As the “first fully digital” generation, Gen Z expects gaming as part of the brand experience

There are plenty of examples of how gaming has become more a part of everyday life. Now more than ever, brands are looking to gaming and digitization to improve the consumer experience. As Gen Z ages toward working age, they will continue to drive the proliferation of gaming according to a new study from Leger.

Brands are driving engagement through gamification and augmented reality (AR)

Smart brands are already thinking about how Gen Z will change the market landscape by expecting more engaging and gamified experiences. Consider these recent newsworthy brand examples:

• Jimmy John’s recently announced the relaunch of their rewards program to be more “gamified” with challenges and player badges.
• Retailers are using gamification and AR (augmented reality) to augment the in-store shopping experience, so consumers can more easily navigate the store to find the perfect product, and shoppers can even virtually “try on” a product from their phone.
• Restaurants and travel companies are using the metaverse to enhance the dining and travel experience. As one example, Innisfree Hotels which owns 25 properties, started using a QR code to go beyond using a QR code as a way to view the menu. Now, consumers can now engage with videos to watch how chefs prepare their meals, ultimately enabling better sales of a $36 ham sandwich.

Gen Z is more driven by Convenience and Winning/Losing versus older generations.

• 90% of the Gen Z audience plays video/social games online. 

• Gen Z is more likely to spend heavily on social/video gaming and casinos vs. older generations.
• More than half of Gen Z plays the lottery (51% scratch, 58% draw games).
• 48% of Gen Z participate in sports betting. But, as laws loosen and Gen Z discovers the appeal of winning/losing and the convenience of betting via mobile phone/app, the popularity is expected to grow.

Drivers of Player Gaming Value for Gen Z by Gaming Type:

What does Gen Z’s adoption of gamification mean for the future?

Increasingly, consumers crave gamification as a convenient distraction from everyday life. With the rise of Gen Z as the first “fully digital” generation, brands will need to continue to evolve to gamify the Customer Experience. Now is the time to learn how gamification can be relevant for your brand. The expert researchers at Leger understand the future of gaming, and have decades of experience with primary consumer research. Learn more with a free consultation from our team. Visit https://legerusa.com/contact-us/.

Get Leger’s full report for even more insights about the future of game play.

In Leger’s new Gaming Player Value Study, nine factors were studied as a “Player Value Index” for each generation of gamers and for various segments of gaming spend. The findings of the study deliver insight into how each segment may be influenced to play in the future. You can also see full player profiles by types of game play and by generation. You will learn the similarities and differences between each profile, and you can see the findings for all generations and levels of spend.