Dentsu 2025 Gaming Trends Report
What’s up, Gaming?
🎮 GAMING ISN’T A TREND — IT’S A CULTURAL SHIFT
- Gaming is now a horizontal layer across content, commerce, and connection.
- It fuels fandoms, identity exploration, and community building.
- Brands that want cultural relevance must integrate authentically, not treat gaming as a one-off activation.
🚀 GAMING POWERS GROWTH FOR BRANDS
- Gaming time is rising fast, especially among Gen Z & Millennials.
- Gaming IPs are fueling the transmedia boom — over 60 game-based productions in development (e.g., Minecraft Movie, The Last of Us).
- Despite massive engagement, gaming receives <5% of global media investment — huge white space for smart brand strategies.
🌍 GAMING IS THE NEW SOCIAL PLATFORM
- Platforms like Discord, Twitch, Roblox enable connection through gameplay, not just observation.
- 70% of gamers say gaming helps them connect with others.
- 68% try games because of shows, movies, or books.
- Gaming fandom deepens brand affinity and drives real-world action.
👾 GEN Z: GAMING IS THEIR SOCIAL GLUE
- Gen Z gamers are 32% more likely to play for socializing.
- 2.5 hours/day spent on Roblox, 1.62 billion friendships formed monthly.
- Expanding entertainment IP into games supercharges fandom and cultural connection.
💡 GAMING IS A COMMERCE ENGINE
- 43% say gaming partnerships improve brand perception.
- 45% of Gen Z & Millennials open to buying physical products while gaming.
- Gamers shape lifestyle trends in food, fashion, beauty, and entertainment.
🕹️ WHY PLAYERS SPEND
- Self-expression (44%)
- Keeping up with others (43%)
- Gaining an advantage (42%)
🗺️ GAMING IS GLOBAL — BUT LOCAL STRATEGY WINS
- APAC holds 53% of global gamers, playing with purpose (skill-building, competition).
- NA gamers lean into gaming for escapism.
- Livestreaming booming in MENA, driven by esports investment.
- Localized, culturally fluent campaigns drive better ROI.
🎯 GAMING AS A FULL-FUNNEL ENGINE
1. Awareness:
- Influencers, rewarded videos, in-game ads, partnerships
- Example: Genshin Impact x Happy Lemon drove 55M impressions, 120% sales growth
2. Consideration:
- Branded items, tournaments, in-game challenges
- Example: Love, Your Mind Roblox world supported mental health, 650K+ visits in 1 month
3. Conversion:
- Click-to-buy, in-game commerce, loyalty activations
- Example: Burger King’s gamified loyalty increased purchase rates 11-12%, spend per guest +64%
🔮 WHAT TO WATCH IN 2026
Key Trends:
- Transmedia Fandoms: Game-IP adaptations like Minecraft Movie, GTA VI (expected 2026)
- Switch 2 Launch: Broader, casual-friendly audience expansion
- Cloud Gaming Growth: Lower barrier to entry, especially in emerging markets
- GTA VI Cultural Phenomenon: Expect massive UGC, viral branded content opportunities
✅ FINAL TAKEAWAYS FOR BRANDS
✔ Gaming isn’t a campaign — it’s a cultural ecosystem.
✔ Understand why your audience plays (relaxation, social, achievement, etc.) to activate effectively.
✔ Go beyond awareness — build meaningful interactions across the full funnel.
✔ Localize with cultural nuance for real impact.
✔ Act now: the brands integrating authentically into gaming today will shape the future of marketing.
