a substantial majority
in both countries (53% Singapore; 61% UK), with
average/interested viewers making up the second
largest group (21% UK; 26% Singapore). Singapore
has a higher proportion of passionate fans than the
UK (9% to 5%), while both countries have a similar
proportion of people who have engaged with
esports at some point but are simply not interested
(11% Singapore; 13% UK).
It’s a similar story across our other deep dive
markets, with casual fans making up the majority
and the average group being a distant second. The
question for marketers, then, is how to take casual
fans to the next level – and how to turn those
with a middling level of interest into passionate
devotees.
How interested are you in esports?
Passionate/Very interested Average fan/Interested Casual fan/little interested Not a fan/Not at all interested
53%
61%
11%
9%
26%
SINGAPORE
UK
13%
5%
21%
53% 61%
How do esports fans respond to marketing and sponsorship?
Looking at German esports fans - a passionate
and well-established audience driven by a strong
legacy of PC gaming in the market - reveals some
key information about their attitudes towards
marketing and advertising. A comparison to fans
of Germany's most popular sport, soccer, suggests
esports can provide brands opportunities to
engage a receptive, yet also discerning, audience.
YouGov Profiles data shows that esports fans are
more likely than soccer fans to notice the sponsors
of events that they watch (74% vs 58%).
More importantly, while four in ten soccer fans
(39%) are likely to agree that they love it when their
favourite team has cool sponsors, this rises to over
half (54%) of German esports fans.
This preference has commercial implications for
brands looking to target German esports fans.
Sponsorship is so important to them that over half
(53%) agree that if a company sponsors their team,
they will buy its products – compared to three in
ten (31%) of soccer fans.
Gaming and Esports: The Next Generation YOUGOV.COM 31
Germany: "I notice who's sponsoring the sporting events I see"
50%
45%
40%
35%
30%
25%
20%
15%
10%
5%
0%
Esports fans
Soccer fans
Definitely agreeTend to agreeNeither agree
nor disagree
Tend to disagree Definitely disagree
Germany: "I love seeing that my favorite team has cool sponsors"
Definitely agree
Tend to agreeNeither agree
nor disagree
Tend to disagree Definitely disagree
Esports fans
Soccer fans
35%
30
%
25%
20
%
15%
10%
5%
0%
Germany: "If you sponsor my team, I buy your products"
Esports fans
Soccer fans
35%
30
%
25%
20
%
15%
10%
5%
0%
Definitely agree
Tend to agreeNeither agree
nor disagree
Tend to disagree
Definitely disagree
32 YOUGOV.COM Gaming and Esports: The Next Generation
German esports fans: marketing and advertising attitudes
There may even be benefits to developing
ongoing sponsorships with esports teams in the
vein of Liverpool’s long-standing partnership with
Standard Chartered or Real Madrid’s deal with
Emirates Airlines.
Fans of video game competitions are more likely
to like brands that stick to sponsoring one team.
Multi-team sponsorship has become a more
prevalent approach by brands in esports in recent
years; however, among German esports fans,
this could in fact be potentially diluting positive
sentiment among an individual team's followers.
Germany: "I like brands that stick to sponsoring one team"
30
%
25%
20
%
15%
10%
5%
0%
Tend to disagreeDefinitely agree Tend to agree
Neither agree
nor disagree
Definitely disagree
Esports fans
Soccer fans
Outside of specific partnerships, German
esports fans are more likely to find personalised
advertising appealing – and to think that brands
need to find innovative ways to market themselves
and their products. Generic, one-size-fits-all
promotional materials and campaigns will
therefore have limited appeal compared to more
user-centric content.
Gaming and Esports: The Next Generation YOUGOV.COM 33
Germany: "I'm more likely to engage with advertisements that are tailored to me"
Definitely agree Tend to agree
Neither agree
nor disagree
Tend to disagree
Definitely disagree
Esports fans
Soccer fans
45%
40
%
35%
30
%
25%
20
%
15%
10%
5%
0%
34 YOUGOV.COM Gaming and Esports: The Next Generation
DEEP DIVE: HARDCORE
GAMERS IN THE US
In Grand Theft Auto V – one of the best-selling
video games of all time – Rockstar Games
portrayed a supporting character as unhealthy,
obnoxious, slovenly, socially maladjusted, badly
parented and entirely without prospects.
They did so with a simple cultural shorthand: they
presented him as a hardcore gamer.
There is a persistent stereotype of “hardcore
gamers” which researchers describe as revolving
around “four themes: (un)popularity, (un)
attractiveness, idleness, and social (in)competence.”
