Gaming And Video Fandom Overlap Cannibalisation Risks For Games And SVOD Releases

20,000 Foot View: Subscription Video On Demand (SVOD), binge-watching and weekly usage of Netflix have penetrated the mainstream among gamers. Behind these propositions are companies with large marketing budgets and effective channels enabling them to reach their audiences. Depending on the degree of mutual fandom overlap, TV shows have a solid chance of competing for gamers’ digital time and vice-versa. Thus, scheduling major games releases against releases of popular TV shows poses a threat to games companies, as it creates an unnecessary engagement dilemma for consumers, interfering with the potential success of the release. An example of this was the recent launch of Assassin’s Creed on the same day Netflix’s Stranger Things came out. Considerations for release analytics and planning must be extended to monitor key releases from across the digital entertainment economy, rather than solely concentrating on one’s home turf.

Key Findings:

           of console owners and            of mobile gamers pay for a monthly video subscription, compared to the            consumer average            of console owners and            of mobile gamers use Netflix weekly, compared to            of consumers            of console owners and            of mobile gamers binge watch TV shows, compared to the            consumer average
• Console owners            index in TV show fandom                       out            tracked shows, while mobile            over index for all           
           of consumers are fans of Stranger Things, compared to            of console owners and            of mobile gamers
• Releasing Assassin’s            on the same day as            Things is expected to have            a negative effect on the            release, as            of Assassin’s Creed            are also fans of Stranger           
• Gamers’ over            in SVOD and binge watching            for greater awareness among games            when planning releases
• If a            release is planned on the            day as a TV show            the degree of cannibalisation risk            the two is determined by            of their fandom overlap

Companies and products mentioned: Amazon Prime Video, American Horror Story, Assassin’s Creed, Call Of Duty, Daredevil, Doctor Who, Downton Abbey, FIFA, Game Of Thrones, House Of Cards, Jessica Jones, Legends Of Tomorrow, Legion, Little Big Planet, Man In The High Castle, Mr. Robot, NCIS, Netflix, Scream, Shannara Chronicles, Sherlock, Stranger Things, Super Mario Odyssey, The Big Bang Theory, The Flash, The Grand Tour, The OA, The SIMS, , The Voice, Teen Wolf, Top Gear, Transparent, Walking Dead, Wolfenstein II