With gaming discussion on Twitter at an all-time high, and gaming, in general, emerging as a key influential element in online culture, especially among younger audiences, it’s important for marketers to pay attention to shifts within the sector, and to consider if or how they might align with their own campaigns.
In line with this, Twitter has shared some new data on the gaming-related discussion via tweet in October.
As you can see, Animal Crossing and Twisted Wonderland were among the most discussed games for the month, while old favorites like Fortnite and Minecraft remain popular within Twitter discussion.
Among Us has also been a big hit in 2020. The game has been so popular, in fact, that its development team recently canceled plans for a sequel to the game, in favor, instead, of further developing the current version.
As noted, gaming is a huge influencer of online culture – which, in 2020, is really the predominant culture of the time. With fewer social outlets, gaming has seen increased momentum, enabling people to stay in touch and engage with friends in digital environments, instead of in-person.
And those trends could become habitual, leading to new behavioral shifts. Gaming was already gaining momentum, but as you can see in this chart, it’s gone to a whole other level in 2020.
The connective capacity of games has become critical to how many young people now connect, which could lead to new opportunities for brand tie-ins, via sponsorships, tapping into trending conversation, or in-game events.
In fact, even some corporates have been holding meetings in games in order to change things up and avoid the repetitive nature of Zoom calls. Switching your video background might add a new shade to your discussions, but meeting up in Minecraft is a whole other element – and as more younger users, who’ve grown up on gaming culture, move into the workforce, this could increasingly become a helpful tool to boost workforce engagement.
That may seem a step too far for some, but the impact of gaming culture is undeniable. These days, youngsters are just as likely to name a gaming YouTuber as their favorite celebrity as they are a movie actor or sports icon.
There won’t be a perfect alignment for all brands and marketers, but it is worth noting, and considering if and how gaming could fit within your approach.
You can read more of Twitter’s latest gaming insights for October here.
