Electronic Arts VP of brand Elle McCarthy has said that with the rise in interactive entertainment’s popularity, there’s no such thing as a “gamer” anymore and marketing products and services to such a group is like “targeting people who like music or people who breathe in air.”
McCarthy made these comments during a recent interview with AdWeek (via GameSpot), in which she claimed that fewer people identify themselves as gamers, and argued in favor of a more “fluid” approach to marketing.
The recent rise in more lo-fi live service games allows faster integration of culture than ever before. This is a huge opportunity for marketing and forces a more audience-first and fluid approach for brands looking to engage authentically. I often get asked about how brands can partner with gaming or talk to gamers – but there’s really no such thing as gamers at all and understanding that will be crucial. Did you know that only 14 percent of players self-identify as gamers and that is as low as 6 percent for women? It might be the safety someone finds in playing with people like them, free from the shackles of identity politics that can factor less in positive gaming spaces than they do in the world.
McCarthy added that gaming isn’t merely a medium or an industry anymore, and there aren’t any established best practices for engaging these “niche, multifaceted, and passionate communities.”
What do our readers think of McCarthy’s comments. Do you identify as a gamer? Share your thoughts with us below.
