Conference Presentation, Panel
Gaming Breaks Into the Mainstream
- The global gaming business is projected to reach $180 billion by 2021, with the total gamer population expected to grow from approximately 2 billion to 3 billion or more.
- Mobile penetration in markets such as Vietnam is forecast to achieve double-digit growth of 12%, while Android is anticipated to become the dominant gaming platform in developing regions as technology improves.
- Significant growth is expected in untapped markets including India, Africa, and Saudi Arabia, driven by access to cheaper hardware, emerging consumption appetite, and targeted venture capital investment.
- Engagement is predicted to expand rapidly through social platforms like Facebook Messenger and WeChat, aiming to add one billion players, alongside the potential for games to integrate into education and workspace boundaries.
- Technology trends include Android becoming the primary platform, HTML5 serving as a foundation for lightweight games on low-end devices, and the emergence of new interfaces beyond the traditional 16-button controller.
- Virtual reality and augmented reality are characterized as once-in-20-year phenomena by Intel with continued bullish sentiment, though Lionsgate views commercial attraction timelines as uncertain despite enthusiasm for the technology.
- Location-based entertainment is identified as a priority for Lionsgate, which seeks strategic partnerships with VR production entities to capitalize on the sector.
- Industry dynamics are shifting toward content-driven trends with "once-in-a-decade" value, where new IP slowly builds engagement to become top-tier within two years.
- Live streaming is expected to reduce toxicity by removing anonymity, while the Fair Play Alliance aims to generate learnings applicable to broader social platforms.
- Investment strategies may increasingly favor steady or moderate growth over high-risk disruptive wins, while the industry braces against the counterforce of high advertising costs required to achieve scale on app stores and Steam.
- Operational convergence is expected between eSports and global sports infrastructure regarding licensing and merchandise, introducing new operational DNA to game companies.
- Blockchain is considered a potential necessity for an interconnected, transparent metaverse, supported by distributed compute as the fundamental backbone for environmental control.
- Development tools like Unity and AWS are expected to democratize creation for small teams globally, enabling participation from massive audiences in Eastern Europe, China, and Brazil through platforms like Twitch.