Brands in the gaming universe have coexisted for quite some time, but their mature and serious relationship is relatively recent.
This article explores how gaming became a part of everyone’s life and how teenagers turned their passion into a profession as influencers. Furthermore, discover the habitat of gaming influencers and the statistics of their audience growth. The analysis also covers how businesses adapted during the 2019 pandemic and the surge in e-commerce figures during that period.
Uncovering methods of integrating brands into the gaming space, we asked some questions to successful representatives of the gaming universe in Switzerland. Exploring the ultimate formula for effectively promoting a brand in the gaming sphere and how brands can successfully collaborate with gaming influencers. The gaming industry is a remarkable giant that quietly crept into our lives, became our friend, and continues to astonish us with its concepts and sheer magnitude – and it’s here to stay. Even before COVID-19 hit in 2020, around 40% of Millennials and Gen Z said playing video games was among their top three favorite entertainment activities.
Inside the Gamer’s Haven: Where Worlds Converge and Communities Thrive
Just as like-minded individuals always gather around a good idea, millions of fan audiences have formed around computer games. But where do they congregate, and how do they spend their time? Gamers don’t confine themselves to playing in isolation from the outside world. They form massive and dynamic communities using various online platforms. Gaming culture has evolved from a pastime into an expansive virtual realm, where players don’t merely play but also interact, learn, create, and even earn.
DISCORD
Enter Discord, a communication platform tailor-made for gamers that has also become popular among other online communities. Gamers use Discord to create their virtual hubs, where they chat in text and voice, team up, strategize, and coordinate cooperative gaming sessions. It’s a one-stop-shop, equipped with moderation tools, making it a perfect arena for forging close-knit communities.
Discord continues its rise, with projected monthly active users reaching 150 million in 2025. The momentum is set to continue – a dynamic and thriving community worth watching.
TWITCH
And what about Twitch? It’s the heavyweight champion of video game streaming platforms. Here, gamers set up their own channels and broadcast their gaming exploits to the world. Viewers tune in to catch the action, leaving comments, posing questions, and even showing financial support through various donation methods. It’s a place where gamers build their digital communities and engage with their audience in real-time.
Twitch currently gets more than 240 million unique visitors every month. That’s up from 55 million users in 2015.
What’s more, a whopping 140 million monthly active users are actively tuning in, following, and subscribing to their favorite Twitch streamers and channels. The Twitchiverse is thriving, and it’s only getting bigger.
METAVERSE
Now, behold the Metaverse – a new breed of virtual realms where gamers unite and engage in a world of possibilities. Here they partake in various activities, including social gatherings, concerts, exhibitions, and more. It’s a space that lets gamers craft unique virtual personas, interact with fellow explorers, and embark on thrilling adventures.
The Metaverse is absolutely teeming with life as we speak, with a whopping 700 million individuals actively engaged in its vibrant digital tapestry. Leading the charge is Roblox, reigning as the largest virtual Metaverse world, boasting an impressive 380 million active users. Hot on its heels are Minecraft with 204 million, Fortnite with 110 million, and Zepeto with 20 million, collectively painting a rich and diverse picture of this evolving digital realm.
Brands in Cyberspace: Adapting to the Digital Age
The total number of active users on such platforms is mind-boggling. This user count particularly surged in 2019 when, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the world retreated into self-isolation at home.
Millions of people flocked to cyberspace in search of new experiences and relief from loneliness. Hundreds of thousands of businesses had no choice but to migrate online to survive. E-commerce sales soared to new heights, witnessing an extraordinary surge.
In 2020, U.S. retail sales experienced a significant increase, rising by $244.2 billion—a 43% growth from $571.2 billion in 2019 to $815.4 billion in 2020. This surge reflects the broader trend of the gaming industry’s expansion. Projections indicate that the global gaming market will reach $522.5 billion in revenue by 2025.
To remain competitive, brands should leverage these trends by engaging target audiences through gaming influencer marketing campaigns. Brands must acknowledge and capitalize on these figures and trends. To stay competitive in today’s market landscape, effective engagement with target audiences via gaming influencer marketing campaigns is essential.
Currently, brands are on a never-ending exploration of novel opportunities to promote their products effectively. The gaming industry has become a great realm for brands to access a whole new huge audience. Astonishingly, even today, the gaming market remains far from saturation. This is due to the novelty of the field and the distinctive ways in which brands assert themselves within the gaming universe.
From Pixels to Profits: Top 5 Brand Strategies in Gaming
Let’s explore five popular methods brands employ to establish their presence in the gaming industry:
In-Game Product Integration
Imagine a fast-food giant collaborating with an open-world video game, showcasing its restaurants and menu within the game’s virtual world. Players can patronize these in-game restaurants, place orders, and even receive special bonuses. It’s a symbiotic integration that adds realism to the gaming experience while giving the brand the spotlight.
Branded Gaming Events
A potential car manufacturer partners with a racing game, setting the stage for exclusive in-game events featuring their latest vehicle models. Players can take these cars for a spin, participate in races, and unlock unique in-game rewards associated with the brand. It’s not just a gaming experience; it’s a powerful promotional platform for the automaker.
Exclusive Collaborative Merchandise
Game developers and fashion brands unite, unleashing limited-edition clothing and accessories inspired by beloved video game franchises. Die-hard game fans can purchase these items, expressing their passion for the game in their everyday lives and introducing the brand to a fresh audience.
Esports Tournament Sponsorship
Picture an energy drink company backing an esports competition, providing financial support and branding opportunities. In return, the company’s logo takes center stage during live broadcasts, forging a strong connection with the esports audience and cementing its presence in the gaming community.
