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Gaming is in the mainstream and it’s here to stay

Published

4 years ago

October 7, 2021

Reading Time: 2 minutes

By Tobias Knutsson, CEO, Adverty

It’s taken a lot to finally rub out marketers’ lingering belief that gaming is a thing for kids, a niche media channel, a flash in the pan. The pandemic did some of the final lifting, but in a gaming business that is booming on all sides, absorbing women, older people, obsessive Esports fans, cloud gamers, monthly subscribers – you name it – the numbers are now unignorable: an estimated audience of somewhere between 2.5bn and 3bn+, with a global value of $162.32bn last year. If that’s not mainstream, what is?

Nike, Coca-Cola, Redbull, even Gucci and L’Oréal have all waded into the gaming space, and smaller brands with more modest budgets are beginning to follow. So gaming is having a moment that started some time ago and promises to last – what should its exponents do to maximise it and build strong, sustainable connections with brands?

Hold their hands

Brands that are new to gaming often lack in-house expertise and even background knowledge. As with social media, gaming needs dedicated experts on the client side, and inevitably brands will recruit their own, but until that part of the puzzle falls into place, it is incumbent on publishers and ad tech providers to explain the protocols, the opportunities and the rules of thumb in clear and accessible terms. (In brief: respect the space, add value, but don’t get in the way.)

Bring gaming ads in line with other media

Convincing marketers is one thing, but the gaming advertising business needs to give those executives the tools to win the argument with the finance people. That means the gaming world needs to work hard to standardise its metrics, its formats, its sizes, in order to bring itself into line with the wider ad industry. Gaming is a complex environment for brands, who will ultimately only invest in what they understand. So the emergence of formats that stand direct comparison with those of other media – such as Adverty’s own In-Play branding ads and In-Menu performance ads – combined with robust metrics, strengthen gaming’s pitch for brand dollars.

Never generalise

The gaming audience is indescribably varied and ranges far beyond the young, male stereotype. More than 50% of mobile gamers are older than 34 [source: Mediakix] and 51% are women [source: MoPub]. So the question isn’t any longer about which brands could benefit from targeting ‘a gaming audience’, but exactly how to target your brand’s precise audience through gaming.

Make it worthwhile for users

The predominance of mobile games – which last year claimed $120 billion of consumer spend against home and handheld consoles’ $43 billion [source: App Annie] – indicates a need for strong mobile-friendly advertising models. A weight of research points to the fact that free-to-play gamers understand the value exchange and are comfortable with the presence of advertisers, but tolerance turns to genuine enthusiasm when brands add value to gaming. In-game rewards such as hints and power-ups work well in exchange for watching ads and dovetail nicely with in-game purchases. Further research points to the effectiveness of in-game branding advertising as a driver of positive sentiment.

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Game On! Win Acer’s New RTX 50 Series Laptop + PC Game Pass

Published

7 hours ago

June 20, 2025

George Miller

Reading Time: 3 minutes

Acer UK Levels Up the Game: Win a Brand-New NVIDIA GeForce RTX 50 Series Gaming Laptop and Unleash Hundreds of Titles with Included PC Game Pass!

Acer UK is thrilled to announce an electrifying competition giving gamers the chance to win a state-of-the-art Predator or Nitro laptop, powered by the brand-new NVIDIA GeForce RTX 50 Series GPUs! This grand giveaway celebrates the highly anticipated arrival of Acer’s latest gaming powerhouses and highlights the incredible value of PC Game Pass, now included with all new Nitro and Predator devices.

Enter the Competition Here: gleam.io/PQDpw/50-series-laptop-and-pc-game-pass-competition

The gaming landscape is constantly evolving, and Acer is at the forefront, delivering cutting-edge technology designed to immerse players in unparalleled virtual worlds. The new Predator Helios Neo 16 AI laptop, featuring the formidable NVIDIA GeForce RTX 50 Series GPUs, is now available at leading retailers including Amazon, Box, and Currys. For those seeking even more power, Acer’s official store is now stocking models with the groundbreaking RTX 5070 Ti and RTX 5080, offering next-generation performance and AI capabilities for the most demanding games and creative tasks.

But the excitement doesn’t stop there. Every new Nitro and Predator device now comes with PC Game Pass included, ensuring that gamers have immediate access to a vast library of hundreds of high-quality titles from the moment they unbox their new machine. No more waiting, no more separate purchases – just plug in and play!

To amplify the buzz, this competition will be supported by renowned gaming influencers Two Angry Gamers and Frankie Ward. Their extensive reach and passionate communities will help spread the word, giving more gamers the chance to win and experience Acer’s cutting-edge hardware paired with an incredible game library.

“We are incredibly excited to bring the power of the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 50 Series to our Predator and Nitro laptop lines,” says Mike Newson, Gaming Notebook Business Manager at Acer UK. “These new machines, especially the Predator Helios 18 AI and the Predator Triton 14 AI, represent a significant leap in gaming performance and AI integration. By bundling PC Game Pass and collaborating with beloved gaming personalities like Two Angry Gamers and Frankie Ward, we’re not just offering powerful hardware; we’re providing an instant gateway to an endless world of gaming entertainment and ensuring our message reaches the heart of the gaming community. It’s about delivering the complete, immersive experience our users deserve.”

