2024年游戏报告：遇见时刻游戏玩家如何改变规则

GamingReport2024

MeettheMoment:HowGamersAreChangingtheGame

BAIN&COMPANY

Acknowledgments

TheauthorswishtothankKatieChung,NylaBrewster,andBrandonRogersfortheircontributionstothisarticle.

Thisworkisbasedonsecondarymarketresearch,analysisoffinancialinformationavailableorprovidedtoBain&Companyandarangeofinterviewswithindustryparticipants.Bain&CompanyhasnotindependentyverfiedanysuchinformationprovidedoravailabletoBain

andmakesnorepresentationorwarranty,expressorimplied,thatsuchinformationisaccurateorcomplete.Projectedmarketandfinancialinformation,analysesandconclusionscontainedhereinarebasedontheinformationdescribedaboveandonBain&Companysjudgment,andshouldnotbeconstruedasdefinitveforecastsorguaranteesoffutureperformanceorresults.Theinformationandanalysishereindoesnotconstituteadviceofanykind,isnotintendedtobeusedforinvestmentpurposes,andneitherBain&Companynoranyofitssubsidiaries

ortheirrespectiveoficers,directors,shareholders,employeesoragentsacceptanyresponsibilityorliabilitywithrespecttotheuseof

orrelianceonanyinformationoranalysiscontainedinthisdocument.ThisworkiscopyrightBain&Companyandmaynotbepublished,transmitted,broadcast,copied,reproducedorreprintedinwholeorinpartwithouttheexplicitwrittenpermisionofBain&Company.

Copyright◎2024Bain&Company,Inc.Allrightsreserved.

BAIN&COMPANY④

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GamingReport2024

Contents

MeettheMoment:HowGamersAreChangingtheGame 2

GamerSurvey:YoungPlayers

ReshapetheIndustry 3

TheNextBigDisruptioninVideoGames:Distribution 12

BoostingMarketingPerformanceinMobileGames 17

LevelUnlocked:HowVideoGameCompanies

CanEvolveOperatingModelsforGrowth 23

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GamingReport2024

MeettheMoment:HowGamersAreChangingtheGame

Theglobalaudienceforvideogamescontinuestosurge,ledbyyoungerplayerswhoarespendingmoretimeongamesandlesstimeonvideoandothermedia.

ThesecondBainVideoGameConsumptionSurveylookedathowgamersspendtheirtimeand

money.Gamerstoldusthattheylikeimmersivegamesandwantmoreinteroperabilityacrossdevicesandplatforms.They'realsospendingmoretimeingameenvironments,socializing,shopping,andconsumingothermedia.

Thesetrendsareupendingtheindustry'sdynamicsasplayersidentifymorewiththegameandlesswiththedevice.Marketplacescouldbecomethecentralfocusforthecustomerrelationship.Meanwhile,companiesthatgrewoutofaloveforvideogamesarenowdevelopingmorematurecapabilitiessothattheycancompetewithtechnologyandmediagiants.

It'sanexcitingtimefortheindustry,andnocompanycanaffordtowaitandseeifitwantstoprotectitsspotontheleaderboard.

DanielHong

LeaderofBain'sGlobalMedia&Entertainmentpractice

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GamerSurvey:YoungPlayers

ReshapetheIndustry

Playerswantmoreimmersivegamesandmoreinteroperability.

ByAndersChristofferson,AndersVidebaek,AlexEgan,TomRowland,andMattMadden

AtaGlance

Thevideogamemarketreported$196billioninrevenuefor2023,outpacingstreamingandbox-officerevenuecombined;Bainforecasts6%annualgrowththrough2028.

Almost80%of2-to18-year-oldsaregamers,spending30%oftheirentertainmenttimegaming,drivingindustrygrowth.

Gamersdomorethanplaygamesinthegamesetting:Theysocialize,shop,andwatchvideo;thosethatdomoretendtospendmore.

Gamersareco-creatingtheexperience:79%haveplayedgameswithuser-generatedcontent,and16%havemadecontentforgames.

