Jump to content
The picture of a gamer is changing

Research

Modern Gamer Personas

All Research

Activision Blizzard Media

October 01, 2020

5 minute read

Overview

The picture of a gamer is outdated. The gaming world has evolved. The technology that powers games has improved. The players have changed. But what about the way we think about gamers? 

This research takes a deeper look at gamers. It reveals that less than a third of gamers fit the stereotypical gamer mold. If you consider a gamer as someone who lives and breathes gaming, it’s even less. Only a sliver of the gaming population looks like the young, male, gamer caricature we’re familiar with.

By developing gamer personas that are based on questions beyond simple demographics and platforms used, the result is a more complete picture of who gamers are.

Takeaways

1. Six distinct gamer personas were identified in our research

Gamers are not homogenous. When gamers are clustered by identity, motivations, and play styles, the result is six distinct gamer personas. Their motivations converge around the games they play and how they play them, rather than just their basic demographics.

2. Less than half of all gamers identify as a gamer

Over 60% of gamers surveyed responded “no” or “unsure” when asked, “are you a gamer?” Most gamers refuse to acknowledge the gamer title, making the audience larger and more diverse than many realize.

3. Only a small minority of all gamers fit the typical gamer stereotype

The stereotypical gamer is by no means representative of the broader gaming audience. Of the six gamer personas, only two resemble the stereotypical image of a gamer. The most hardcore gamer makes up just 4% of the overall audience.

4. The single-platform player is rare

The majority of gamers play across multiple platforms. “Mobile gamers,” often thought of as single-platform users, often play on console and PC. Consequently, looking at gamers only through the lens of single-platform usage doesn’t give the full picture.

Spyro the Dragon

Get the full report today

Download Report

Methodology

This consumer research defines holistic gamer personas based on demographics, platforms, motivations, attitudes, and psychographics.

To better understand the gaming audience, Activision Blizzard Media conducted a quantitative study among adults over the age of 18 who played, watched, or engaged with video games at least once in the past month. Gower’s Distance clustering was used to identify unique subsets of gamers by analyzing survey responses and creating grouping distinctions based on maximal differences.

The online-based study surveyed 21,168 gamers split across the United States, the United Kingdom, France, and Germany.

Knowledge Share

Sign up to be notified of future content updates.

THE LATEST NEWS & CONTENT

View All

November 06, 2023

IAB UK Gaming Upfronts 2023 Recap

In a future-focused exploration of the gaming industry, mentions of game IP and fandom stood out at the recent IAB UK Upfronts.

Read More

October 25, 2023

Advertising Week New York 2023 Recap

The power of fandom took center stage during Advertising Week NY 2023, as brands, marketers, and gaming industry leaders came together for a compelling session led by Activision Blizzard Media on how to leverage the passion of gaming fans.

Read More

Jonathan Stringfield

Jonathan Stringfield

October 16, 2023

The Fandom Phenomenon: How Brands Can Harness the Passion of Gaming Fans

Your average video game enthusiast, football viewer, and rock music aficionado have more in common than you might suspect.

Read More

View All

Advertise With Us

Level up your brand awareness with high performance advertising.

With decades of experience and a legendary portfolio that includes iconic game franchises like Candy Crush™, Call of Duty®, World of Warcraft® and StarCraft®, we make it possible for brands to engage with hundreds of millions of active users all around the world.

For media inquiries, contact
abm@activision.com

Step 1 of 2

Let's start with the basics...

Candy Crush Tiffi

Step 2 of 2

Now, Tell us who you are and what you're interested in...

Spyro the Dragon

Your message has been sent.

WE’LL BE IN TOUCH!

Thanks for reaching out. Please check your inbox for important information on our next steps.

Overwatch Starcraft

The Software License and Service Agreement will be updated. Please follow this link [https://www.activision.com/legal/ap-eula] in order to see these changes.

Privacy Policy Update
We’ve updated our Privacy Policy. You can view the revised policy here. By continuing to use Activision’s websites, products or services, you acknowledge this revised Privacy Policy.