The researchers also found evidence to suggest
that these negative characterizations have become
personally endorsed as accurate representations
of the online gaming community.”
In this chapter, we explore the demographics,
attitudes, and behaviours of "hardcore gamers" in
one of, if not the, most significant global gaming
markets - the United States. Teenagers, while an
important part of the hardcore gaming audience,
are outside the scope of this study, which focuses
on adults.
Gaming and Esports: The Next Generation YOUGOV.COM 35
YouGov has defined “hardcore gamers” in the US as those who
spend 21+ hours a week playing video games on a console or
PC. The casual gaming audience – those who play largely on
smartphones or tablets, and those who play mobile games such
as Bejeweled, music games such as Guitar Hero, and party games
such as Mario Party – have been excluded.
Instead, we have focused on consumers who personally play
games in one or more of the following genres:
• Action/Adventure – i.e. God of War, Red Dead Redemption II
• Battle Royale – i.e. Fortnite, PlayerUnknown’s BattleGrounds
• Fighting – i.e. Super Smash Bros., Street Fighter
• First Person Shooters – i.e. Battlefield, Call of Duty
• Horror – i.e. Silent Hill, Resident Evil
• Indie – i.e. Celeste, Undertale
• MOBA – i.e. League of Legends, Dota 2
• Massively Multiplayer Online Roleplaying Games
(MMORPGS) – i.e. World of Warcraft, Guild Wars 2
• Racing – i.e. Need for Speed, Forza Motorsport
• Simulation – i.e. The Sims, Harvest Moon
• Sports – i.e. FIFA, Madden
• Strategy/Puzzle – i.e. Starcraft II, Command & Conquer
Overall, this group amounts to 2.5% of the US 18+ population – or
around six million American adults.
How we defined “hardcore gamers”
36 YOUGOV.COM Gaming and Esports: The Next Generation
Who are America's hardcore gamers?
YouGov Profiles data indicates that three quarters (77%) of hardcore gamers are male.
US: Hardcore gamers by gender
Hardcore gamers Nat rep
Male
Female
23%
51%
49%
77%
100%
90%
80%
70%
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
I can’t stand
socializing
I have a wide social
circle, and I enjoy it
Socializing is a part
of life, not a main focus
Don’t mind it occasionally,
but I try to avoid it
Hardcore gamers
Nat rep
45%
40%
35%
30%
25%
20%
15%
10%
5%
0%
US: Hardcore gamer social attitudes
Two-thirds (65%) are aged 18-45 and do not have
children compared to just three in ten (30%) of
the US public. Looking at their attitudes towards
socialising, they’re also more likely than the
population as a whole to avoid it and they also do
not enjoy doing it.
However, in other ways, they do not adhere closely
to the stereotype. While most are men, still around
a quarter (23%) are women. And, far from being
asocial loners, they’re more likely than the general
public to say they have a wide social circle.
If some of these statements appear contradictory,
they may simply reflect the diversity of this group’s
attitudes.
Gaming and Esports: The Next Generation YOUGOV.COM 37
American hardcore gamers are more interested in
sports than the US public
Despite the stereotype, hardcore gamers have
wide interests outside of their consoles and PCs.
In fact, just one in three (34%) say they are not
interested in any sports versus half (49%) of the
US public. This love of sports extends to the major
leagues. The most popular sports among hardcore
gamers are the NBA (24% compared to 11% of
Americans) and the NFL (23% vs. 21%).
This group are twice as likely to cite UFC (13%
hardcore gamers; 6% Americans) and wrestling
(13% hardcore gamers; 5% Americans) as sporting
interests. Some 44% say they’re passionate about
the FIFA World Cup compared to a fifth (20%) of
the wider country, and more intuitively they are
also significantly more likely to follow esports (12%
vs. 2% of Americans).
They’re also more likely than the general
population to have a passion for sports. When
presented with the statement “cycling is my
passion”, two in five (58%) agree compared to
just 14% of the US public. When presented with a
similar statement about tennis, a third (33%) agree
against 12% of Americans overall.
This is not to say that, beyond their consoles and
PCs, America’s hardcore gamers have no niche
interests at all. YouGov Profiles data also reveals
that this group are more favourable towards
technology – to the point where six in ten (58%)
say there is a technological solution to all of
humanity’s problems compared to just three in ten
(30%) Americans overall. A majority also say they
“strongly support” net neutrality (55% vs. 37% of the
US public), while 46% want to buy a wearable next
to 17% of the US public overall.
