Video Games: Targeting audiences

Understanding Video Games: Targeting Audiences

Identifying Key Audiences

  • Video games producers use a variety of means to identify key target audiences, such as market research, focus groups, and online data collection.
  • This helps producers make decisions on game themes, characters, gameplay mechanics and marketing strategies.

Demographic Considerations

  • Age, gender, socioeconomic status and location are key demographic factors in audience targeting.
  • Games are often rated by organisations like the PEGI (Pan European Game Information) to ensure they are appropriate for their target age group.
  • Changes in the gender demographics of gamers have resulted in an increased diversity of game characters and storylines.

Psychographic Profiling

  • Psychographic profiling takes into account attitudes, interests and opinions to anticipate player preferences and gaming habits.
  • This is reflected in game features such as genre, gameplay style, narrative, and level of challenge, which contribute to a game’s overall appeal and match with a target audience profile.

Technological Factors

  • The platform on which a game is released (e.g. PC, console, handheld, mobile) can determine the audience it will attract.
  • Features such as multiplayer modes or online communities can draw in audiences looking for social interaction through gaming.

Advertising and Promotion

  • Video game adverts are designed to appeal to their specific audience demographic, using familiar symbols, language and scenarios.
  • Publishers will often partner with influencers, streamers and gaming communities to reach their target demographic directly.
  • Promotional events, competitions, alpha and beta testing are all tactics used to gauge interest and excitement from the game’s target audience.

Cultural Factors

  • Different locales may prefer different types of games, thus developers often tailor content to suit various cultural preferences.
  • Localisation goes beyond translation, including adapting cultural references, humour, symbols and even gameplay to suit different cultures.
  • Understanding a target audience’s cultural background, social norms and preferences can greatly affect a game’s success in different markets.

In summary, audience targeting is a complex process that involves detailed understanding of demographic, psychographic, technological, promotional, and cultural factors. Effective targeting can ensure a game’s appeal to its core audience, leading to commercial success and long-term engagement.