DISQO finds in-game ad opportunity is massive, multi-generational and multi-gender

Women, Millennials, and Metaverse players are among the most engaged with in-game advertising

March 13, 2023, Los Angeles, CA – CX platform DISQO released “How Brands Can Get in the Game,” a new report exploring the growing in-game advertising opportunity. With over two-thirds of consumers already playing video games weekly, DISQO’s insights reveal consumers’ motivations for engaging with brands in gaming environments, and suggest that marketers should begin taking advantage of this burgeoning medium for experimentation.

“It’s early days for gaming as an advertising medium, but inventory is growing,” said Patrick Egan, Director of Research and Insights, DISQO. “Our insights show that brands must keep the gamer experience (CX) top-of-mind. Interruptive brand exposure that is not additive to the gaming experience is out-of-step with contemporary audiences. However, when in-game brand experiences are tested and done well, they can propel customers down the marketing funnel toward meaningful outcomes.”

DISQO examined consumer attitudes toward in-game advertising along with digital behaviors that are indicative of gaming interest. Key findings:  

Conventional age and gender assumptions are antiquated. 

• Well over 50% of Gen Z, Millennial, and Gen X consumers report playing games multiple times per week; 80-90% of these generations are at least occasional gamers.
• Millennials make up the greatest share of those who enjoy the metaverse (38%), with Gen Z coming in at 33%, Gen X at 25% and Boomers at 4%.
• Women are equally likely or more likely than men to visit certain categories of gaming-related websites (e.g., e-commerce platforms, free-to-play games).

Gamers notice in-game advertisements and have strong feelings about how these ads impact  in-game experience. 

• A majority of consumers (76%) have noticed in-game ads, with 40% seeing them frequently and 36% seeing them occasionally. Ads are more frequently noticed by younger consumers, women, and mobile/tablet players.
• Among various ad formats, gamers strongly prefer in-game brand experiences, bonus content, and embedded placements, over more disruptive traditional ads.
• About 20% of gamers are “not bothered at all” by in-game commercials; the other 80% are less tolerant.

The metaverse is an engaging and growing medium to explore.

• Over 15% of consumers have explored metaverse gaming, and another ~25% are interested in doing so. Accordingly, over 40% of the US population may have a metaverse footprint in the coming years.
• 86% of Metaverse players say they play weekly or more often, which is 24 points higher than the average US consumer

DISQO offers Ad Testing, Brand Lift and Outcomes Lift solutions to help brands experiment and measure their ad campaigns in gaming contexts. Download DISQO’s in-game advertising report.