The connected future of games

•    New devices, growing interest and improved internet stability is transforming the world of games according to a new Ericsson ConsumerLab report
•    There is potential for gamification to enter more areas, such as increasing employee performance, aiding education and in personal development
•    Many games will expand and involve interactions with the physical world some will use wearables, such as connected watches or wrist bands.

As more people and devices become connected, industries are being transformed, and the digital gaming industry is no different. It is changing like never before, according to a new Ericsson ConsumerLab report called “New ways to play games.” Gaming has become more socially acceptable as a mainstream form of culture and consumers are looking for game immersion and socialization. This leads to a desire for devices and tools to be continuously improving, offering new, enhanced gaming experiences.

“The introduction of very personalized, app-based, multi-purpose devices such as the smartphone has enabled gaming to reach a much wider audience,” says Niklas Heyman Rönnblom, Senior Advisor at Ericsson ConsumerLab. “Many of today’s games are leveraging internet connectivity to add more aspects such as multiplaying. As this continues to develop further it will stress the importance of improved coverage, performance and reliability. Any interruptions to the gaming experience are a great source of frustration.” 

This report is based on online interviews with 60 gamers (20 per country) in the US, South Korea and Brazil, 8000 online respondents from Brazil, US and South Korea (Ericsson ConsumerLab, Analytical Platform 2013) and 13 interviews were made with industry and academic experts. 

Interesting findings in the report were as follows:

•    The profile of a gamer is changing. Our research showed that 85 percent in South Korea, 75 percent in US and 53 percent in Brazil of respondents play fixed or mobile games. (Ericsson ConsumerLab analytical platform, age 16-59).There is an even split between males and females, slightly more male in Brazil. 50 percent of the gamers in US were over 34 years old, whereas in South Korea 50 percent were over 40. In Brazil almost 60 percent of the gamers were under 30 years old.
•    It is not bandwidth that is the most important aspect of the network quality for gaming, but rather the stability and reliability. The number one pain point for gamers is disruption of the seamless experience
•    As games become more commonplace, consumers are becoming used to gaming elements. This will drive uptake of gamification into other areas, such as learning and personal development.

About Ericsson ConsumerLab

Ericsson ConsumerLab gains its knowledge through a global consumer research program based on interviews with 100,000 individuals each year, in more than 40 countries and 15 megacities - statistically representing the views of 1.1 billion people. Both quantitative and qualitative methods are used, and hundreds of hours are spent with consumers from different cultures.

Ericsson is the driving force behind the Networked Society – a world leader in communications technology and services. Our long-term relationships with every major telecom operator in the world allow people, businesses and societies to fulfil their potential and create a more sustainable future. 

Our services, software and infrastructure – especially in mobility, broadband and the cloud – are enabling the telecom industry and other sectors to do better business, increase efficiency, improve the user experience and capture new opportunities. 

With more than 110,000 professionals and customers in 180 countries, we combine global scale with technology and services leadership. We support networks that connect more than 2.5 billion subscribers. Forty percent of the world’s mobile traffic is carried over Ericsson networks. And our investments in research and development ensure that our solutions – and our customers – stay in front.   

Founded in 1876, Ericsson has its headquarters in Stockholm, Sweden. Net sales in 2013 were SEK 227.8 billion (USD 34.9 billion). Ericsson is listed on NASDAQ OMX stock exchange in Stockholm and the NASDAQ in New York.

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