Fandom, the platform that hosts wikis on entertainment topics, has released a report on how people interact with the video game and TV industries. The report is based on a poll of 5,500 entertainment and gaming consumers aged 13 to 54 from several countries, including Canada.
The study “Inside Entertainment: The Entertainment & Gaming Tug of War” found that 67% of respondents spend the same amount of time watching TV or playing video games as they did the previous three years. However, their behaviour is changing: 33% are spending less time watching cable TV or going to movie theaters, and 59% are switching to gaming.
“While this increase in time spent is seen most among younger players, it’s older consumers, surprisingly Millennials, who spend the most time with a controller (or keyboard or phone) in their hands,” Fandom VP of sales marketing and insights Anthony Iaffaldano tells MiC. “Those consumers who spend an immense amount of time in-game spend equal or more on related content sites – watching streamers/influencers, researching tactics and lore from their games, or connecting with other fans. These environments provide a great way to tap into passions while utilizing much more scalable and predictable ad models.”
Around 82% believe video games are more interactive and engaging than movies and shows, and 59% feel more fulfilled after playing a video game. About 45% think they have a better social life with their friends and family when they play games. The same percentage of respondents also say they are more interested in the stories of the games, and 53% like them because they have more power over the story.
Science fiction is the most popular genre among gamers (74%), followed by fantasy (72%), and adventure (69%). About 61% of men say they spend time playing video games, while 56% of women do.
Reading (56%) is the second most popular activity among respondents when they are not watching TV, with 44% and 72% of men and women, respectively, picking it. Around 60% of Gen Z reads, compared to 53% of Millennials. Social media comes in third position (47%), with 59% of Gen Z and 31% of Millennials using it.
The survey also showed that when consumers take a break from video games, 62% turn back to TV, 53% pursue other hobbies and 50% use social media. Around 34% watch family shows on streaming, while 27% watch family movies. Some 28% watch new TV shows or movies at home, while 11% go to theaters.
According to the report, TV is associated with complex feelings – people turn to them when they want to think. Movies and shows also allows viewers to take in their surroundings and are 47% more likely than video games to evoke feelings of peace and serenity.
“There is a relationship between the gaming and entertainment industries: both meet different emotional needs of fans and can complement each other, with the right fan strategy,” according to report.
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