Why is it important for Indian brands to take notice of gaming media

Authored by Sumit Batheja, Business Head, Gaming - Tyroo

The Indian gaming industry is growing at a rapid pace at a CAGR of around 27 percent, expected to close at $2.6 billion revenue by 2022.  Although a good chunk of this revenue consists of RMG business, there is the core video game industry at the focal point that takes the maximum user attention and brands interest.

As the market expands, so are  the opportunities for marketers to reach and engage with gamers and gaming communities. 

India today stands tall at 500 Mn gaming audience and 100 Mn  (Lumikai fund 2022 report). In this article, we'll take a look at some of the top gaming marketing trends to watch for in the coming year, including in-game advertising, gaming IP creation, influencer marketing, streaming and esports, and the use of artificial intelligence and virtual reality. From leveraging the power of popular streamers and esports tournaments to harnessing the latest technology to create immersive experiences, these trends are shaping the way the gaming industry markets and connects with consumers. Whether you're a marketer looking to break into the gaming space or a gaming company looking to stay ahead of the curve, it's worth keeping an eye on these trends as they continue to evolve.

Brands have played a significant role in the marketing of video games for many years, and their importance in the industry continues to grow. As the gaming industry has grown, so has the number of brands looking to partner with game developers and publishers to promote their products and services. In India it is estimated we have close to 100 endemic and non-endemic brands participating over the last year in and around gaming. For reference, the core sectors investing dominantly in gaming includes Tech & Telco, F&B, CPG, Auto.

One of the many ways that brands have been involved in game marketing is through in-game advertising, product placement and sponsorship. This can range from featuring a specific car brand in a racing game to having a fast-food chain as a sponsor for a sports game, or targeting the audience in a popular game through contextual video ads. These partnerships not only help to generate revenue for game developers and publishers, but also serve as a way for brands to reach a specific target audience.

Another way that brands have been involved in game marketing is through the use of influencer marketing. Many popular streamers and YouTubers have large followings of gamers who are highly engaged with the content they produce. By partnering with these influencers, brands can reach a large audience of gamers and gain credibility by being associated with popular content creators. 

In recent years, virtual and augmented reality (VR/AR) have also provided new opportunities for brands to be involved in game marketing. These technologies allow brands to create immersive, interactive experiences that can be used to promote their products and services. This is a great opportunity for brands to stand out and be remembered by the consumers.

Brands can build incomparable deep associations within Gaming ecosystem, more than any other media form. .

At the very least, every brand media brief identifies Gaming as one of the core habits of their target audience, whether they participate in gaming media is subjective.  

Identifying some of the increasingly growing consumer media trends in Gaming Marketing. 

     âƒ    Intrinsic In-Game advertising : Extended reality in contextually relevant virtual gaming worlds. This space is growing globally at breakneck speed, yet to put a decent footing in the India market. Some initial examples of such experience emerged would be  branding the virtual OOH, game assets,

     âƒ    Game Streaming : With current audience size of 100 Million +, the game streaming segment will see continued interest from brands to build deeper and meaningful connections with their audience using influencer, Online/LAN game competition channels. Both Live streaming and VOD gaming content is growing leaps and bounds for brands to participate mainly as sponsors. 

     âƒ   Gaming Content :New age conversational content around gaming will attract a new set of brands adopting and participating, creating value in the ecosystem. Properties like Playground by Rusk, Gamer’s Den by Mx Player in 2022 started to push the limits, for gaming to be part of mainstream entertainment genre consumed largely by GenZs. .

We see increasing  interest by brands in emerging gametech around AR/VR, Cloud gaming audiences, still the path is far  from marketing dollar investments in these areas in India. . 

In conclusion, brands play a critical role in the game marketing, they not only provide revenue for game developers and publishers, but also serve as a way for brands to reach a specific target audience, gain credibility by being associated with popular content creators, and create immersive experiences. As the gaming industry continues to grow, we can expect to see more brands getting involved in game marketing in new and innovative ways.