Fouryearsafterwhatwasassumedtobeapandemic-inducedboostinpopularity,thevideogamemarketcontinuestogrowinallagegroups,takingshareofentertainmenttimeandrevenuefrom

othermedia.Theglobalmarketforvideogamerevenuereached$196billionin2023,morethanthecombinedrevenuefromstreamingvideo($114billion),streamingmusic($38billion),andglobal

box-officereceipts($34billion).Bainestimatesthattheglobalmarketforvideogamescouldgrowbyabout6%annuallythrough2028,buoyedbytailwindsfrommobileandstealingsharefromothermediatypes(seeFigure1).

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GamingReport2024

Figure1:Videogames'globalrevenuecouldclimbby6%ayear,reaching$257billionby2028Globalrevenueforvideogames(inbillionsofUSdollars)

$300B

257

Notes:Excludeshardware;2024-2028numbersareforecasts

Sources:IDC;Euromonitor;PwC;VideoGameInsights;TDCowen;Bainanalysis

Tolearnmoreaboutthehabitsandexpectationsofgamers,wesurveyedmorethan5,000people

acrosssixcountries.Fromtheseinsights,we'veidentifiedfivekeythemesthatgamedevelopersandpublishers,devicemakers,andmarketplaceoperatorsshouldunderstandinordertoseewheretheindustryanditsconsumeraudiencearemoving:

·

Younggamersdrivegrowth.

·

Gamingisaboutmorethangameplay.

·

Gamersarecocreatingtheexperience.

·

Gamerswanttoplayacrossplatformsanddevices.

·

GamingIPistakingshareinothermedia.

Younggamersdrivegrowth

Gaminghasbroadappeal:52%ofpeoplesurveyedplayvideogamesonaregularbasis.Butthe

clearestsourceoffuturegrowthcomesfromtheyoungestplayers(2to18yearsold),80%ofwhomidentifiedasgamersinoursurvey.Younggamersspendnearly30%oftheirentertainmenttimeinvideogameenvironments.

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GamingReport2024

Thisisn'tanewphenomenon:Our2022surveyfoundthathalfofteengamerspreferredspendingtimewithfriendsingamingenvironmentsratherthaninthephysicalworld.Forthisgeneration,videogamesarethemodernmall,aplacetohangout,seefriends,andtakeinavarietyofentertainmentoptions.Thisaudienceexpectsvideogamecompaniestoallowaccessfromanyplatform,provideadiversityofexperiencestoconsume,andenablethemwiththeabilitytocreate

Olderplayers(45orolder)areasmallermarketwithbigpotential,with31%identifyingasgamers.Thosethatdoplaytendtospendlesstimeonaverage(2.5hoursperweekcomparedwith9.5hoursfor13-to17-year-olds)andmostlyonmobilephones.TVremainsastrongcompetitorforthisaudience,capturingalmost40%oftheirentertainmenttime.Incontrastwithyounggamers,thiscohortprefersalowerlevelofengagement,suchascasualgenresorvideoembeddedinthegameenvironment.Asgamingbecomesmoreaccessibleandconsumersage,thisdemographiccouldbeanimportant

sourceofgrowthgiventheirpotentialtospendmore(seeFigure2).

Gamingisaboutmorethangameplay

Gamers'preferenceforimmersivegames—thatis,thosewithexpansivevirtualenvironments,whereplayerscansocializeandplayanactiveroleingeneratingcontent—wasacceleratedbypandemiclockdowns,andithascontinuedtogrowintheyearssince.Nearlyhalfofthetop30gamescanbe

Figure2:Youngerconsumersspendagreatershareoftheirentertainmentbudgetonvideogamesthanolderplayers

Averagemonthlyspendingonvariousentertainmentforms,byage

Averageshareof

rapitnwthallet30%33%19%21%20%9%

Note:Bainsurveyedpeopleinsixcountries:Brazil,Indonesia,Japan,UnitedArabEmirates,UnitedKingdom,andUnitedStates.Source:BainVideoGameConsumptionSurvey,May2024(n=5,153)

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GamingReport2024

consideredimmersive,andathirdofgamerssurveyedbyBainlistedanimmersivegameastheirtopgame.Forgamersyoungerthan18,thatpercentagewasclosertohalf.ManyoftheseyoungerplayersconsidergamingplatformssuchasRobloxorFortniteasocialcommunity,similartothewayadultsviewWhatsApporFacebook.