Cross-Promotion and Downloadable Content (DLC)
A beverage company collaborates with a game developer to create exclusive downloadable content (DLC) for a popular video game. Players who purchase the company’s product can unlock unique in-game items or abilities. This partnership encourages consumers to buy the product, increasing engagement and visibility for the game.
Successful collaborations between video games and brands leverage the passion of the gaming community and the immersive world of video games to create unique and captivating experiences for players. At the same time, such partnerships contribute to boosting the popularity of participating brands, creating a win-win scenario for brand promotion in the real world.
A successful way to promote a brand or a service can also be done through gamification. A very famous and highly effective example of an initiative was taken by Starbucks when they implemented their loyalty program with rewards. Every customer can accumulate points when buying their coffee, and these points can be used for discounts or other services. Collectible stars earned with each purchase can be saved up to exchange for discounts, free menu items, and other rewards.
Another great example of gamification is from KFC: KFC Japan launched a mobile “advergame,” Shrimp Attack, where users swiped virtual shrimp falling from the sky to promote their new battered shrimp line. 22% of players redeemed vouchers, leading to increased demand and adjustments to the campaign schedule due to increased demand.
The Throne of Gaming: Where Influencers Reign Supreme
Who are the Kings and Queens in the Kingdom of the gaming world?
The true kings and queens of the gaming universe are the individuals who have recently made games the central theme of their entire lives. These people spend the majority of their time in their preferred environment – the cyber realm. We’re talking about influencers in the world of gaming.
Becoming an authority in the gaming world is no easy feat because people always sense falsehood and gravitate towards something genuine and original. To achieve this, gaming influencers invest an unimaginable amount of time in games and log thousands of streaming hours. They are persistent, discerning in their choice of companions and friends, and often rather reserved individuals.
How can you connect with them and establish a partnership?
Our Kingfluencers’ creator network offers a unique opportunity to engage with several prominent figures in the realm of gaming influence from the DACH region. We’ll pose pertinent questions, delve into their experiences collaborating with brands, uncover challenges they encountered during partnerships, and explore their forecasts and trends that may already be on the horizon.
“In 2025, the gaming industry is booming for corporations, but it’s becoming a challenge for gamers as prices rise and content quality drops under the weight of AI-driven development. Streamers, however, are set for a great year – games will be released more frequently, and promotional budgets are on the rise. Advertising will surge both in digital storefronts and within the games themselves. Games have become a marketing hotspot, as both the gaming market and advertisers seek new revenue streams.”
– Volodymyr Plotnikov, Social Media Trend and Performance Analyst at Kingfluencers
Building the Perfect Collaboration: Tips from Gaming Influencers
We used our in-house creator network, which currently includes more than 4,000 influencers, and conducted an anonymous survey among 30 opinion leaders who position themselves as gaming influencers.
First, we looked at which social networks are the most popular in their circles and which brands gaming influencers would most like to cooperate with.
As you can see from the analysis, the top social media platform is still TikTok, closely followed by Instagram and YouTube, but Twitch and Discord are catching up. Lifestyle and product brands such as Nespresso and Apple enjoy the greatest popularity for collaboration.
Furthermore, it was crucial to understand what the common mistakes are that marketers make when working with gamers/gaming influencers and how they can be avoided. We asked several of our influencers for their opinions and they stated the following: “A great mistake is giving the influencer only a small space for their own creativity.” Many creators share the same opinion: “Videos where you only focus on the game lack a personal touch.”
“In my opinion, the most common mistakes marketers make are not checking influencer’s accounts and engaging with influencers with fake followers. Sadly many „influencers“ even from my network buy followers to drive the number up. Usually, it takes me 10-15min to find out if the influencer has a „clean“ account or not. It surprises me that many brands and marketers don’t do their homework.”
Understanding the influencer’s niche is crucial, along with providing enough space for their personality and creativity rather than enforcing only strict guidelines. Checking an influencer’s account first to verify follower counts and engagement validity is equally important.
To avoid these mistakes moving forward, marketers shouldn’t brief a marketing idea that is too concrete: “The gaming experts can convey the product or service in many different exciting ways. I often think it’s a shame when brands come with ready-made concepts and don’t give the content creators any leeway. Sometimes the campaign doesn’t fit in with the rest of the content and comes across as inauthentic.”
Numbers aren’t always the most important factor to take in when looking for suitable creators. “Also take the people from the gaming community who may not have huge numbers at first glance but are well connected in the community.”
Keeping those things in mind, we were interested in knowing what aspects of brand contracts and agreements creators and influencers consider the most important in collaborations.
In the below evaluation, it is visible that compensation and payment terms are considered the most important, followed by timeline and deadline as well as creative control. Whereas in comparison, only about 10% consider additional support and resources as an important factor.
Kingfluencers: Bridging Brands and Gamers for Immersive Marketing
Kingfluencer’s platform is the best solution where brands seamlessly connect with creators and gaming influencers to create an immersive marketing experience. As we’ve explored, the gamification of a brand, along with the integration of gaming influencers into marketing and branding strategies, forms the perfect recipe for generating buzz around products and services.
Our journey through this digital kingdom has revealed that authenticity, creativity, and mutual understanding are the cornerstones of success. By collaborating with gaming influencers, brands enter a world where marketing transcends mere promotion. It becomes an engaging and exciting journey, where the boundary between advertising and entertainment is blurred, and products and services are showcased as cool, desirable elements of an authentic gaming universe.
Our in-house creator network connects brands with the gaming community through its platform where both sides feel comfortable. It’s not about traditional marketing or promotion; it’s about creating an atmosphere of enjoyment and authenticity, where people genuinely connect with the products and services they encounter.
So, if you’re looking to make your brand truly shine and be embraced as part of a gaming culture that is fun, edgy, and real – Kingfluencers is your gateway to success.
Reach out to us, and let your brand be more than just a marketing message; let it be a sensation in the world of gaming.
