- Super Gamer segment represents 13% of the total US gaming market, is 2/3 male (64% male, 36% female)
- skews fairly young (average age 25.7, relative to the total market average of 32)
There’s a lingering misconception in the industry that mobile gaming is for casual, uninvested non-gamers while PCs, consoles, and handhelds are where the “real” gamers spend their time.
In its Gamer Segmentation report, EEDAR surveyed 5,000 US gamers and, using k-means clustering analysis, classified them into 6 separate segments based on their gaming habits, interests and investment across the platforms they play on.
One of the segments identified during the analysis are the Super Gamers – heavily engaged players who game extensively on multiple platforms. The Super Gamer segment represents 13% of the total US gaming market, is 2/3 male (64% male, 36% female) and skews fairly young (average age 25.7, relative to the total market average of 32). For these voracious players, gaming is a major hobby – taking up an average of 26 total hours a week, which is about 23% of their total entertainment time.
Where many segments specialize in a particular platform (or platforms), the Super Gamer audience is likely to spread their gaming time around between platforms. 78% of these gamers play on three or more platforms (possible platforms including mobile, PC, console and handheld), and for most, mobile is one of them – 96% of Super Gamers play games on a smartphone or tablet.
Within this segment, EEDAR found that Super Gamers were as likely to play on mobile as they were on PC.
[Note: For purpose of this analysis, the Nintendo Switch was classified as a console.]
Despite the high playership (and spend) on mobile, it’s critical to note that Super Gamers are using mobile as a supplement to – and not replacement for – HD/PC gaming experiences. When asked to provide their reasons for engaging with mobile, Super Gamers’ responses emphasized its convenience and cited its low amount of required attention:
â— Can play anywhere
â— Device is convenient
â— It’s cheap or free
â— Easy to pick up / put down
â— Allows for multitasking
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All of this suggests that Super Gamers will turn to the platforms available to them to indulge the gaming urge that strikes at a given moment.
When out and about, or watching TV, they’re likely to turn to mobile games for entertainment. When at home, and when the opportunity for a focused play session arises, they’ll turn to PC or Console. In situations between these extremes, they are likely to indulge in handheld play.
Source: https://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2018-08-07-96-percent-of-heavily-engaged-us-gamers-play-on-mobile-eedar
