A new report has been released by IGN Entertainment (IGNE), the parent organization of GamesIndustry.biz, in collaboration with Kantar and UC Berkeley. This report delves into entertainment consumption habits based on detailed polling of dedicated content consumers in the US, UK, and Australia, revealing distinct trends among three different generations.
Some key insights from the report regarding games include:
- 71% of audiences have stopped buying physical music, and 62% no longer purchase full-price games
- Gen X individuals tend to use Google search to discover new games, Millennials lean towards YouTube at 85%, and Gen Z prioritize social media
- Millennials (38%) and Gen Z (42%) are more inclined to buy games at full price compared to Generation X at 20%
- Generation X favors single-player games, while Generation Z leans towards multiplayer titles, and Millennials are evenly split between the two
- Generation X and Millennials are more likely to revisit games to complete them, while Gen Z is motivated by new customization and community content
- Consumption of guides and game help varies across generations, with Gen X showing more interest in tips videos, Millennials in map tools, and Generation Z in build guides
- Generation X tends to be skeptical of AI and relies more on brand recognition, being less likely to use AI for discovery and to trust AI summaries as much as human ones
This report marks a shift from internal data analysis to external insights on content consumption patterns across various entertainment formats. Working with partners like Kantar and UC Berkeley, the aim was to understand where Gen Z, millennials, and Gen X are engaging with content,” explained Karl Stewart, SVP of IGNE Global Marketing.
Delving into gaming preferences, Stewart highlighted the differences between Gen X and Gen Z. Gen X values traditional gaming experiences like midnight openings and full-priced games, while Gen Z is more focused on platforms and community engagement within games.
The insights from this report will be utilized to enhance the firm’s Imagine AI targeting tool, with further data analysis set to be released later. A summary of the report can be found at generationsinplay.com, where the full version is available for download.