The gaming industry has been constantly evolving, and 2023 is set to be a significant year for this space. As Grant Paterson, head of gaming at Prism, has said, "2023 is gearing up to be a seismic year for the gaming industry." Gaming trends in 2023 will be fuelled by the increasing cross-pollination of Intellectual Property (IP) within the film, TV, and music world, sustained mobile gaming growth in rapidly-growing tiger economies in Asia and the Middle East, continued multi-platform, mega-budget content investment from established PC and console companies, and long overdue commercial diversification in the esports industry.
In this article, we will explore some of the emerging trends that are set to shape the gaming industry in 2023.
Hybrid Game Monetisation Models Open New Pathways for Advertisers
Hyper-aggressive in-game monetisation models are gradually becoming unstuck in the face of greater governmental scrutiny of the wider tech industry. This is pushing game developers to adopt hybrid monetisation models that combine less aggressive in-game transactions with more ad-funded and bundled subscription content. Expect to see PC and console platforms start to experiment with advertising, and mobile publishers lean into multi-game subscription products. This will create more areas for brands to advertise and generate value for players.
Greater Personalisation of Game Experiences
Publishers will seek to leverage technology to help create a more personalised game experience for players. Zero code platforms, generative AI, machine learning, distributed computing and centralised 3D asset libraries will all be utilised to create personalised in-game offers, journeys, promotions, user experiences and bundling that feel more individualised. Brands have a potent role to play here – facilitating the creation of these experiences or enhancing them with added value and benefits.
Big Ticket Acquisitions Continue – Bundling and Unbundling
Established gaming companies will continue to seek to bundle content and services together by pressing ahead with major acquisitions. We may see Microsoft acquire Activision Blizzard King after some concessions to regulators, Sony make a move to finally acquire Square Enix, and Nintendo make a move for a major, but underperforming, studio like Ubisoft. Further afield, it is unclear whether we will see any other big tech firms seek to invest in long-term gaming content development by acquiring a major studio.
On the unbundling side, the increasing accessibility and intuitiveness of game creation platforms like Unity and Unreal Engine is making it easier than ever for brands to create (or co-create) games experiences and content. There is an exciting opportunity for third party creators (like brands) to help diversify and broaden the types of games available to players.
Esports Organisations Start to Offer More Sophisticated Sponsorships
Esports will start to diversify their revenue models beyond the hitherto overreliance on brand sponsorship. Fantasy esports and betting, fan experiences like esports hotels, and merchandising will be avenues explored. There is a need for the industry to demonstrate how it can differentiate its offering from traditional sports entertainment properties.
In conclusion, gaming trends in 2023 will be characterised by hybrid game monetisation models, greater personalisation of game experiences, big ticket acquisitions, and sophisticated esports sponsorships. These emerging trends offer exciting opportunities for brands to get involved in this transformative space for brand building.
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In this article, we will explore some of the emerging trends that are set to shape the gaming industry in 2023.
Hybrid Game Monetisation Models Open New Pathways for Advertisers
Hyper-aggressive in-game monetisation models are gradually becoming unstuck in the face of greater governmental scrutiny of the wider tech industry. This is pushing game developers to adopt hybrid monetisation models that combine less aggressive in-game transactions with more ad-funded and bundled subscription content. Expect to see PC and console platforms start to experiment with advertising, and mobile publishers lean into multi-game subscription products. This will create more areas for brands to advertise and generate value for players.
Greater Personalisation of Game Experiences
Publishers will seek to leverage technology to help create a more personalised game experience for players. Zero code platforms, generative AI, machine learning, distributed computing and centralised 3D asset libraries will all be utilised to create personalised in-game offers, journeys, promotions, user experiences and bundling that feel more individualised. Brands have a potent role to play here – facilitating the creation of these experiences or enhancing them with added value and benefits.
Big Ticket Acquisitions Continue – Bundling and Unbundling
Established gaming companies will continue to seek to bundle content and services together by pressing ahead with major acquisitions. We may see Microsoft acquire Activision Blizzard King after some concessions to regulators, Sony make a move to finally acquire Square Enix, and Nintendo make a move for a major, but underperforming, studio like Ubisoft. Further afield, it is unclear whether we will see any other big tech firms seek to invest in long-term gaming content development by acquiring a major studio.
On the unbundling side, the increasing accessibility and intuitiveness of game creation platforms like Unity and Unreal Engine is making it easier than ever for brands to create (or co-create) games experiences and content. There is an exciting opportunity for third party creators (like brands) to help diversify and broaden the types of games available to players.
Esports Organisations Start to Offer More Sophisticated Sponsorships
Esports will start to diversify their revenue models beyond the hitherto overreliance on brand sponsorship. Fantasy esports and betting, fan experiences like esports hotels, and merchandising will be avenues explored. There is a need for the industry to demonstrate how it can differentiate its offering from traditional sports entertainment properties.
In conclusion, gaming trends in 2023 will be characterised by hybrid game monetisation models, greater personalisation of game experiences, big ticket acquisitions, and sophisticated esports sponsorships. These emerging trends offer exciting opportunities for brands to get involved in this transformative space for brand building.
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