Samsung’s focus on gamers: Is it paying off?

In the competitive world of smartphones, brands are always looking to carve out a niche. For Samsung, one of the most lucrative target demographics is gamers. With gaming-friendly features like high refresh rates, powerful processors, and AMOLED displays, Samsung is positioning itself as a go-to brand for gamers who demand premium performance. They've also launched a cloud gaming platform and have made investments in esports.

But is this strategy working? We explore insights from YouGov Profiles and YouGov BrandIndex to uncover whether Samsung’s focus on gamers is translating into success.

Are Gamers Considering Samsung?

Samsung’s efforts to capture the gaming market appear to be yielding results. Among US gamers, 37% say they would consider purchasing a Samsung phone, compared to 34% of the general population. Samsung is one of the only phone brands which registers higher favor among gamers relative to the overall US population.

This suggests that Samsung’s appeal among gamers is higher than it is for the average consumer, but Apple – 40% among both gamers and the general audience – remains the strongest competitor. When comparing Android vs. iOS as ecosystems, gamers lean slightly more toward Android (56%) than the general population (51%), indicating that Samsung’s investment in gamer-specific features could be influencing preferences.

Top Mobile Games Played by Samsung Gamers

Samsung’s appeal to mobile gamers is reflected in the diverse gaming preferences of those considering the brand. Among Samsung considerers, puzzle and breakout games like Candy Crush Saga and Bejeweled Blitz lead the way, with 22% identifying them as one of the genres they play. Card and casino games, such as Poker by Zynga and Slotomania, come in second, enjoyed by 15% of those considering Samsung for their next smartphone purchase.

Word, number, and brain games, including Words With Friends and Scramble, along with action-packed titles like Subway Surfers and Cut the Rope, are tied for the third spot at 14%. Meanwhile, 12% of Samsung considerers prefer immersive adventure games like Minecraft, Diablo Immortal, and The Walking Dead.

Is Samsung’s Strategy Working?

Heavy mobile and handheld gamers tend to have a stronger perception of Samsung’s brand compared to the general US population. Among this group, Samsung scores higher in Quality, Impression, and Satisfaction.

• Quality: Heavy gamers rate Samsung’s quality at 58.4, compared to 55.9 among all US adults.
• Impression: Samsung’s impression score among gamers stands at 57.7, surpassing the 54.7 score from the general population.
• Satisfaction: Satisfaction scores, which are based on current or former Samsung customers, are particularly high among heavy gamers, reaching 76.3—well above the 72.6 average from all US adults.

The elevated scores in Quality and Impression suggest that Samsung’s gaming-friendly features, such as high-refresh-rate displays and long battery life, resonate strongly with this demographic. Meanwhile, the high Satisfaction score indicates that gamers who own or have owned Samsung devices are notably more pleased with their experiences than the broader consumer base.

While Apple continues to dominate in certain areas, Samsung’s targeted focus on gamers appears to be paying off. Gamers are more likely to consider Samsung than the average consumer, and the brand’s investment in gaming-specific features appears to be resonating.