The role of social media in gaming industry

If you were to ask whether gaming or social media was more popular it might be tight competition as both of them are two pretty big industries. However, along the way both have had big influences on each other, and a large number of online platforms have benefited as a result.

Communication on social media platforms like Twitter has helped to spread the word about new video game releases and online gaming tournaments. Meanwhile, companies such as Xbox and PlayStation have gained thousands of followers on promoting social media news and updates to help grow their community and audience. Over time these industries have both helped and complimented each other.

The growing popularity of digital entertainment

In a few short decades, the digital entertainment industry has experienced a transformation from the growth of Netflix to the growing popularity of TikTok.

At one time, our entertainment might have come primarily from television, but now users around the world have access to much more through advancements in technology. As we were introduced to faster internet, VR, new mobile apps, 4k Ultra HD video, and more – much more was made available to use.

According to Oberlo, TikTok has been one of the fastest-growing platforms recently. With over 800 million active users worldwide, any of us can access this short-video entertainment on our mobiles any time of the day, wherever we may be.

At the start of 2019, TikTok also passed YouTube, Facebook, and Instagram as the most downloaded app on the Apple App Store with more than 33 million downloads.

How can social media help us access the gaming world?

1. Updates on new game trailers & release date

 one of the quickest ways that players can be notified of new game releases are through social media. Game companies can release teasers, posters, and world premiere trailers, to a huge online audience on social media.

Recently, news of the new Assassin’s Creed game trailer went global across a variety of platforms. According to GamesRadar, the new trailer for Assassin’s Creed: Valhalla was Ubisoft’s most-watched trailer so far as it attracted over 100 million views in the first day.

Many major game consoles also have profiles on social media too such as PlayStation that has over 4.7m followers on Instagram. Fans of PlayStation can easily follow them on here for new updates and news of upcoming releases.

2.New content from iGaming operators & online casinos

As well as promoting new console games, social media can help to highlight the latest titles from the iGaming industry as well. Many people may also want to keep up to date with the latest sports betting odds on big football matches and horse races, and social media is an easy way to do that.

Gaming brands like Slot Boss, who have plenty of online slots and casino games to play, can talk about their latest releases and communicate with their players through platforms such as Twitter, Facebook, and more.

3.Keeping up to date with live-streaming & esports tournaments

Over the past decade or so, esports has also become a popular form of gaming that people like to get involved in all over the world. For the esports gaming industry, social media is a great facility for getting the word out and bringing in more viewers.

Companies such as Esports Insider can use their large Twitter following to provide their target audience with the latest news and information on games, events, and sponsorships. Social media users also use platforms such as YouTube to follow their favorite live-streamers and gaming channels for new video uploads.

How can social media help more people get into gaming?

According to Smart Insights, social media users are spending on ‘average 2 hours and 24 minutes per day multi networking across an average of 8 social media networks and messaging apps’. With this in mind, many gaming companies and gaming news sites can use social media to their advantage to reach users online.

1.Exposure

Many gamers get excited about the upcoming releases so social media can help these games gain exposure with worldwide audiences. For example, game trailers released on platforms like YouTube get a lot of shares in turn on platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Reddit, and Instagram, which generates greater interest.

2.Online communities

Social media can also help promote new games and discussions around them through online communities. Facebook groups and pages, subreddits, and more can attract online users and in turn generate new customers who will buy and play games.

3.Word of mouth

Platforms such as Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook, can help spread the word about popular games, popular consoles, and new game updates, etc. through word of mouth between users. This not only helps improve a brands’ awareness, but it also helps to get more people into gaming or searching for a particular game. When a game announcement is made, the word can quickly get around social media through hashtags or promoted posts.