Immersivegamersaremoreengaged,spendingaboutoneandahalfhoursmoreperweekinthegamecomparedwithnon-immersivegamers.Onaverage,theyspendaboutone-thirdofthattimeonthingsotherthangameplay,includingsocializing,creating,andshopping.Theyalsospendmoremoneyongames,andthemorethingstheydootherthanplaying,themoretheyspendoverallandonanhourlybasis.Infact,playerswhoengageinatleastthreeactivitiesotherthangameplayspendaboutfivetimesmoreperhourthangamerswhojustplay(seeFigure3).

Thecombinationofthesetrendssuggeststhatthisheightenedengagementamongyounggamersrepresentsmorethanjustkidshavingmoretimeforgames.Immersivegamingenvironmentsarebecomingthecenterofsocialandentertainmentactivityforagroupofconsumersthatwillenteradulthoodoverthenextfewyears.Giventheheightenedimportanceoftheseenvironments,wewouldn'texpecttheseconsumerstoabandonthemastheymature—andgrowricher.Instead,

weexpectthatthesegamerswillcontinuetodevotetheirtimeandspendtheirmoneyandthattheywilldemandmorefromthedevelopersandpublisherswhoprovidetheseenvironments

andexperiences.

Figure3:Gamerswhodomorethanplaygamesalsospendmore

Averagehourlyspendingbynumberofactivitiesbeyondgameplay

Numberofactivitiesbeyondgameplay(e.g.,socializing,shopping,watchinglivestreams)

Notes:Basedonrepresentativesample;excludes"other"andunclassifiedspendingSource:BainVideoGameConsumptionSurvey,May2024(n=5,153)

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GamingReport2024

Gamersarecocreatingtheexperience

Videohasbeendramaticallychangedoverthepasttwodecadesbytheriseofuser-generatedcontent(UGC).YouTuberMrBeastnowhasmoresubscribersthanNetflix,andvideoplatformsthatdependonusercontent(includingTwitch,YouTube,andTikTok)captureabout14%to19%oftotalentertainmenttimeintheprime13to44agegroup.Thesameshiftiswellunderwayinvideogames:80%ofgamershaveplayedagamewithUGC,andoneinsevenhavecreatedcontentinavideogame(seeFigure4).About80%ofUGCcreatorssaythattheycreatecontenttoexpressthemselvescreativelyandfortheirfriendstouseandenjoy.

Gamesoffercreatorsdifferentwaystoengage.Minecraft'sobjectivesrevolvearoundbuilding

andcreatingnewpartsoftheworld;creationisthegame.InRoblox,gamerscontributetogame

development,creatingnewmapsorgamesthatotherplayerscanenjoy.InGrandTheftAutoV,gamerscanpersonalizeandcustomizeitemsthattheyuseinthegame.Somegamespayuserstogeneratecontent,includingFortnite's“IslandCreator.”

GenerativeAIwillacceleratethistrendbyempoweringplayerswithtoolstofine-tunetheirgamingexperience.Someplayershavebecomeinfluencersorcelebritiesbystreamingorcommentingongamesonplatformsthatrelyonuser-generatedcontent,suchasTikTok,Twitch,orYouTube.Theseinfluencerscangeneratemoreengagementintheirgamingcommunities,increasinggameplayandspending.

Figure4:Mostgamershaveplayedgameswithuser-generatedcontent,and16%havemadecontentforgames

Percentageofgamersengagingwithuser-generatedcontent

Source:BainVideoGameConsumptionSurvey,May2024(n=5,153)

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GamingReport2024

Gamerswanttoplayacrossplatformsanddevices

Socialplaybeatssoloplay,andmostgamerswanttoplaywithfriends,whateverplatformthey'reon(seeFigure5).Asgamersspendmoretimedoingmoreingamingenvironments,cross-deviceubiquitybecomesevenmoreimportantastheywanttoengagewithfriendsregardlessofwhatdevicethey'reon.

