Connected TV (CTV) and cross-screen advertising firm LG Ad Solutions has released the findings of a new study that found that gamers are more likely to watch free, ad-supported streaming (FAST) than all CTV owners, with nearly two-thirds of gamers spending at least two hours a week streaming via FASTs.
Additionally, gamers subscribe to the most subscription streaming services, at a higher rate than CTV owners, over-indexing on Discovery+, Apple TV+, Peacock and Paramount+. In terms of how they consume the content, only about 23% stream through their gaming console while the majority (55%) stream through their smart TV apps.
This information means CTV is a must-have channel for advertisers looking to reach this large, diverse, and highly engaged audience, said Tony Marlow, Chief Marketing Officer of LG Ad Solutions.
“Consumers of all ages spend a significant amount of time with video games on a daily basis, and over index on ad-supported streaming. Gamers have a high propensity to buy, and are keenly aware of relevant streaming ads, so brands have an opportunity to create meaningful connections with precise targeting and creative strategies when connecting with this audience.”
Other findings
For data gathering, LG Ad Solutions surveyed more than 700 consumers who owned a connected TV and played console games in March 2023 to explore trends and behaviours related to CTV consumption among U.S. gamers.
The study, titled “The Connected Gamer,” also found other insightful behaviours that advertisers can use to tailor their strategies.
For example, the study found that compared to other audience types, gamers prefer personalized and relevant content.
“80% of gamers prefer seeing ads relevant to their interests, compared to 73% of all CTV users. Similarly, they are more likely to prefer seeing ads that are relevant to the streaming content they are watching (76%) than the average CTV user (63%),” LG Ad Solutions said in a statement.
The study also revealed that gamers are a diversified group especially in terms of age. The generations with the largest percentage of console gamers are 30-44 (79%), followed by 18-29 (74%) and 45-60 (63%). Older generations also enjoy gaming as 32% of those 60+ play console games.
Meanwhile, of women who play video games on any connected TV or device, 1 in 5 play every day, with 67% spending 4+ hours gaming per week. In terms of streaming habits, 61% of female gamers prefer streaming free video content with ads, and 45% pay more attention to ads while streaming compared to ads on cable/satellite TV. When it comes to discovering new games, 39% of female gamers find them through TV/streaming.
Paulo Rizal is a content producer for Comms Room. He writes content around popular media, journalism, social media, and more.