From the niche to the mainstream: 6 out of 10 Swiss:in gamers

According to the study, around four million gamers between the ages of 15 and 79 live in Switzerland. Half of them play video games several times a week or even daily and are classified as "core gamers. Six out of ten "core gamers" play mainly on mobile devices.

As the study reveals, however, Swiss gamers do not all tick and gamble in the same way, but can be divided into six different gaming types, such as the very passionate "Explorer," who plays an average of 10.5 hours a week and spends around CHF 250 a year on gaming. Other segments are "Competitor," "Companion," "Laid Back," "Seeker" and "Time Filler.

Swiss gamers are on average 39.1 years old and actively play games for 6 hours per week, with the "core gamer" at 41.8 years being about five years older than the "non-core gamer" at 36.5 years. The most frequently cited motives for playing video games include "relaxing/taking it easy" and "drifting off/distracting", but also "strategic challenges".

In addition, around every second person surveyed watches others play video games on live streaming platforms such as Twitch and/or video portals such as YouTube. They do this for between three and four hours a week on average. The popularity and use of social media platforms depends strongly on age. While Discord and Twitch are particularly popular with Generation Z, Facebook is especially favored by boomers.

As far as active participation in future gaming events is concerned, especially online one-off events, the two gamer types "Competitor" and "Companion" in particular show the greatest interest.

"The heart of the study is the analysis of the motives of active and passive gaming consumption. It provides us with insights into the different motivations why people turn to video games and helps us understand what needs gamers:inside have," explains Christian Hergott, Senior Consultant at MYI Entertainment. "In a very dynamic market, it is a constant and results in concrete decisions and behavior patterns. With this basis, we can create even more targeted added value in the future and further develop the Swiss gaming market."

"It's very exciting to see how differently Swiss gamers tick and what their various motives are for consuming video games," adds Steffen Schmidt, Director Marketing Science & Agile Insights at Link. "I'm also very pleased that we were able to clearly show that gaming in Switzerland is no longer a nerdy niche topic, but is present in all segments of the population. For me, this fundamental study is virtually a fine insight diamond for Swiss marketing as a whole."

The Insight dashboard for the study by Link and Myi Entertainment can be can be accessed here.