Nearly70%ofgamersplayonatleasttwodevices,andhalfsaidthattheywouldliketoseemoreaccessibilityacrossdevicesinfuturegames.Cross-platformsolutionsaregainingtraction:95%ofgamedevelopmentstudioswithmorethan50peopleareworkingoncross-platformgames.

GamingIPistakingshareinothermedia

Morethanhalfofgamerswatchedashowormoviebasedonavideogameoverthepastyear,anincreaseof10percentagepointsover2022,reflectinghigherdemandandgreatersupply.Game-relatedshowsandmovieshaveabigimpactongameplay,withanaverage28%liftinaverageconcurrentusers(ACUs)sixmonthsaftertheirrelease.ResidentEvil,forexample,hasalongstandinggameandmoviefranchisedatingbacktothe1990s.ThereleaseofaResidentEvilshowonNetflixinJuly2022boostedtheACUofthePCgameResidentEvil2by62%sixmonthsaftertheshow'sdebut.The2020movieSonictheHedgehogbroughtinmorethan$300millionattheboxofficeandboostedtheACUofPCgameSonic

Figure5:InteroperabilityacrossdeviceswasafactorintwoofthetopthreefeaturesgamerswantedRankedorderofthingsplayerswantfromtheirgames

Rank3

Rank2

Rank1

gameregularlyallmydevices

ondifferentdevices

Source:BainVideoGameConsumptionSurvey,May2024(n=5,153)

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GamingReport2024

Adventure2by56%fivemonthsafteritsrelease.Andtheblurringgoesbothways:NetflixsaysthatitwillbringitsmostpopularstoriestovideogamesthroughitsownNetflixGameStudioandthatit'spartneringwithRobloxtocreateadigitalthemepark:Nextworld.

Fourimperativesforlong-termsuccess

Theseconsumertrendsaretailwindsindicatingstrongmarketgrowthaheadforthevideogame

industry.However,risingcompetitionfrombigtechandothermedia,aswellasfundingpressures,meanthatnoteverygamingcompanywillsharethegains.Aclearlydefinedgrowthstrategyiscriticaltoensurelong-termsuccess.Ourworkwithleadersintheindustrysuggestsfourimperativesthatwillhelpexecutivesdefinetheirlong-termstrategies:

·Understandthecustomer.

·

Expandthein-gameworld,includingintotherealworld.

·

Meetgamerswheretheywanttobe.

·

Createnewexperiencestokeepgamersengaged.

Understandthecustomer.Everygroupofgamersrequiresitsownproductandengagementstrategy,andgamecompaniesshouldbeconductingongoingresearchandtestingtorefinetheirunderstandingofthem.Determinetheappropriatewaystoreachthem—beitthroughprelaunchresearchduringgamedevelopment,duringsoftlaunchtrials,orthroughliveoperationsupdatesthroughoutthegame'slifecycle.

Gamecompaniesalsoneedtoconsiderabroaderrangeofplayersasthedefinitionofagamerchanges.

Gamecompaniesalsoneedtoconsiderabroaderrangeofplayersasthedefinitionofagamer

changes.Oursurveyresultsidentifiedtheimportantpotentialofoldergamersontheirmobiles.Somecompaniesfocusontheprimedemographicof12-to24-year-olds,buttheymaybemissingopportunitiesiftheydon'texpandtheirlenstoconsiderhowtheirgamesandIPcouldhelpthemreachawideraudience.

Expandthein-gameworld,includingintotherealworld.Giventhetrendofgamerswantingtospendtimeinimmersiveenvironmentsdoingmorethanjustplayingthegame,publishersanddevelopersshouldthinkmorebroadlyaboutthewholegameexperience.Whiletheycontinuetobuildoutthe

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GamingReport2024

game,theymaywanttoplacemoreemphasisonaspectsotherthanplay,includingsocialexperiences,othermedia,opportunitiesforcocreation,trading,andlockermanagement.