PC Game Pass: Your Ultimate Gaming Library Just Got Bigger!

Microsoft’s PC Game Pass continues to grow, offering an incredible selection of games for every taste. Recent exciting additions that gamers can dive into include:

FBC: Firebreak – A cooperative first-person shooter available day one on Game Pass!
Rematch – A thrilling third-person, team-based football game.
Warcraft I: Remastered, Warcraft II: Remastered, and Warcraft III: Reforged – Relive the epic beginnings of the legendary Warcraft universe.
Call of Duty: WWII – Experience intense historical combat.
Looking ahead, July brings even more to the service with Little Nightmares II and Rise of the Tomb Raider returning to the library.

With new titles added regularly, PC Game Pass ensures there’s always something fresh and exciting to explore on your new Acer gaming laptop.

Don’t miss your chance to win the ultimate gaming upgrade! Enter the competition today and prepare to experience gaming like never before with Acer’s new NVIDIA GeForce RTX 50 Series laptops and PC Game Pass.

Availability: The new Predator Helios Neo 16 AI laptop with NVIDIA GeForce RTX 50 Series is available now at Amazon, Box, and Currys. Models featuring the RTX 5070 Ti and RTX 5080 are available directly from the Acer Store.

Social Media: #Acer #Predator #Nitro #RTX50Series #PCGamePass #GamingLaptop #Competition #Giveaway #TwoAngryGamers #FrankieWard

The post Game On! Win Acer’s New RTX 50 Series Laptop + PC Game Pass appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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iGB L!VE confirm London iGaming Week program

Published

8 hours ago

June 20, 2025

George Miller

Reading Time: 2 minutes

Clarion Gaming has announced details of London iGaming Week, a program of immersive curated events, seminars and parties centred around iGB L!VE and taking place at iconic London venues.

Confirming the programme, Naomi Barton, Global Portfolio Director responsible for iGB L!VE said: “London iGaming Week is an amazing opportunity for the global iGaming industry to come together for a week of connection, innovation, and celebration.

“Running 1 July – 4 July it features social events such as the iGB Affiliate Awards, the EGR B2B Awards, Welcome Drinks in Canary Wharf, and the Legends by Fire and ICE celebration.

“It also includes unique opportunities to network and learn at the iGB Start-Up Accelerator, the Affiliate and Operator Mixer and Technology in Gaming, the inaugural conference for senior technology professionals sponsored by Pretty Technical on Tuesday 1 July.

She added: “An initiative that we are extremely excited about is our deeper partnership with LatAm Media Group which will see us stage the first ever London LMG Futbol Experience. Taking place on Friday 4th July, the live-streamed 6-a-side football tournament will be played on a state-of-the-art 5G pitch with games officiated by fully qualified referees.

“Delivering a mixture of competition and camaraderie it’s a fantastic milestone which will build on iGB L!VE’s reputation for running the most popular business, networking and social iGaming events of the year.”

London iGaming Week represents a high profile addition to what will be the biggest edition of iGB L!VE on record. The first show to take place in London following its relocation from Amsterdam it will provide attendees with access to over 22,000sqm of product innovation and inspiration.

Connecting igaming operators, affiliates, tech vendors and game providers, iGB L!VE will welcome a projected 15,000 iGaming and affiliate pioneers helping businesses throughout the ecosystem to navigate the iGaming landscape, provide networking opportunities, showcase cutting-edge innovations and share crucial market knowledge.

For more information and to register for iGB L!VE, 2 – 3 JULY 2025, ExCeL London: igblive.com

The post iGB L!VE confirm London iGaming Week program appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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Female Protea Team for the Counter Strike 2 esports title to do battle against Namibia – AEC25

Published

17 hours ago

June 20, 2025

George Miller

Reading Time: < 1 minute

Mind Sports South Africa’s Protea Female CS2 team, led by captain Jess Greeff and featuring Avonique van Rooyen, dominated IESF’s AEC24, and emerged undefeated, and punched their ticket to the world stage. The female Protea Team for the Counter Strike 2 Esports Title are trailblazers in female esports and are already making their mark internationally.

To qualify for IESF’s World Esports Championships 2025 (WEC25), South Africa’s Female Protea Team for the Counter Strike 2 Esports Title will be taking on Namibia at15H00 on 21 June 2025.

South Africa’s Female Protea Team for the Counter Strike 2 Esports Title has never lost to Namibia, and both MSSA and the team are confident that the result will be the same as all previous encounters.

The team has shown a few changes from 2024. Jessica Greeff remains the captain, and Avonique van Rooyen and Megan van der Westhuizen too stay on the team with their vast international experience. The two new additions are Kiera McCullum and Kalee Ludick who further add to the team.

MSSA is of the belief that the 2025 Female Protea Team for the Counter Strike 2 Esports Title is the strongest female Counter Strike 2 team to ever represent South Africa.

The full team to represent South Africa at15H00 on 21 June 2025 is:

Name	Club	Nick	Province
Jessica Eleez Greeff (Capt.)	ZAG Academy	heartjess	KwaZulu Natal
Avonique van Rooyen	ZAG Academy	avo	Gauteng
Kiera McCallum	ZAG Academy	queen	KwaZulu Natal
Megan van der Westhuizen	ZAG Academy	m3gz	Gauteng
Kalee Ludick	ZAG Academy	creative	Gauteng