IIDEA, the trade association of the video game industry in Italy, today presented the new Report on Esports in Italy, produced in collaboration with Nielsen. According to the research, in our country 475 thousand people follow Esports events daily, and this catchment area expands to about 1,620,000 people if we also consider those who declare to follow an Esports event several times a week. This is a stable number compared to the previous survey, indicating a consolidation of interest in esports also by those who approached this form of entertainment out of curiosity during the restrictions due to the pandemic and became passionate. Esports fans in Italy are mainly men (63%) between the ages of 21 and 40 with an average age of 28, a level of education and an income above the average of the population. Among the most assiduous fans (“avid fans”) these characteristics are accentuated: 56% declare an education at least university and 63% a monthly income exceeding € 1500. The passion for Esports appears to be lasting for those who follow more than one event a week (37% have followed them for at least 3 years) and is further consolidating in the wider fanbase, which on average dedicates 4.8 hours a week to it. passion, in line with entertainment activities such as listening to music or watching TV or video online. Furthermore, 59% of fans devote from 2 to 7 hours a week to activities related to the Esports world.
The videogame genre most played on consoles is the sports one. In second place are shooters which are also the most played genre on PC, followed by Battle Royale and MOBA. Finally, on mobile, strategy titles are played first and foremost. An Esports fan has a game account on multiple different platforms and 68% have at least one account on a digital store, of which PlayStation Store stands out (32%). 55% signed up for at least one subscription service account where Twitch Prime (24%) is the most purchased. Finally, 51% are subscribed to one of the three services to play online on consoles and PS Plus is the most purchased (30%). The devices most used to follow esports events are mainly computers (56%) and smartphones (54%). During the use of the events, fans tend to chat (via social media and / or thematic forums) and listen to music, also thanks to the fact that 79% of fans have an internet connection (Optical Fiber or ADSL) which facilitates them these activities on a second screen. Among the videogame genres most followed by esports fans are sports, shooters and battle royale. Mobile games are on the rise (+ 11% vs previous 2021 survey).
The average monthly expenditure for items related to esports such as merchandising, subscriptions and events is around 46.9 euros for fans, reaching 60.5 euros for the most regular fans. This gap in propensity to spend between fans and “avid fans” appears to be greater for merchandising and less for in-game content. Online purchases are made through all major payment methods (digital wallets, prepaid / rechargeable cards and credit / debit cards). There was a particular aptitude for sponsorships of products from the gaming world carried out in esports contexts. To these are added energy drinks, internet services, telephony and snacks. As for branding methods, the logos on uniforms, commercials and gadgets and goodies are considered the most suitable to use during events. In terms of attitudes towards sponsorships, esports enthusiasts and avid fans are the most likely to remember a sponsorship from a company that is associated with something of their interest and are a target that actively inquires about sponsorships.
To deepen the theme of the interest of fans towards token and NFT fans, the relationship with these trends of Esports, football and motorsport fans was analyzed. In particular, the Esports fanbase is the one that claims to have a greater knowledge of these phenomena (67%), even if the level of interest is lower than that of the football and motorsport fanbases. The latter, however, have been more involved in the last year, especially through sponsorship initiatives and agreements created by companies in the sector. Esports fans show a higher interest in rights related to content exclusivity or prizes and discounts for merchandising or ticketing. For the most passionate fans, active participation in team initiatives and being able to participate in exclusive forums or chats are also aspects of interest. NFT content related to gaming (cards or skins) are those that arouse interest both among the fanbase and among avid fans, while the other types (videos, photos, images) have a greater appeal among the target of the most passionate. The reasons that push esports fans to buy tokens are linked to investment logic, enjoyment of rights deriving from possession and also the more playful aspect of these assets, factors that characterize the fans of other sports who are instead more attracted to aspects. linked to a new type of “sports memorabilia” and the possibility of participating in the activities of their favorite team.
“Esports now firmly occupy the first positions among the entertainment activities preferred by Italians in terms of dedicated time and the easing of emergency measures has not caused the sector to lose the fans conquered during the pandemic period, demonstrating how much this new form of digital entertainment is capable of genuinely involving and thrilling those who approach it ”, declared Marco Saletta, President of IIDEA. “The data illustrates a market that is experiencing a phase of consolidation in our country, underlining how positive both the current scenario and future prospects for business development are. In parallel with the fanbase, the professionalism of the Italian operators has also grown, demonstrating great entrepreneurial skills and a deep knowledge of the dynamics of the market, obtaining important acknowledgments also at an international level “.
“The Italian esports community continues to consolidate, the individual consumption of esports content is growing driven by the proliferation of new leagues and the increase in use via mobile. The sector plans a new season of growth, meeting the needs of an increasingly heterogeneous community, whose demand revolves around the themes of inclusiveness and co-creation of content “, said Tommaso Mattei, Head of Consulting Europe, Mena & Mexico of Nielsen Sports & Entertainment. “With the new opportunities offered by blockchain technology, and their application to the entertainment sector, the esports sector now offers many possibilities to generate new types of experiences into which both fans and business partners can be integrated.”
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