MarketingProfs

MarketingVOX: The comScore Networks “The Players” cross-platform study of gamers’ attitudes toward in-game advertising show that the internet is a potentially effective way to reach gamers, comScore announced. Some 25 percent of gamers are in the Heavy Gamer category, playing 16 or more hours per week on any gaming platform, or playing 11 hours or more per week on two or more platforms. Light/Medium Gamers – those who play less than 16 hours per week on one platform – constitute 75 percent of gamers.
More than 50 percent of Heavy Gamers and one-third of Light/Medium Gamers are “somewhat familiar” or “very familiar” with the concept of in-game advertising; 23 percent of Heavy Gamers and 30 percent of Light/Medium Gamers have “never heard of” in-game advertising.
Only 15 percent of Heavy Gamers said they would be “unlikely” to play games that included in-game advertising, but 33 percent said they would be “likely” to play those games, while fully 52 percent of Heavy Gamers and 56 percent of Light/Medium Gamers said advertising would have no impact on the likelihood that they would play a game.
Some 35 percent of Heavy Gamers disagreed with the statement “these ads interrupt my play and bother me,” and nearly half of them said in-game advertising was inevitable for the future of gaming. Asked whether ads would make them consider buying the advertised product or service, Heavy Gamers were more receptive (17 percent) than Light/Medium Gamers (9 percent).
As of April, game sites reached almost 50 percent of internet users, or 76.9 million consumers, up from 71.6 million in April 2005, according to comScore Media Metrix.
Approximately 17 percent of gamers are18-24 years old; 23 percent are 35-44 years old. Some 20 percent have an annual income over $75,000 per year. The typical gamer has been gaming for about 9 years and has been online for about 8 years. Gamers are equally split along gender lines.
Gamers also spend more than twice as many hours online per month than the norm (53 hours per month versus 24 hours, respectively). Heavy Gamers go online more frequently, averaging 24 days per month, compared with the average internet user’s 17 days.