Modern gamer personas: Which one are you?

Gaming is an all-around entertainment platform, attracting a wide and diverse range of people. In order to understand how gamers combine ways of engaging to form identities, we decided to take a look at different personas singled out in Newzoo’s Gamer Segmentation and Gamer Personas report. Do you want to know which kind of gamer you are? Let’s find out!

Today, being a gamer goes beyond the traditional definition of a person playing games. The multiplicity of interactions associated with games can be seen when gaming is conceptualized as more than just software and hardware, but as a phenomenon that takes into account a broader socio-cultural perspective that affects interactions between gamers and the experiences that accompany them. Increasingly, interest in games is also associated with additional activities: following the websites of game developers and publishers, using social media or making specific hardware choices.

Alright, but why should we care about it? As it turns out, understanding modern gamers and their behaviours is now essential for traditional media and brands who want to keep up, as well as the gamers themselves – by acknowledging our distinctive personalities and attitudes, we’ll be able to better understand each other, thus improving the communication within the gaming community.

Let’s then sort through all 9 types of gamers included in Newzoo’s report:

The Ultimate Gamer – Ultimate Gamers live and breathe games. They play all the platforms and play all the genres, and when they do, they want the best experience. They watch more game video content, and – with their communities – stay up to date with everything and everyone in games and esports. Backed up by plenty of disposable income, this gamer has the passion and the funds to invest in the latest games, the best hardware, and newest peripherals.
The All–Round Enthusiast – All-Round Enthusiasts are avid gamers who play for many hours a week. They may not be as dedicated as Ultimate Gamers, but games are still serious business for this persona. They are typically fulltime workers, so paying for the newest titles-as well as hardware-is not an issue. All-Round Enthusiasts engage in many ways, by playing, watching, owning, and enjoying games socially, but unlike the most dedicated group, their gaming mixes more evenly with other interests.
The Community Gamer – Community Gamers love of gaming goes beyond playing. They may not play as much, but their game viewing levels match those of Ultimate Gamers! Alongside watching content about games, they can be found actively engaging with the community, and discussing the latest news; all of which aresignificant aspects of their identity. Frequent visitors of creative social platforms, they are proud to flaunt their passion for games online.
The Solo Gamer – Playing games is undoubtedly important for Solo Gamers, who can be quite traditional in their approach. They lean toward single player adventures and immersive gaming and invest in these choices with high spending on peripherals and kit to enhance and maximize that immersion. Beyond playing they are one of the least likely player personas to frequently view content and are less likely to use community resources to keep up to date on the latest gaming news.

The Mainstream Gamer – While Mainstream Gamers are passionate about playing games, they don’t spend much money on the pastime. The group mostly plays free-to-play games and discounted titles, and this is becoming increasingly enabled by the industry itself. Their hardware spending is also low, which is likely related to the fact that Mainstream Gamers are often mobile-first (the gaming platform currently enjoying the healthiest growth).
The Time Filler – Esports and gaming video content are of little interest to the Time Filler. These casual gamers rarely spend more than a few hours gaming each week, so they don’t see games as a major part of their lives. They play to pass time; for example, they may play a quick game of Candy Crush or Clash of Clans while commuting to work or waiting for a friend. For this reason, hardware is not relevant for Time Fillers.
The Popcorn Gamer – Popcorn Gamers might not devote much time to playing games, but that doesn’t stop them tuning into the big video platforms to watch lots of game video content, live streams, or esports. While they do play games casually, they prefer vicariously enjoying the industry through video. In line with their penchant for passive viewing, Popcorn Gamers like to watch traditional television and online videos/TV, a pastime they even prefer over gaming.
The Backseat Viewer – Backseat Viewers watch gaming video content or esports on the big video platforms, but do not play games themselves. Many in this persona are former gamers who – due to work and/or family commitments – no longer have the hardware nor time to play. However, not all Backseat Viewers are former gamers; they may have discovered esports independently of gaming, or like many traditional sports fans, may simply enjoy the spectacle of watching the pros play.
The Lapsed Gamer – What sets Lapsed Gamers apart from other personas is that they are non-Game Enthusiasts. While they played games in the past, Lapsed Gamers do not play anymore and rarely watch video game content. That doesn’t mean Lapsed Gamers won’t engage with games again in the future. In fact, 20% intend to play again in the next six months, while more than half are aware of esports.