Contrary to popular opinion, gaming is not purely dominated by young males. A significant portion of the audience is made up of women with children, a segment that until now has remained largely unstudied. Activision Blizzard’s understanding the growing population of gamer mums report challenges the industry to rethink the collective view and understanding of who gamers are today while showcasing the opportunity for brands to reach and connect with these economic powerhouses.

The discussion around women and gaming (and largely supported in the media) has typically focused on mobile phones, deeming them casual gamers who play in their downtime.  However, this research shows that gamer mums account for the majority of mums, with over two-thirds of them gaming. Gamer mums represent the full spectrum of gamers, playing games on PC and console, in addition to mobile.

This highly valuable audience is at the centre of the household. Gamer mums make decisions for the family, enjoy entertainment, and report feeling closer with their children when gaming. They are desirable shoppers who love to discover new things and are receptive to relevant advertising, making them a key opportunity for brands. This report takes a closer look at gamer mums across the US, UK, France and Germany.  Insights include details of their entertainment consumption, connectivity with their family, social influence, and interaction with brands. It compares the behaviors of gamer mums to their non-gaming counterparts, while also analysing the differences between mums who play on different platforms.

The key takeaways from the understanding the growing population of gamer mums report are:

  1. 71% of mums are gamers: Gamer mums account for the majority of all mums but only 44% think of themselves as gamers in the UK. They mostly play on mobile and one other device (e.g. PC/laptop or console)
    • In the UK 46% of parent gamers are mums, with 54% being dads
    • Over 90% of gamer mums play mobile games weekly, with 75% daily in the UK and 30% of UK gamers mums playing for over 10 hours a week
    • On a daily basis, 38% of gamer mums play PC/laptop games and 33% play consoles
    • 49% of gamer mums have played for over 10 years in the UK
  2. Gamer mums are content consumptions machines: These highly-engaged enthusiasts watch more entertainment, engage more with social media, and are more likely to be content advocates than non-gamer mums
    • 57% paid for a streaming/entertainment subscription in the last 12 months
    • 76% use social media daily, 30% more than non-gamers. Video is the biggest driver of engagement within their two most used social platforms: YouTube and Facebook.
  3. Gaming delivers mums value and positivity: Gamer mums view entertainment, including gaming, as an important and positive part of their lives compared to their non-gaming mum counterparts. They are also more likely to feel they can easily relate to their children, gaming is a connective tissue in their relationships with their kids
    • 45% say they can easily relate to their children
    • 57% say it helps improve their mood
    • Gamer mums are nearly a third more likely to believe that entertainment technology brings people closer together
  4. Gamer Mums are primed for brands: They are more engaged with products and brands on social media, and they are more likely to recommend them to their friends and family. These mega-consumers are also at the centre of household purchasing decisions. They also like to shop and seek out new products, driven by a sense of pride in being the first person to try something new. These mega-consumers have a willingness to put in time researching and discovering new products
    • 48% offer advice to friends on purchases, versus 36% of non-gamer mums. In addition, 33% recommend products online, versus 25%
    • Gamers mums are a third more likely than non-gamers to be proactively asked for product recommendations by friends
    • Gamer mums are over 25% more receptive than non-gaming mums to advertising that introduces them to new products

This shift in the perception of women and gaming is becoming increasingly evident. Games are being designed with women in mind, there is a greater representation of women both in games themselves and gaming advertising, and more brands are starting to take notice.

The purchasing power of mums has long been recognised by brands, but reaching them hasn’t always been clear-cut. Gaming represents a unique opportunity for brands to tap into the key household decision-makers when they are highly engaged, receptive to advertising, and in a positive mindset.

To download understanding the growing population of gamer mums report, click here.

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