In a world where gaming culture continually evolves, Fandom's latest gaming report for 2024 sheds light on the profound relationship between gaming, self-expression, and brand engagement.

Drawing insights from a diverse pool of 5,000 entertainment and gaming enthusiasts globally, coupled with Fandom's vast first-party platform data, the report provides a comprehensive look into the motivations driving gamers today. In this article, we will summarize the most important points from the report.

Fandom Gaming Report 2024

Gaming and Culture

Over the last decade, gaming has experienced significant growth, emerging as one of the most vibrant and expansive industries worldwide. Fandom, recognized as the largest fan platform globally, has conducted an in-depth exploration of the gaming community's core motivations in its 4th annual Inside Gaming report.

This report, based on a proprietary study complemented by Fandom's extensive first-party data, including 350 million monthly unique visitors, 45 million pages of content, and 250k fan-powered wikis, reveals a noteworthy trend: gaming is increasingly perceived as a channel for personal expression, identity exploration, and real-life empowerment and confidence.

Fandom Gaming Report 2024: Overview and Methodology

Dominant Gaming Motivations

While stress relief remains a primary reason for gaming, a significant 46% of gamers now cite creation, imagination, and self-expression as their main driving forces, marking a 10% increase from the previous year.

Fandom Gaming Report 2024: Top Reasons Why People Game 

Influence on Gaming Habits

Gamers gravitating towards self-expression, creation, and imagination are increasingly dedicating more time to gaming, underscoring a growing affinity for the virtual world. 

People who are gaming for self-expression, creation & imagination are 30% more likely to increase their gaming time, feeling more drawn to the gaming world than ever before.

Fandom Gaming Report 2024: Gaming for Self-Expression

Games Driving Self-Expression

The report highlights that 60% of gamers prioritize self-expression through gameplay more than ever before. Titles like Minecraft, Fortnite, and Roblox stand out for their extensive customization options and open-world experiences, enabling players to express their unique identities.

Fandom Gaming Report 2024: Games that Enable Self-Expression

Exploring Gamer Identity

A notable disparity emerges between players' in-game personas and their real-life identities, with 80% feeling that their gaming persona differs from reality. However, there's a desire among half of the respondents to embody their in-game personalities in real life (IRL), presenting opportunities for brands to bridge this gap.

Fandom Gaming Report 2024: Gaming vs IRL

Opportunities for Marketers

Emphasize Self-Expression

With 32% of gamers aspiring to mirror their physical appearance to their in-game avatars, brands can strengthen connections by aligning products with this desire, particularly in the fashion and beauty sectors.

Fandom Gaming Report 2024: Self-Expression via In-Game Avatars 

Create Brand Safe Spaces

The report reveals that 64% of gamers view gaming communities as essential safe havens where they can authentically express themselves, signaling an opportunity for brands to cultivate and support these spaces.

Align with Gamers’ IRL Aspirations

Brands can deepen consumer relationships by assisting gamers in integrating their virtual and real-life personas. Nearly half of gamers express a desire for their real-life skills to match their gaming prowess, opening avenues for brands to provide products that enhance both realms.

Stephanie Fried, CMO of Fandom, emphasizes the transformative power of gaming, stating:

“From character customization to cosplay and content creation, video games have empowered gamers to explore, express, and enhance their identity - nearly two-thirds of gamers claim it’s easier to be themselves with a controller in their hands. With the growing significance of gaming as a means for self-expression and personal evolution, it's crucial for brands to connect to these motivators to help players bring their gaming personas to life in the real world.”

Fandom Gaming Report 2024: Brand Opportunities 

Relevance to Blockchain Gaming

These findings hold particular relevance for the emerging field of blockchain gaming. As blockchain technology continues to intersect with the traditional web2 gaming industry, the emphasis on personal expression, identity exploration, and real-life empowerment becomes even more pronounced. Blockchain gaming offers unprecedented opportunities for players to truly own their in-game assets, identities, and experiences.

Fandom Gaming Report 2024: Summary 

The insights from Fandom's Inside Gaming report underscore the importance of these aspects in gaming culture, suggesting that blockchain gaming has the potential to further empower players by providing transparent ownership, enhanced customization options, and deeper integration between virtual and real-world identities. As blockchain gaming evolves, brands and developers can leverage these insights to create immersive and meaningful experiences that resonate with players on a profound level. You can read the full report here.