Theyshouldalsobelookingforopportunitiestoextendthegameexperienceintothephysical

world,includingpartnershipsthatcapitalizeongameIPinmovies,TVshows,themeparks,orothereventsandexperiences.Thisopensupnewcommercialopportunities,suchastheabilityforagamertobuyobjectsorclothinginthephysicalworldandalsogetadigitalversioninthegame.

Giventhetrendofgamerswantingtospendtimeinimmersiveenvironmentsdoingmorethanjustplayingthegame,publishersanddevelopersshouldthinkmorebroadlyaboutthewholegameexperience.

Meetgamerswheretheywanttobe.Asgamersincreasinglywanttoplayacrossplatformsand

devices,cross-platformgamesarebecomingtablestakes.Mostgamecompanieswillneedtomake

newinvestmentsindevelopmentandpartnershipstomakethispossible.Asdistributionbecomesmorecomplex,itwillbecomemoreimportantfordeveloperstostayontopofdevelopmentsindistributionsothattheycanstayclosetotheiraudience.

Createnewexperiencestokeepgamersengaged.Astrongcoreisessential,butlivegamesneedtoprogresstoremainchallenging.Indoingso,theyrelyonneworexistingIPtobuildoutthestory.FewfranchisesenjoythewealthofIPthatmorethanahundredStarWarsgameshavehadaccessto,withnearly50yearsofbroadIPdevelopmenttodrawupon.Buttheexamplestandsasahigh-watermarkforotherfranchisestoemulate.

Beyondupdatestothegameitself,leadinggamecompaniesfindotherwaysfortheircustomersto

participate.Cocreationtopsthelistasitalsokeepsusersdeeplyinvestedinthegame.Otherengagementopportunitiesabound,fromonlineforumstocross-mediaentertainmentsuchasshowsormoviesfeaturinggameplayorcharacters.

Gettingtothenextlevel

Gamedevelopersandpublishersfacetheseimperativesatacriticalmomentintheevolutionof

theirindustry,whengamecompaniesofallsizesaremakingconcertedeffortstoscaleupandbuildmorematurecapabilitiesthatcanseethemthriveinthenextwaveofgrowth.Themarkethasgrown

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GamingReport2024

quickly,fasterthanmostcompanieshavebeenabletokeeppacewith.Morethaninalmostanyotherindustry,manygamecompanieshavedependedonpassionfortheproductasmuchasprofessionalmanagementtodeliverthegoods.Now,asgamecompaniesfacetheprospectofcompetingmoredirectlywithbigtechandbigmediaplayers,theyarerethinkingtheiroperatingmodelstobecomemoreefficientandmakethemostoftheirintellectualproperty.(Formoreonthis,readthechapter“LevelUnlocked:HowVideoGameCompaniesCanEvolveOperatingModelsforGrowth.”)

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TheNextBigDisruptioninVideoGames:Distribution

Gamerssaytheywantmoreinteroperabilityacrossdevices,andmanywanttoconsolidatealltheirgamesontoasinglemarketplace.

ByAndersChristoffersonandYohannPlantec

AtaGlance

Gamersincreasinglyidentifywiththegamestheyplayratherthanthedevicetheyplayon一atrendthatwillforcegamecompaniestodevelopnewgrowthstrategies.

Advancesintechnologyacceleratethistrend:Low-latency,cloud-basedgamingallowsplayerstoaccessgamesfromarangeofdevices.

Gamedevelopersaretakingadvantageofthischange,movingawayfromplatformexclusivityinpursuitoflargerplayerbases.

Marketplacesthatconsolidategamesforplayers,sometimesforafee,arelikelytobethefuturebattlegroundforcontrolofthecustomerrelationship.

Imagineanot-too-distantfuturewhengamerscanplayseamlesslyacrossalmostanydevice:Startagameontheirphoneonthebuscommutehomefromwork,then,oncehome,droptheirdevicenexttoasmartTV,pickupacontroller,andrejointheactiononthelargerscreen.

