48 market study – How Xbox and PlayStation gamers respond to ads

Insights from YouGov Global Profiles, encompassing data from 48 global markets, showcase a distinct difference in attitudes towards advertising between gamers and the general adult population. 

A notable difference exists in how gamers perceive the influence of advertising in their decision-making process. Among Xbox and PlayStation gamers, a significant 57% believe that advertising plays a crucial role in helping them decide what to purchase. This is markedly higher than the 41% of the general adult population who share this perspective.

Moreover, traditional advertising mediums such as posters and billboards exhibit a greater influence on gamers compared to the broader adult demographic. About seven in 10 Xbox (66%) and a similar proportion of PlayStation gamers (67%) acknowledge the impact advertising channels have on raising awareness about new products and services, in contrast to 56% of all adults.

The social dynamics of advertising within the gaming community also stand out. Over half of the gamers on both Xbox and PlayStation platforms (at 54% each) say they recommend products and services they've seen advertised on posters and billboards to their friends and family. This figure substantially exceeds the 36% of all adults who report similar behavior, suggesting that advertising campaigns targeting gamers could benefit from a ripple effect, extending their reach beyond direct consumers to influence broader social circles.

Celebrity endorsements hold a particular appeal among gamers, with two-thirds of Xbox (58%) and PlayStation gamers (57%) expressing enjoyment of ads that feature their favorite celebrities. This far exceeds two-fifths of the general adult population who feel the same way (38%). Additionally, direct email marketing proves to be a more effective strategy in swaying gamers, with half of Xbox (51%) and PlayStation gamers (50%) open to being influenced by emails from brands, compared to only a third of all adults (34%).

Learn more about this YouGov’s study along with:

• Dive deep into the gaming market with our in-depth analysis of the US, UK, Asian, and Australian landscapes.
• Obtain detailed breakdowns of gamer demographics, including gender, income, and age, to tailor your marketing strategies.
• See how you stack up with comparative analyses of your brand against key competitors in the gaming industry.

Make smarter business decisions with better intelligence. Understand exactly what your audience is thinking by leveraging our panel of 20 million+ members.

Methodology: YouGov Global Profiles is a globally consistent audience dataset with 1000+ questions across 48 markets. The data is based on continuously collected data from adults aged 16+ years in China and 18+ years in other markets. The sample sizes for YouGov Global Profiles will fluctuate over time, however the minimum sample size is always c.1000. Data from each market uses a nationally representative sample apart from India and UAE, which use urban representative samples, and China, Egypt, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Malaysia, Morocco, Philippines, South Africa, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam, which use online representative samples.