Premium By Design: Defining Premium Gaming Experiences

Overview

When it comes to defining “premium” video games, mobile has historically been left out of the conversation in favor of PC and console games. 

Despite this, the mobile gaming audience is bigger than the PC and console audience combined and account for 53% of annual global gaming industry revenue. (NewZoo, 2022 Global Games Market Report)

In gaming, quality gameplay, high-quality graphics and audio, compelling story, and carefully crafted game mechanics are what elevate established gaming franchises and much-loved titles over others—and 73% of all gamers surveyed already consider mobile games to be high quality.

And while consumers long for premium experiences from their games, the same is true of the promotions within. The payoff is one that can benefit both advertisers and their audiences.

This begs the question: what is “premium?” 

This report analyzes not just what makes a game “premium” in the eyes of players, but also the qualities of premium advertising. Combined, “Premium By Design: Defining Premium Gaming Experiences” paints a vivid picture of what makes a successful in-game advertising placement and experience. One wherein players and brands can both win.

Takeaways

• Premium mobile games are ones with high-quality graphics, are free-to-play, pose a challenge, and more.

• Puzzle games are seen as the most premium genre by both mobile and PC/console players.

• Players expect premium in-game ads to be skippable, have the ability to opt-out, and be shorter than 30 seconds.

• 2-in-3 mobile gamers consider King games to be premium.

Methodology

Activision Blizzard Media partnered with Alter Agents to perform a quantitative analysis of 2,000 Adults (18+) in the US. All respondents play on mobile, all players play two or more game genres, and all respondents recall seeing an advertisement or product placement in a video game in the past 30 days.

About Activision Blizzard Media

Activision Blizzard Media Ltd is the gateway for brands to the leading interactive entertainment company with hundreds of millions of monthly active users around the world. Our legendary portfolio includes iconic mobile game franchises such as Candy Crush™, esports like the Call of Duty League™,  the Overwatch League™ and some of the top PC and console gaming franchises such as Call of Duty®, World of Warcraft®, and StarCraft®. The idea is simple: great game experiences offer great marketing experiences. Learn more at www.activisionblizzardmedia.com.