Written by Mace Trahan, Justin Jeong
Gaming didn’t start on the internet, but the web fundamentally transformed it.
As a game publisher team, we’re actively tracking new patterns in how different generations of players behave, and the results are a total unlock for us.
The numbers tell a wild story. Gen Alpha kids (born after 2010) hit 96% engagement with gaming. Gen Z is right there at 92%. But here’s what’s really compelling for us as publishers. While 86% of Gen Z actually play games, a massive 79% watch gaming content. Gen Alpha is even higher at 80% for viewing. Compare that to Baby Boomers at just 18% viewing, and you see this huge shift. Younger players treat watching gameplay as entertainment in itself, not just something extra.
The pattern is clear across all age groups. The younger you are, the more likely you are to watch gaming content as entertainment. For older players, watching games is rare. For younger ones, it’s almost as common as playing. This tells us that gaming content has become a legitimate form of entertainment, not just something players do to get better at games.
Mobile games now make almost half of all gaming revenue, which tells us everything about where player preferences went. But it’s not really about the platform. What we’re seeing from our publisher perspective is that younger players want completely different things from games.
For Gen Z and Gen Alpha, games are social spaces first. About 69% of Gen Z play on mobile devices compared to 38% on consoles (https://www.blog.udonis.co/mobile-marketing/mobile-games/gen-alpha-gen-z-gamers). But they’re not just playing. They want to build things, modify games, create content, and share everything with their friends. Minecraft and Roblox work so well because they’re basically creative playgrounds where the community drives most of the content.
What really stands out to us is how these players approach spending. Players want great value without huge upfront costs. Freemium models work because players can test everything before committing money. They’re smart about what they spend on and they expect a lot for their money.
The social responsibility angle is huge too. Younger players pay serious attention to how gaming companies treat employees, handle environmental issues, and position themselves on social topics. Make the wrong call and they’ll drop your games completely.
We’re also seeing that these players don’t just consume content. They create it, share it, and expect to be part of shaping the games they play. User-generated content isn’t just a nice feature anymore. For many games targeting younger audiences, it’s essential. Players want tools to build, modify, and express themselves through the games.
While Gravity has not moved into this area yet due to our focus on mobile titles and less demanding PC hardware titles, Cloud gaming is picking up steam because of its low-barrier approach. High-quality games without expensive hardware requirements. Another trend we’re seeing is that AI is helping developers create more varied content faster. Players can see faster content updates and more unique variations of their favorite content.
From our publisher viewpoint, the biggest shift is cultural. Gaming used to be about individual experiences with maybe some multiplayer elements. Now it’s about community, creativity, and connection. Games succeed when they become platforms for social interaction and self-expression. The ones that stay focused on just traditional gameplay often struggle to keep younger audiences engaged.
The internet made gaming accessible to everyone, and now we’re seeing what happens when an entire generation grows up with that accessibility. Today’s gamers expect games to be social, affordable, creative, and aligned with their values. The companies that adapt to this will thrive. The ones that don’t will find themselves talking to smaller and smaller audiences.
Ultimately, the lock-in for the next generation of gamers is a deep sense of belonging and creativity on a budget.
Thanks for reading!
Additional Source: https://room8group.com/news/ugc-ai-and-cloud-gaming-new-report-in-partnership-with-80-level/