Given the scope of hardcore gamers’ interests,
brands targeting this audience may certainly
benefit from running marketing campaigns
focused on top game streaming sites. But they
could also see real commercial gains from
advertising during Monday Night Football, WWE
RAW, or the FIFA World Cup Finals.
US: Sporting interests
0% 10%20% 30%40% 50%60%
Esports
Division 1 Football
Wrestling
UFC
NHL
MLB
NFL
NBA
N/A: Not Interested
Nat rep
Hardcore gamers
38 YOUGOV.COM Gaming and Esports: The Next Generation
Gaming and Esports: The Next Generation YOUGOV.COM 39
Reaching hardcore gamers in the US
Brands targeting this group on Twitch or YouTube
with pre-roll or mid-roll ads could run into an
awkward obstacle: most of America’s hardcore
gamers are using ad-blockers. Seven in ten
(69%) of this group have installed the software
compared to 47% of the US public. This is one of
the reasons sponsorship has become a popular
brand activation for esports - brands can integrate
directly into broadcasted and VOD content to
ensure reach and exposure.
Advertising through online channels will still be a
key way to reach hardcore gamers, as they prefer
this kind of engagement to any other – but it may
be worth exploring other mediums. Though not as
technologically advanced, direct mail (their second
most favoured channel) can still be a powerful
tool: almost three in ten hardcore gamers like it,
and ad-blockers cannot stop it. TV advertisements
could also be effective.
Printed newspapers
Radio
Product demonstrations
Billboards
Podcasts
Movie theatres
In-store promotions
TV advertisements
Direct mail
Online
Nat rep
Hardcore gamers
0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30%
35%
US: Preferred forms of advertising
And while COVID-19 has disrupted visits to the
cinema, this group is more likely than the average
American to enjoy theatrical advertising. If and
when movies and audiences return to theatres
around the country, the cinema may be a useful
channel for brands looking to reach this audience.
Hardcore gamers are also more than twice as
likely to listen to podcasts, with their favourite
ones being:
• The Joe Rogan Experience
• TED Radio Hour
• BBC Global News
40 YOUGOV.COM Gaming and Esports: The Next Generation
In the five markets where we conducted a ‘deep
dive’ study, a plurality of gamers said they have
been gaming more during the coronavirus
pandemic vs. the same time last year. But while it
may be easy to think of the COVID-19 period as an
opportunity for developers and publishers – who,
in the absence of other entertainment options, may
have had something close to a captive audience
this year – it has had disadvantages.
Australia Germany Singapore UK US
I believe gaming will be stronger and more
relevant than ever before
24% 22% 30% 24% 22%
I believe gaming will return to its previous level
of importance in society
43% 19% 35% 44% 42%
I believe gaming will be less relevant as the
world realizes there are things more important
in life
16% 42% 18% 13% 12%
Don't know 18% 17% 17% 19% 23%
That said, the industry is one of a handful that has
had reason to be cheerful during this crisis, and
this is reflected in the attitudes of gamers. While
German players are more pessimistic – 42% say
gaming is likely to become less relevant when the
COVID-19 outbreak passes – every other nation’s
players are more likely to believe that gaming will
either return to its previous level of importance or
exceed it.
But if the future of the worldwide industry is not
certain, what is certain is that games are still
coming out while movies are being delayed,
concerts are being postponed, and sports
stadiums are sitting empty. As the ninth generation
begins, the medium has assumed a more
prominent role in global cultural life than ever
before. If it can keep up its current momentum, it's
poised to take on even greater significance.
What will gaming look like after COVID-19?
The COVID-19 crisis has resulted in a number
of game delays: 343 Industries has postponed
Halo Infinite to 2021, leaving Microsoft without a
marquee launch title for its new range of
consoles; major companies have announced
layoffs; and if the virus leads to a downturn in
global consumer spending, HD video games
and gaming systems may become more of an
extravagance for households that have become
suddenly more cash-strapped than they were
before.
COVID-19 AND THE
FUTURE OF GAMING
Gaming and Esports: The Next Generation YOUGOV.COM 41
Despite the ongoing pandemic, we
continue to see strong demand for
esports content, including online events,
professional leagues, and recurring
programming. We anticipate even greater
activity across the esports landscape in
the coming quarters as more institutions
begin to recognize esports as a meaningful
opportunity to capture the minds and
hearts of a young and engaged community
– something YouGov’s profiling data
highlights on a global level. Vindex’s deep
investment in technology has allowed us
to adapt quickly and to continue to service
our clients and partners, even in the most
challenging of environments. Data that
allows us to closely monitor the impact
of our strategy will be key to our ongoing
success and growth."
