Since the dawn of the internet, browser gaming has been a steadily growing industry, with millions of players worldwide enjoying the accessibility and variety that these games offer. Recent estimates suggest this growth is still far from its peak, and as a contextual advertising company working closely with the gaming industry, #CompadoInsights has a unique perspective on this market.
The Gamers
The stereotypes that have plagued the gaming world in the past have slowly crumbled away to reveal a demographic of surprising normalcy. The young male gamer is still a huge consumer of browser gaming, however, their stranglehold on the industry has loosened as they now make up less than ¼ of the audience. #CompadoInsights has found that under the age of 25 male gamers outnumber female gamers by a ratio of 7 to 4, but this gender disparity evens out as gamers age. From the age of 25 onward, the split between male and female gamers becomes almost equal. In fact, for players aged 55 and above, women outnumber men in the browser gaming space.
The style of gaming, and type of device used show gender-based differences more. Male gamers are more likely to play on high-powered desktop PCs, while female gamers tend to prefer Chromebooks or laptops with lower-end processors. Likewise, the types of games each gender prefers are where the largest split in gendered gaming can be found, with men gravitating towards action and strategy genres and women favoring fantasy and simulation games.
However, gender is not the only trait that discerns our gaming taste…
National Preferences
The internet is international, but gaming preferences are not. #CompadoInsights has identified several key trends in online gaming habits based on nationality. French gamers, for instance, are Europe’s biggest fans of co-op games, enjoying titles that emphasize teamwork and collaboration. In contrast, Italian gamers are the most competitive, preferring player-versus-player (PvP) games that pit them directly against others. Meanwhile, German gamers have shown a unique affinity for farming simulators.
Across the pond, #CompadoInsights found a slightly unsettling desire of American gamers – the desire for addictive games. Gamers in the USA were 9 times as likely than European gamers to seek out games which they could obsess over to a potentially unhealthy degree.
The Future of Browser Gaming
The upward trajectory of the browser gaming industry shows no signs of slowing down – industry predictions see continued growth well into the 2030s. As #CompadoInsights reports, the industry continues to attract a growing number of players, with the top browser game currently boasting an estimated 6 million monthly players. By comparison, the leading mobile app game draws in around 10 million monthly players, while the PC “game-of-the-year” sees about 3 million.
This growth reflects broader trends in the gaming industry, where accessibility and variety are key drivers of engagement. This accessibility is the backbone of browser gaming.
For Everyone
Browser games, offer a low-barrier entry point for players, making them an ideal choice for casual and dedicated gamers alike. This accessibility and inclusivity fosters a supportive environment where new gamers can easily find their footing. At the same time, it’s notable that 11% of browser gamers consider themselves pros, suggesting that even those with high-level gaming skills find browser games fulfilling enough to remain engaged, rather than moving on to other gaming mediums. This balance between accessibility for newcomers and depth for experienced players is a key strength of the browser gaming industry.
“The data we’re seeing in the browser gaming industry is encouraging and inspiring,” says Tim Vowden, Data Scientist for Compado. “We’re witnessing a shift towards inclusivity and huge breadth in the games available. It’s an exciting time for the industry, and we expect to see even more growth and innovation in the coming years.”
#CompadoInsights will continue its role of observer of these trends, and the future of browser gaming is looking bright.
About Compado
Compado is a B2B tech platform for contextual advertising and content monetization. Founded in 2016, the platform provides cookie-free contextual advertising to consumer brands and cookie-free content monetization to publishers. Compado’s proprietary contextual advertising puts brands in front of shoppers and helps publishers monetize their content through contextually targeted brand recommendations.
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