Thisnextstepintheevolutionofvideogamingisjustabouthere.Astechnologyinnon-gamingdevices(mobilephones,TVs,non-gamingPCs)advancesquicklyandascloudgamingbecomeslessexpensiveandmorecommon,playerswillaccessgameswithoutaconsole,gamingPC,orotherdedicated

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GamingReport2024

gamingdevice.Yearsago,videoentertainmentfollowedasimilarpath:Consumersoncehadtorentorbuycontenttofittheirhardware:VHS,Betamax,DVD.Netflix'smoveawayfrommailingDVDsin2007signaledashifttohardware-agnosticstreamingplatforms,andnowviewerswatchfromanywhere,andincreasinglyonsmallphonescreens.

Gameconsoleanddeviceprovidershavebeenhearingforyearsthattheirindustrywillbecomedeviceagnostic,butitseems,finally,tobetakingshape,forafewreasons.

Gamerswantubiquity.Playersincreasinglyidentifywiththegamestheyplay(forexample,CallofDutyorFortnite)ratherthanthedevicetheyplayon.Ourrecentsurveyfoundthat70%ofgamersareplayingonseveraldevicesandthat8ofthetop10gamesareplayableonmultipleplatforms.

Technologygetsbetter.Cheapercloudinfrastructure,morepowerfulmobilephones,andhigherbandwidthnetworksallmakeiteasiertoservegamesfromthecloudtoanydeviceorscreen.

Developersaredroppingexclusivity.Astheypursuelargeraudiencesandneedtoaccountforrisingdevelopmentcosts,gamemakersarepublishingtitlesacrossdevicesandmarketplaces.

Forexample,FinalFantasypublisherSquareEnixsaidinMay2024thatitwouldshiftawayfromitslong-standingstrategyofdevelopingforSony'sPlayStationandinstead“aggressivelypursueamultiplatformstrategy”thatincludesNintendo,Xbox,andPCsinadditiontoSony'splatform.Otherpublishers,includingActivisionandTakeTwo,havesignaledsimilarshifts.

Anothersignthatthisshiftisunderwaymaybethatalthoughconsolesalescontinuetogrowinabsolutedollars,theirpenetrationlevelhasbeenflatforaboutadecadewhiletheglobalgamingpopulationhassteadilyincreasedoverthesameperiod.

Anothersignthatthisshiftisunderwaymaybethatalthoughconsolesalescontinuetogrowinabsolutedollars,theirpenetrationlevelhasbeenflatforaboutadecadewhiletheglobalgamingpopulationhassteadilyincreasedoverthesameperiod(seeFigure1)

Andwhileplayerssaythattheyareactiveonmultipleplatforms,oursurveyfoundthat90%ofthemwanttoconsolidate—andthathalfofthosearewillingtopayforit(seeFigure2).Gamingconsumersarelikelytosettleonahandfulofmarketplaces,biggameplatforms(suchasRobloxorFortnite),orotherintegratedmediaplatforms(suchasNetflixGaming).

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Figure1:Despiteanincreaseinconsolesales,consolepenetrationisdecliningasmobilegamersmakeupmostofnewgrowth

Consoleandgamergrowth,2013-2023Compoundannualgrowthrate

(indexedto2013values)(2013-2023)

Notes:Consolepenetrationrepresentsconsoleinstallbaseasapercentageofthegamerpopulation;consolesincludedinthesampleforconsolesalesandinstallbaseincludePS3,PS4,PS5,NintendoSwitch,WiU,NintendoWi,XboxSeriesX,XboxSeriesS,XboxOne,Xbox360

Sources:IDC;Newz₀0

Figure2:Mostgamerswanttoconsolidatetheirgamesontooneplatform,andmanyarewillingtopay

Percentageofgamerrespondentsinterestedinconsolidatingtheirgamesontooneplatform

48%

41%

11%

Interested,

Interested,

Notinterested

willingtopay

notwillingtopay

Source:BainVideoGameConsumptionSurvey,May2024(n=5,153)

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Raceforgamers'attention

Asthatconsolidationhappens,afewindustryleaderswillcapturethecustomerrelationships,usingthatengagementtograbmarketshare.Thosecompanies(largeandsmall)thatfailtomaintainadirectrelationshipwithgamerswillhavetomakestrategicalliancestoensurethattheycanreachtheiraudiences.Gamingcompanieswillneedtoredefinetheirrelationshipswithcustomers,competitors,andthevariousotherplayersthatmakeupthevideogameindustrylandscape.