Mike Sepso, CEO, Vindex
"
42 YOUGOV.COM Gaming and Esports: The Next Generation
COVID CASE
STUDY: MINECRAFT
Daily tracking data from YouGov BrandIndex
shows that Minecraft’s US player numbers surged
following the onset of the pandemic. On April 9,
2020, its Current Customer penetration (those
who have played the game in the past 30 days)
12%
10%
8%
6%
4%
2%
0%
01 AUG 19
01 SEP 19
01 OCT 19
01 NOV 19
01 DEC 19
01 JAN 20
01 FEB 20
01 MAR 20
01 APR 20
01 MAY 20
01 JUN 20
01 FEB 20
01 AUG 20
01 SEP 20
Minecraft: Current Customer penetration among US adults - August 2019 - September 2020
Younger gamers drove much of this: in April and
May, those aged 18-24 accounted for a quarter
(23%) of all players; 25-34s – the next largest group
– made up only 8%.
There is evidence to suggest that children (who
are excluded from our samples for this survey in
all markets) may have driven a significant part of
Have you played any of the following video games in the past 30 days?
reached a peak of 9.7, suggesting that almost one
in ten American adults booted up the game over
the previous month, coinciding with the start of
COVID-driven lockdowns in the US.
the game’s success during the initial phase of the
pandemic. While the average Current Customer
score for non-parents is 5.6, this nearly doubles
to 10.3 for parents. This may have been driven by
both work and play - various accounts of teachers
using Minecraft as a way to virtually engage
students have been noted during the spring
lockdown months.
Gaming and Esports: The Next Generation YOUGOV.COM 43
44 YOUGOV.COM Gaming and Esports: The Next Generation
THE NEXT LEVEL
For businesses with brands relevant to gaming
and its expanding audience, the industry presents
many opportunities. What was once a niche
hobby is now a multi-billion dollar entertainment
juggernaut; it is also (indirectly) one of the world’s
major sports.
Our study shows that gaming and esports – and
their respective audiences – vary heavily from
region to region and market to market. Making the
most of their opportunities means understanding
that:
1. Gamers, streaming viewers and esports fans
are diverse groups with diverse interests.
Gamers are not a homogenous bloc and
marketers cannot assume they will automatically
be interested in – or even familiar with – esports
or online streaming. Just as Bejeweled players
engage in a different way to the Tekken or Elder
Scrolls player, German, Danish, Iraqi and American
gamers should be treated as separate audiences
– as should Light, Moderate, Heavy, and Heavy+
gamers, or mobile players versus those who opt
for consoles or PCs.
Esports vs. game streaming fans are also distinct
consumer groups, with the overall streaming
audience larger than the subset of gamers who
view/follow esports across all markets.
2. Sony and Microsoft are approaching the
future of gaming in distinct and deliberate ways.
In every one of the five ‘deep dive’ markets
we surveyed, the premium version of Sony’s
PlayStation 5 looks more attractive to expected
early adopters than Microsoft’s Xbox Series X.
While this is in part an extension of the company's
success with the PS4, longer-tail adoption of
both systems will serve as a referendum on the
two manufacturers' increasing strategic and
philosophical differences for gaming ecosystems
and experiences.
Sony is betting that its first-party franchises
will convince gamers to make the jump to the
PS5: a traditional high-end console. Microsoft
is emphasising software and subscriptions –
and from the point of view of some analysts, is
seemingly unconcerned about outselling its rival.
It is also targeting a broader consumer group: the
Xbox Series X is for the gamer who wants a top of
the line system that plays the latest titles in 4K and
120-frames-per-second – while the Xbox Series S
targets those who want next-gen titles as cheaply
and conveniently as possible. Given the relatively
even split between the two Microsoft systems in
terms of purchase intent, this strategy may prove
effective in bringing gamers who typically adopt
new consoles later in their lifecycle into next-gen
gaming much sooner.
Gaming and Esports: The Next Generation YOUGOV.COM 45
3. Esports fans are highly attuned to marketing
and promotions - often for benefit, but also with
discernment.
Our study shows that esports familiarity and
engagement is far from uniform across the
countries in our study. The industry has evolved
at different times and paces in different areas
around the globe - which while complicated for
marketers to learn and understand, also provides
opportunities for brands to engage in a variety of
ways and markets within the sector.
