Article Information
Ciaran Norris, “The Next Generation of Gaming Calls for Next-Gen Marketing”
Source: Marketing Week. Web.
Article Summary
The selected article by Ciaran Norris was published three weeks ago. The source is focused on reviewing the most recent external tendencies affecting companies in the gaming industry and their supposed influences on approaches to game development and marketing. The article relates to this week’s reading since it explores the influences of the social and cultural forces (changes in society’s attitudes to gaming and the characteristics of gamers) on prominent companies’ marketing decisions.
The author emphasizes the evolution of game audiences as a prominent factor that should be reflected in-game developers’ marketing strategies. As per the studies by Newzoo Consulting, female gamers represent over 40% of console gamers, but the stereotypical image of gamers as young males is still prevalent when it comes to game development and marketing. Despite drastic changes in the gender makeup of gamers, the number of games that feature female protagonists and are marketed for both female and male audiences has dropped recently, which is a huge omission. However, there are positive examples of businesses that manage to adapt to the changing demographic characteristics of gamers. For instance, the author mentions that Epic’s Fortnite has been developed and marketed with attention to actual user statistics, not stereotypical assumptions.
The article also covers game companies’ responses to another socio-cultural trend, such as the departure from gender stereotypes and the freedom of gender self-determination. For instance, Cyberpunk 2077, which is among the most expected games of this year, has removed the protagonist’s gender from game settings. Instead of choosing between female and male characters, players are supposed to select the desired body type and voice. They are free to make choices that do not support the traditional definitions of masculinity and femininity. Thus, social and cultural forces require game businesses to market their products to diverse audiences without sticking to stereotypes about gaming and gamers’ self-image.