Where Culture Plays: How Gaming Audiences Drive Brand Growth

Gaming has become a cornerstone of global culture, reaching 3.6 billion players worldwide and generating over $188 billion annually (Newzoo, 2025). But beyond its sheer scale, gaming offers something other media channels cannot: immersive, emotionally resonant environments where players are deeply engaged. For brands, this creates one of the most powerful opportunities to build authentic connections, amplify relevance, and drive lasting growth.

Gaming as a Daily, Multiplatform Ritual

Unlike traditional media, gaming is an "always-on" activity that fits seamlessly into players’ daily lives. Research shows that 70% of gamers play or watch gaming content every day, and 95% do so weekly. What’s more, the average player engages across three platforms—mobile, console, and PC—adapting their experiences based on time of day and context.

Morning sessions often happen on mobile for quick bursts of play, while evening sessions shift to console and PC for longer, more immersive entertainment. This flexibility allows brands to tailor messaging across moments: snackable formats like Rewarded Video in mobile environments, cinematic storytelling in console, and premium integrations in PC.

Fandom Amplifies Advertising Effectiveness

The intensity of player passion significantly amplifies advertising outcomes. According to the Activision Blizzard Media, 2025 Gaming Halo and Brand Impact Research and Insights Report, fans of major franchises like Candy Crush consistently show stronger affinity for brands when exposed to ads within their favorite titles.

This fandom effect doesn’t just translate to affinity—it drives action. Among fans, positive brand sentiment, relevance, and likelihood to purchase all rise significantly when ads are integrated into their gaming experiences. This immersion is able to predict positive business outcomes, such as likelihood to purchase, recall and action with 80% accuracy. 

Platforms Provide Distinct Value

While gaming audiences are unified by passion, each platform offers unique strengths for advertisers:

• Mobile delivers reach and accessibility: Seventy-seven percent of weekly gamers play on mobile, and the platform excels at connecting brands with audiences in creative and relevant ways. Ads in Candy Crush Saga, for instance, are seen as highly creative and unique, particularly for CPG food and entertainment brands.
  
  

• Console offers premium, big-screen immersion: Console environments are especially effective at elevating perceptions of quality and trust, with 72% of players saying they like brands that advertise on console platforms. Titles like Forza are standout opportunities, delivering a 2x stronger fit for auto brands compared to other platforms.
  
  

• PC provides depth and credibility: Players associate PC environments with high-quality, trustworthy brands, with 0% agreeing that they trust the brands they see on PC. Games like World of Warcraft excel at boosting brand purchase likelihood, with QSR brands seeing up to 71% agreement among players.

By leveraging these platform-specific strengths, brands can extend their storytelling across the full player journey.

Gaming Captures Attention Where Others Cannot

In a world where attention is fragmented, gaming stands out. A multi-modal research study done by Activision Blizzard Media, that included eye-tracking finds that gaming ads achieve 99% viewability and 100% completion, outperforming online video (86%) and social media (77%). The reason is immersion. Gaming environments naturally command focus, and when ads are designed to enhance rather than interrupt, they are not just noticed—they are remembered and acted upon.

Players themselves make this clear. Over half believe ads in games are high-quality and premium, and 57% say rewards in exchange for ad attention are essential. When aligned with gameplay and player choice, advertising is not only welcome but valued.

Where Culture Plays, Brands Win

Gaming today is more than entertainment—it is a cultural and commercial force that shapes how people connect, socialize, and relax. For brands, it represents a rare combination of massive reach, cross-platform engagement, and emotionally resonant environments.

From the scale of mobile to the premium immersion of console and the credibility of PC, gaming delivers distinct value across platforms. When paired with the passion of fandom and designed with player-first creativity, it becomes one of the most effective advertising environments available.

Brands that meet players where they play—authentically, contextually, and across platforms—stand to not only capture attention but to build lasting relevance and growth.

About the Author

As Director of Advertising Research at Activision Blizzard Media, Melinda Spence oversees global research for the game publisher’s advertising division, covering thought leadership and user experience research, ad measurement and quantitative research. Prior to Activision Blizzard Media, Melinda spent time at PepsiCo, working in a variety of eCommerce roles for the European business. She was also with Apple for six years, where she identified strategic opportunities for the Apple online store utilizing customer insights, and previously with BSkyB and MTV Networks. Originally from the United States, Melinda now resides in the United Kingdom and holds a B.S. from Drexel University and an MBA from London Business School.