In deep dive markets such as Germany, fans pay
attention to marketing and advertising just as
football fans have opinions about their club's kit
manufacturer or shirt sponsor. In fact, our data
gives reason to believe that esports fans are more
likely to notice sponsorship - but with increased
reach also comes increased risk if executions
are not thoughtful, tailored, and topical for this
audience.
While professional sports were suspended for
months, esports and virtual sports partially bridged
the gap. Can they keep this momentum up as
conventional sports return and consumers around
the world resume a more 'normal' daily routine?
Whether they do or not, recent history speaks to
the increased legitimacy of esports as an athletic
competition: one with its own leagues, teams, and
stars – and its own sponsorships, partnerships,
and merchandise. It also suggests that fans will
reward brands that get their marketing right - and
remember those that don't.
4. COVID-19 has changed the game.
Consumers have been gaming more during the
coronavirus pandemic. With people around the
world spending more time at home – unable to
meet friends, go to the cinema, or in some cases
leave the house at all – gaming has taken on fresh
significance as both a way to spend extra leisure
time and an alternative way to socialize, virtually.
Titles such as Animal Crossing: New Horizons and
Ring Fit Adventure have offered players new ways
to socialise, exercise, and keep the boredom of
lockdown at bay.
With the next few years likely to feature major
announced and unannounced releases from
Sony, Microsoft, and Nintendo (as well as a range
of third-party publishers) it’s clear that the major
manufacturers are committed to building on
their current success even further. Additionally,
streamers, rightsholders, and esports organizations
globally have risen to the challenge during the
pandemic, creating compelling content that has
engaged a larger audience in gaming than we've
ever seen before. With new systems, titles, and
events on the horizon, the confluence of audience
and content gives us reason to believe gaming will
continue to ride high moving into 2021.
However they turn out, in the context of a crisis
that has forced other industries to indefinitely
suspend operations, on the face of it video gaming
appears to be on firm footing - and is ready to
embrace its new jumping off point.
46 YOUGOV.COM Gaming and Esports: The Next Generation
OUR DATA
For this study, YouGov combined data from our
leading syndicated tools, YouGov Profiles and
YouGov BrandIndex - which together form our
YouGov Plan & Track suite that enables brands,
rightsholders, broadcasters, agencies, and more to
make informed decisions about the trajectory of
their businesses.
Apart from Iraq (sample size 502), every market
surveyed reached a minimum sample size of
1,000. Fieldwork was conducted in September
2020.
Region Country Sample type Sample size
APAC China Online rep 1005
Hong Kong Online rep 1028
Indonesia Online rep 2031
Malaysia Online rep 1075
Philippines Online rep 1057
Thailand Online rep 2079
Taiwan Online rep 1019
Singapore Nat rep 1053
Australia Nat rep 1046
Vietnam Online rep 1099
INDIA India National urban rep 1003
Gaming and Esports: The Next Generation YOUGOV.COM 47
Region Country Sample type Sample size
MENA Egypt Online rep 1004
Iraq Online rep 502
Saudi Arabia National urban rep 1002
United Arab Emirates Nat rep 1039
EUROPE France Nat rep 1026
Italy Nat rep 1017
Germany Nat rep 1001
UK Nat rep 2082
Spain Nat rep 1007
SCANDINAVIA Denmark Nat rep 1223
Norway Nat rep 1008
Sweden Nat rep 1021
NORTH AMERICA USA Nat rep 1027
YouGov is a global provider of analysis and data generated by consumer panels in 44 markets. As the market research pioneer of Multilevel Regression with Poststratication (MRP) for
accurate predictions at a granular level, our data consistently outperforms others on accuracy, as concluded by Pew Research. Combine that with our advanced analytical technology,
powered by crunch.io, and we are able to generate the most accurate, complete, and dynamic portrait of the world.
©2020 YouGovPLC. All rights reserved | WP1020
ABOUT YOUGOV
YouGov is an international research data and analytics group headquartered in London. Our data-led
offering supports and improves a wide spectrum of marketing activities of a customer-base including
media owners, brands and media agencies. We work with some of the world’s most recognised brands.
Our line of products and services includes YouGov BrandIndex, YouGov Profiles, YouGov Omnibus,
YouGov Custom Research, YouGov Crunch and YouGov Direct.
With over 9 million panellists across 44 countries, YouGov’s market research covers the UK, USA, Europe,
the Nordics, the Middle East, and Asia-Pacific. Our panellists come from all ages, socio-economic groups,
and other demographic types – allowing us to create nationally and internationally representative online
samples of consumers.
For more information, visit us at yougov.com
