science
April 16, 2024
Menu
The world of influencer marketing has exploded in recent years. As social media platforms expand their reach, influencers in all niches – from lifestyle to gaming – have found an engaged audience hungry for content. In the fast-growing gaming industry especially, these internet personalities have begun to shift popular culture and consumer trends.
With an industry projected to be worth over $340 billion by 2028, gaming influencers remain an evolving media force to be reckoned with.
The popularity of gaming content created by online influencers has exploded in recent years. In 2021 alone, the industry surrounding these internet personalities contributed a staggering $2.5 billion to the global economy. As platforms like YouTube and Twitch expand, so does the Northwest of gaming influencers.
| Year | Total Gaming Influencer Industry Revenue |
| 2019 | $822 million |
| 2020 | $1.3 billion |
| 2021 | $2.5 billion |
| 2022 | $4.4 billion |
Source: Amra & Elma
Gaming reigns supreme in capturing audience attention compared to other content niches on YouTube. While categories like music, sports, and vlogging generate billions of views, video game streaming and commentary take the lion’s share.
This overwhelming interest has only been further fueled by the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. With lockdowns and increased isolation measures enacted worldwide, gaming influencers saw their viewership numbers skyrocket. Famous personalities like PewDiePie and JackSepticEye gained millions of new subscribers from 2020 to 2021.
With an audience that skews young and overwhelmingly favors internet content, gaming influencers are an exciting opportunity for brands. Gaming channels gain loyal followers across global markets and attract sponsors looking for viable digital partnerships.
The meteoric rise of gaming influencers coincided with rapid growth in the video game industry. As platforms like Xbox, PlayStation, Nintendo Switch, and mobile gaming have become more advanced, games have attracted larger mainstream audiences. In 2020 alone, the gaming market generated $159 billion in revenue from 2.7 billion players worldwide.
Influencers have significantly contributed to this growth by promoting new game releases and shifts in the industry. Through gameplay videos, reviews, and sneak peeks, they have normalized gaming entertainment across generations. Their commentary and recommendations directly inform consumers’ purchasing decisions.
The rise of gaming influencers has also fueled the growth of competitive esports. As elite gamers gain celebrity status through streaming and tournaments, they further highlight gaming as a spectator event. With loud commentary and mesmerizing skill, they transform regular video game matches into compelling entertainment.
The industry surrounding professional esports teams and players is now worth over $1 billion. Top Twitch streamers like Ninjacan make up to $500,000 for a sponsored video.
The lucrative business of influencer marketing stems from the trust audiences place in their favorite content creators. Gaming influencers, in particular, tend to foster very passionate, engaged communities. Promotional brand partnerships with these personalities offer unique exposure potential.
According to a Precise TV and Giraffe Insights survey, many young people said they bought a product because their favorite YouTube or Twitch gaming streamer promoted it.
| % of Survey Respondents | Bought Product Due to Gaming Influencer Promotion |
| Generation Z | 80% |
| Millennials | 64% |
| Gen X | 72% |
Brands like Samsung, Red Bull, and Intel regularly sponsor gaming influencers to showcase products.
The tech-savvy young viewers gaming influencers attract are the demographic brands want to capture with digital marketing campaigns. Gamers are also early adopters of electronics and lifestyle products like headphones, energy drinks, and apparel.
The unique para-social relationships gaming influencers form with their audiences lead to successful brand results. As microcelebrities in their own right, their opinions directly affect consumer behavior.
Multiple studies have confirmed the tangible impact of gaming influencers on critical success metrics like game sales and player engagement. In the high-revenue gaming industry, influencers will continue to be crucial to marketing strategies. They sway audiences and move game sales in a unique way traditional ads cannot replicate.
Some challenges still exist in fully tracking the impact of influencer brand deals on metrics like app downloads and microtransaction purchases. Strong ethics and transparency between brands, influencers, and viewers remain an ongoing discussion. However, the proven potential for viral reach and revenue growth makes gaming industry influencers impossible for advertisers to ignore.
Gaming influencers arose from niche origins fueled by internet platforms that allowed creators to share passion projects. But as their audiences and bank accounts ballooned, so did their mainstream impact. With legions of loyal fans, they have pushed gaming culture into broader recognition. Their sway on consumer trends now rivals Hollywood celebrities and chart-topping musicians.
Brands hoping to capture the valuable Gen Z and millennial market are investing billions into partnerships with gaming influencers. Their sales directly respond to what internet microcelebrities showcase in videos. Conducting an indie game release or console launch without preview promotions has become unthinkable.
The gaming influencer boom reflects a global culture of increasingly living life online. As emerging tech allows more immersive, interactive experiences beyond our screens, they seem destined for even more significant influence in the future
Their behind-the-scenes development peeks, over-the-top reactions, elite play, and goofy entertainment have transformed games into influential art across all platforms. And for the fans whose buying power and viewership fuel these internet celebrities, their rise seems nowhere close to game over.
