By Sam Braithwaite, VP of Game Ecosystems, Mobile at ESL FACEIT Group
With the next generation of consumers quickly approaching the age where they can make informed decisions about their money, marketers are desperate to connect with them—now. Teens are chronically on their phones and online, yet conventional marketing techniques just aren’t cutting it with younger, more discerning, audiences. But that’s because marketers aren’t looking in the right places.
Enter mobile gaming. As an industry that pulled in around $90 billion in revenue in 2023—nearly half of the global games market—mobile gaming boasts more than 3 billion users globally, including 150 million in the US alone. And that’s why it’s a goldmine for brands looking to connect with the 13-29 demographic. Interestingly, 73% of Gen Alpha and 69% of Gen Z gamers interact with video games on their phones, outpacing engagement on PCs. This trend underscores the potential for brands to reach this demographic without the need for a TV, PC or console.
If you’re thinking, “wow”—you should be. The scale of this opportunity is major, in terms of dollars and impact.
Despite the fact that gaming’s popularity has surpassed that of the film and music industries combined, its fan base has largely existed outside pop culture circles. Mobile gaming, as a more recent phenomenon, has been even less acknowledged in these circles.
But that’s not keeping mobile gaming from gaining significant ground in the zeitgeist. Fueled by new IPs like Mobile Legends: Bang Bang and adaptations like Call of Duty: Mobile, mobile gaming’s ongoing growth demonstrates a significant appetite for high-quality mobile games and competition on handheld devices. In response, more and more AAA publishers are developing and releasing games on mobile, including Valorant and Wild Rift from Riot, Rainbow Six Siege from Ubisoft and Call of Duty and Warzone from Activision.
Still, large advertisers have been slow to integrate into the gaming market and, as mentioned, traditional advertising methods often fall short in capturing the attention of mobile gamers. According to Monetizr, only 16% of mobile gamers would stop playing a game if shown an ad, while 44% would continue playing regardless, showing how this audience isn’t deterred by advertising in-game. But to make memorable connections with gamers, brands need to do more than rely on traditional ads, which lack the personalization and real-time interaction that mobile gamers crave, leading to ad fatigue and disengagement.
The key for engaging with mobile gamers is recognizing gaming as a valuable, highly social experience. Mobile gaming creates borderless communities in online arenas of play, bringing together people from all walks of life. While 40% of mobile gamers are Gen Z or younger, Gen X and Boomers actually outnumber them. Plus, 51% of mobile gamers are women, showing just how diverse the audience is. The platform is also super accessible, so brands can reach a wide audience that doesn’t need pricey hardware to play.
And moving into esport leagues specifically, fans are even more invested. Esports fans are following more tournaments, consuming more content and in some cases spending the most money on games. The appetite for mobile esports is voracious, making it a landscape ripe for brand partnerships.
Take our Snapdragon Pro Series, which we launched in 2022 with Qualcomm Technologies Inc. This circuit, which sees gamers around the world compete across various mobile games in three tiers of expertise, has featured some of the largest mobile games on the planet such as Call of Duty: Mobile, Mobile Legends: Bang Bang, Brawl Stars, Garena Free Fire, EA SPORTS FC Mobile and Clash of Clans. This last year of the series had over 1.3 billion participants and over 32.4 million hours watched. That’s a lot of potential customers for brands to connect with.
To engage mobile gamers effectively, brands need to lean into those diverse in both esports and the broader mobile gaming communities. Live-streamed tournaments featuring integrated product placements increase brand awareness and engagement. Partnering with publishers to embed events directly into games enables brands to effortlessly integrate into esports via the game they want to use, ensuring that brands remain top-of-mind for mobile esports lovers.
For example, DHL’s bespoke mascot Cargo premiered at gamescom 2024, which coincided with the Brawl Stars World Finals Last-Chance Qualifier. Cargo was a hit with both esports fans and conference attendees, demonstrating the beneficial impact of well-executed branded events.
Interactive ads are another way to keep players engaged by matching to the player’s path in game, increasing brand retention. Gen Z and Gen Alpha enjoy branded moments in games almost 20% more than Millennials, preferring immersive, playable experiences such as playable characters, in-game skins and rewarded videos.
Mobile gaming fosters both long-term loyalty and fandom across generations. By meeting gamers where they are, companies can develop deep, personalized relationships with a vibrant and diverse fanbase. Mobile gaming’s potential for brand engagement will only increase as it evolves, reinforcing its status as an essential tool for forward-thinking marketers.