Gamingcompanieswillneedtoredefinetheirrelationshipswithcustomers,competitors,andthevariousotherplayersthatmakeupthevideogameindustrylandscape.

Gamedevicemakers:Thosebrandsthathavebeendefinedbytheirproprietaryhardwareandthegamesexclusivetoitmayneedtoinnovateandrethinktheirvaluepropositioninorderto

maintaintheirrelationshipswiththeirgamercustomers.Giventhat80%ofgamersareplayingmostlyonnon-consoledevices,thesecompanies'marketplacesmaybecomemorecentralto

thoserelationshipsandtheirbusinessmodels.Theymaywanttotakeatwo-prongedapproach.First,protectandmaintaintheircorehardware-basedbusinessbydesigningahighlyinnovativenewgenerationofdevicesthatprovidehigh-quality,immersiveexperiencesusingextendedrealitytechnologies(e.g.,virtualreality,augmentedreality,etc.)andthatnativelyandintuitivelyintegratewith4KsmartTVs.Thegoalhereshouldbetodifferentiatetheirgameplayfromgeneralpurposedevices.Second,they'llwanttoexplorenewbusinessmodels,suchasopeninguptheirgamingenvironmenttootherplayers'marketplaces,untetheringtheirownmarketplacesfromtheir

hardware(whileprovidingthehighestvaluepropositiontowardbothgamersanddevelopers),andgeneratingnewrevenuestreamsfromadvertising.

Gamedevelopers:Asgamersconcentratetheirengagementonafewplatforms,developerswillwanttodecidewhethertoengagetheirplayersthroughtheirowndirect-to-consumerplatformsandmarketplacesorthroughlarge,cross-devicemarketplaces,dependingontheirscale.Theywilllikelyaccelerateeffortstodevelopcross-platform,cross-devicegamesandfeaturessuchasportableaccountsandgamelibraries.This,ofcourse,mayrequirestaffinguporupskillinginternalteamstoensurethenecessarytechnologycapabilities.Strategicpartnershipsarealsolikelytobecomemoreimportant,especiallyforsmallandmediumcompanies.

Marketplacesandotherdistributors:Ourrecentsurveyfoundthat58%ofgamersarealreadybuyinggamesfromseveralonlinestores,andfurtherdisruptionisalmostcertain.Largemarket-placessuchasSteamandarelikelytocompeteinalandgrabfornewcustomers,who

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willhavemorechoicesbutalsofacegreatercomplexity.Expecttoseearaceforscaletobecomethedominant,cross-devicemarketplace,whichwillallowtheleadertoofferbettereconomicstoplayersandpublishersaswellasconveytherighttoowncustomerrelationships.

Animportantfirststepinthatdirectionwillbeforthesecompaniestofindwaystodifferentiatethemselveswithgreatinterfaces,goodprices,andoccasionallyswimmingagainstthetidetoofferexclusivegames.Marketplaceswillalsowanttobuildgoodrelationshipswithgamedevelopersbyofferingreasonablefees,AItools,LiveOpsservices,dataanalytics,andinnovativemonetizationtools.Takingamoreproactiveapproachtorelationshipmanagementmayrequirestaffingup

salesteamsthathelpputmoregamesontheirmarketplace.

Noonecansayforsurehowlongitwilltaketheindustrytomovetoamostlyhardware-agnosticmodel.Butthecompaniesmostlikelytowininthenextchapterwillbethosewithaclearunderstandingoftheircompetitiveadvantage—namely,whathasdeliveredsuccessinthepastandhowthatwillplayintothefuture.Forward-lookingcompanieswillinvestindeveloping5-to10-yeargrowthstrategiesthatdelineatehowtocapitalizeontheopportunities—andmitigatetherisks—inherentin