The Shifting Needs of Global Mobile Gamers

Key insights

6 takeaways

01
Rising prices and inflation are driving gamers to focus on spending smartly, with searches for promo codes for existing users growing over 100% year over year globally.See it on page 12
02
In-game promotion is the main spending trigger of mobile gamers, according to the research.See it on page 13
03
More than 70% of mobile gamers also play on other devices, and more than half expect a seamless gaming experience across platforms.See it on page 5
04
Cross-device gamers expect better graphics, sound effects and controls on PC or console than on smartphone, with 56% expecting better graphics quality.See it on page 18
05
Players who spend in the game are more likely to play with others, with 41% of Tycoon spenders playing with others versus 30% of non-spenders.See it on page 46
06
Gamers make their decision whether to continue playing a new game within their first three game sessions, with German gamers having the fewest sessions for decision making.See it on page 38

Summary

Google and Ipsos surveyed more than 10,000 mobile gamers in the USA, Japan, Germany, South Korea, Brazil and Indonesia, with a survey of 10,500 respondents aged 16-54 fielded April to June 2022, supplemented by focus groups and self-recorded videos from June to July 2022. The research covers mobile gaming in the 4X strategy (4X SLG), Tycoon and Merge subgenres. It finds that weekly time spent on mobile gaming has been sustained after the pandemic: 24% of respondents spend more time than in 2021, 58% spend the same time, and 18% spend less.

The authors identify three shifts in gamer behavior. Rising prices and inflation concerns are driving gamers to focus on spending smartly, with the share concerned about rising prices and inflation increasing about 10% over the past quarter and searches for promo codes for existing users growing over 100% year over year globally. More than 70% of mobile gamers also play on other devices, and cross-device gamers expect a seamless experience, with device adaptation identified as the main requirement. Social reconnection has also grown, with gamers reporting that playing with others enhances their social circles.