1. Game Market
people who play games.
Your target of this market should not be “everyone”
In 2010 a poll found that 67% of US households play games on a regular basis
Adult gamers have been playing for appx 12 years
64% of gamers play games with others in the same room
64% of parents believe that games are a positive part of their children’s lives
48% of parents play computer and video games with their children at least once a week
Player Motivation
Why do people play games?
Some developers create games without considering why their audience would want to play them
Components of games that are most attractive to players are not utilized enough by developers to keep players interested
Social Interaction
When more than one person is playing a game, players might be motivated to interact socially
With opponents or teammates
Players in MMO’s are often allowed to communicate through the game itself
Sometimes conversation is non-game related

2. Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe
Physical Seclusion
Players who want to be secluded are still interacting socially with people
But in privacy of their own physical environment
Some would argue that people who prefer to stay at home and play MMO are antisocial
Others would argue these same people might be highly social
They are most likely interacting with many more people than would be possible at a dinner party
Competition
The competitive spirit has ben associated with games throughout history
Makes sports industry successful
Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe

3. Guitar Hero III Knowledge
Can be motivated to gain knowledge of particular concepts, processes, and strategies by playing games
If players made it clear that they truly wanted to learn while playing, games developers might market their games as educational tools
Mastery
Some are motivated to master the game itself
Demonstrating their ability to dominate the game world and figure out how to become advanced players
Mastery is most obvious during games that depend on increasing character skills to “win”
These players focus on assessing their status in the game by attaining high scores and rankings
Guitar Hero III

4. Escapism
Players want to escape from the ongoing stresses and challenges of real life
Imaginary game world follows its own rules, some less restrictive than real life
Although people can escape in “worlds” of other media such as books and movies
They can’t directly participate in those worlds like they do in games
Borderlands

5. Addiction
The tendency to focus on one activity at the expense of all others
Once of the best compliments a game developers receive is their games are addictive
Unlike “passive” entertainment like TV and film, games offer players the opportunity to take active roles in the experience
This can be highly rewarding for players but also make them crave and indulge in continuous play neglecting more important areas of their lives
There are other motivating factors as well:
Form of therapy to work out troubling issues in a “safe "environment
Some like to exercise and work on dance moves (Dance Dance Revolution)
Physical and rhythm games (Kinect, Sony Move, Wii)

6. Geographic's JN JN
South Korea
Japan
China
Germany JN JN

7. Geographic's—South Korea
Relate to the players geographic location
US alone does over 10.5 billion worth of gaming annually
Ncsoft, the largest game developer in South Korea
Launched the Lineage MMO in September 1998
This was amidst a major economic crisis in South Korea
Overnight game developers were become game room entrepreneurs overnight charging $1.00/us per hour to “escape” the current crisis
Without having to own a computer
After recovery in South Korea Baangs have grown in popularity
Entertainment centers as fancy as Las Vegas casinos
Offer his/her own chairs so couples can play online games together
Online gaming isn’t just a pastime, but a competitive national sport
Many game competitions being televised regularly
South Korea represents the worlds most developed online game market
The World Cyber Games started in South Korea
Olympics style event with players competing from all over the world converging for world finals, which lasts a week
Professional gamers work their way up representing their schools, neighborhoods, and companies
South Korean game called (Lineage)—check it out

8. Geographic—Japan
Initially ,Japan didn’t even appear on the list of most wired countries due to being dominated by NTT DoCoMo
This is a wireless service that has a telecommunications monopoly in the country
Presence was so strong that is charged by the minute for Internet use
This caused the gaming industry to revolve more around video game consoles and not online gaming
Japan now has one of the most affordable and most advanced broadband experiences thanks to Softbank
Japan has a major export in the console device
Using licensed properties bas become a content issue in Japan and other countries
Properties such as Star Trek are not nearly as popular as in the US
Germany
Another content issue in market geographic includes the depiction of violence in games
Quake II didn’t have a launch in Germany (2nd largest computer game market in world)
Due to level of violence
In order to sell Command & Conquer: Generals—Zero Hour in the German market, games graphics had to be modified so that all military unites were robots, not people
Meant no humans killed during game
In Germany, all games must avoid showing blood, shooting humans, and anything that glorifies Hitler, the Nazis, or the Third Reich
Markets can differ widely, even at National level.
US certain pastimes such as hunting and fishing are popular in certain regions such as Midwest
This might affect sales of a game such as Bass Fishing or the Deer Hunter series
Games associated with sports are popular on the East Costs(squash, lacrosse, and fencing)

9. Geographic—China
There is no console market in China
Everyone only plays massively multiplayer online role playing games (MMORPG’s)
And online casual games that cannot be pirated
All MMORPG’s in China are also free to play
No subscription based
China has a very differently cultural history and many elements that might be found in a story or game in the US may not be understood by most Chinese
Science fiction genre is not liked or understood
Even Star Wars was not well received
They are beginning to open to new types of games

10. Demographics Gender
Early personal computer gaming was dominated by boys (left), but adult women gamers (including the Frag Dolls, right) now outnumber male gamers ages 6-17.

11. Demographics
Include statistical information such as gender, age, income level, education level, marital status, ethnicity, and religion
Gender
Toy commercials aimed toward girls focus on toys that encourage nurturing play (domestic items such as baby dolls and toy ovens)
Toys toward boys focus on toys that encourage aggressive play (guns/tanks)
Home console era still focused on advertising to boys so they could play at home with their friends
Although young ladies were around, arcade going brothers helped keep the “boy” era around
PC industry was also dominated by male players
It wasn’t until the advent of the commercial Internet that electronic games became more gender-balanced
Since 2003 the ESA has found that adult women make up a larger % of players than boys ages 6-17
Females of all ages now make up 40% of the game-playing population

12. Generation
Considered part of demographics and psychographics
Although associated with a discrete age range members of each generation as a group have experienced particular historical events and climates
Including economic, cultural, social, and political shifts during their lifetimes
This will give them a certain set of beliefs, attitudes, and values
Some believe that people as a group retain the same values over time, those people might continue to like the same type of entertainment over time as well
Generations breakdown
Silent generation (70-90)
Boomer (50-70)
Generation X (30-50)
Millennial Generation (10-30)
Homelander generation (10 and below)