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Highbrow Gaming

Game developers scale up concepts to appeal to a Gen X audience

Implications - Though many perceive video games as childish, Gen Xers represent the largest contingent of gamers across the industry as a whole. Developers are thus appealing to those consumers' adult tastes with complex, highbrow concepts and narratives. This divergence has the added benefit of expanding the industry's taste range, opening it up to a broader base of consumers — regardless of their generational demographic.
Workshop Question - What aspects of your brand or product could you pivot to broaden your consumer demographics?
Trend Themes
1. Adult-oriented Video Games - Game developers are creating more complex and highbrow concepts and narratives, resonating with adults who represent the largest group of gamers.
2. Politically-themed Video Games - Video games are including political themes such as Brexit and voter suppression, reflecting current political events and issues.
3. Nested Video Game Sequels - Video game developers are releasing sequels that are hidden inside another game, creating buzz and adding an element of surprise for fans.
Industry Implications
1. Gaming Industry - The gaming industry can leverage the trend of adult-oriented games to generate new audiences and revenue streams.
2. Education and Civic Engagement - Political and educational-themed games can be used to increase awareness and encourage activism.
3. Tech Industry - Trends of nested sequels and evolutionary games point to opportunities for innovation in game development and experiential technology.
1.8
Score
Popularity
Activity
Freshness
Patterns
Megatrends
6 Featured, 45 Examples:
46,772 Total Clicks
Date Range:
Oct 16 — Aug 17
Trending:
Untested
Consumer Insight Topics:

Featured Examples

Gentlemanly Insult Games
Gentlemanly Insult Games
'Oh...Sir!' is a Video Game in Which Playable Gentlemen Insult Each Other
In ‘Oh…Sir!,’ players have the opportunity to take out their aggression on one another without having to resort to the violence that is endemic in most fighting games. That’s... MORE
Politicized Voting Video Games
Politicized Voting Video Games
'The Voter Suppression Trail' is a Game from the New York Times
‘The Voter Suppression Trail’ is a New York Times op-ed styled as an old-school video game. Specifically, the informative game’s 8-bit design references a classic childhood... MORE
Nested Video Game Sequels
Nested Video Game Sequels
'Frog Fractions 2' is Hidden Inside Another Game
Frog Fractions, a flash game released in 2012, is beloved for its bizarre and enigmatic style, so the company behind the game, Twin Beard, made sure to keep up that strangeness with the sequel, Frog... MORE
play_circle_filledFatally Timed Video Games
Fatally Timed Video Games
In Minit, the Main Character Perishes Every 60 Seconds
Original video game concepts are hard to come by, but Minit, a new indie game from developers Jan Willem Nijman and Kitty Calis, offers a completely novel experience. As its name hints, the game&#... MORE
Politically Accurate Football Games
Politically Accurate Football Games
'Football Manager 2017' Will Include the Effects of Brexit
Football Manager 2017 is not like other sports video games. While the FIFA franchise, the Madden franchise, or other similar sports games take pride in offering a facsimile of real professional play,... MORE
play_circle_filledEvolutionary Video Games
Evolutionary Video Games
'Ancestors: The Humankind Odyssey' Will Follow Human Evolution
‘Ancestors: The Humankind Odyssey’ is a new game with a plot that’s at odds with its ambitious technical scope. Though the game is being teased as a massive, open-world format that... MORE

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