Recently, Gamma Data and TikTok for Business jointly released the "2023 RPG Game Global Marketing White Paper". The report conducted in-depth research on multiple markets around the world, selected 13 key regions including the United States, Japan, South Korea, Germany, the United Kingdom, Vietnam, and Saudi Arabia as research objects, and collected a total of 10,519 survey feedback from global game users to gain better insights. The demand conditions of users in different regions have helped more game companies find market breakthroughs and empowered the long-term growth of RPG games.
Report research shows:
l The global RPG market size is expected to reach 207.98 billion yuan in 2023, but the category share has declined for four consecutive years
l Open world RPG revenue share Over 10%, the proportion of idle RPGs has increased for four consecutive years, and the proportion of MMORPGs has dropped rapidly to 18.2%
l About 40% of RPG users believe that out-of-game platforms can provide more added value
l 78.9% of RPG users care about localization
l 89.3% of RPG users watch short videos every day
l Over 60% of RPG users prefer two-dimensional culture
l Two-thirds of the companies surveyed are facing customer acquisition cost pressure
This article only uses some data and cases from the "2023 RPG Game Global Marketing White Paper". To obtain the report, please go to the TikTok for Business official website to download.
Global market development status of RPG games
The global RPG market size is expected to reach 207.98 billion yuan in 2023, but the category sales ratio has declined for four consecutive years
According to Gamma data, The global RPG game market size will reach 207.98 billion yuan in 2023.
Among the global top mobile games in 2023, RPG products accounted for 32.0%, making it the largest mobile game category in the world.
However, the current global sales share of the RPG category continues to decline, with a cumulative decrease of 9 percentage points compared to 2019, and the bottleneck of the category market has emerged.
Intensified category competition: changes in user needs and reduced user increments
The bottleneck of the RPG category is mainly reflected in the strong competition within the track caused by two factors sex. On the one hand, changes in user demand have put the RPG category market under pressure from product structure transformation; on the other hand, the difficulty of user acquisition has increased, and the entire industry has shifted to stock competition.
Changes in user needs
1. Behind the rise of open world RPG is the user’s demand for innovative gameplay
Most open world RPGs can interact with the environment, conduct open exploration, and provide Players have a higher degree of freedom, while other types are mostly linear play.
2. The proportion of idle RPGs has increased for four consecutive years. Behind this is the user’s demand for “game load reduction”
Idle RPGs allow users to operate with less , improve combat effectiveness with less login, thereby reducing the burden. Typical game elements such as offline income, automatic combat, etc. allow players to use more fragmented time to play.
3. The rapid decline of classic MMORPG revenue is due to users’ fatigue with the “heavy-weighted” game
Classic MMORPG focuses on combat power competition, and Paying more and participating in more activities are the core sources of improving combat power, which in turn places higher demands on users' payment capabilities and online time.
The difficulty of user acquisition has increased
With the rapid expansion of the mobile game market, the number of users has decreased significantly, and competition between products has shifted to existing users; at the same time, RPG users are more likely to lose, and it is more difficult for users to return due to reasons such as the difficulty of catching up in terms of combat power.
Five major elements help RPG games cope with changes in demand
Based on the current market conditions, innovative gameplay, regional themes, localized style, global IP, These five elements of two-dimensional culture may help break through bottlenecks.
The pattern of subdivided gameplay has not yet been determined. Exploring more emerging sub-games has become the key
Currently, there are still many "RPG" subdivided categories that meet user needs that have not yet been developed. Among the emerging categories that already have head games, user demand for elimination, shooting, tower defense, and roguelike RPGs is still relatively low.
Cultural themes have become the key to shaping the characteristics of RPG products. Regional theme innovation may become a breakthrough factor
Cultural themes are the core element in shaping characteristics, but global user theme preferences vary greatly. It is necessary to focus on grasping the characteristics of regional user preferences, or rely on unconventional innovative themes to break the situation.
Half of the companies focus on localization of painting style, which is in line with visual preferences and helps to create product highlights
There are great differences in painting style and flow in different regions, which is in line with Regionally preferred painting styles are more helpful in attracting users’ attention. At the same time, on the one hand, you can improve your competitiveness through image quality, and on the other hand, you can also look for relatively niche painting styles to open up breakthroughs.
There is a lot of room for IP-enabled product performance to leverage
IP-adapted games always account for more than half of the market share, which can enhance sales performance, and global IP can be developed Larger space.
The second dimension has always been present in RPG products and still has development potential today
The second dimension culture is very popular and is the focus and innovative culture that has always been the focus and innovation culture of the rapid development of RPG elements and will have long-term development potential in the future.
In addition to the above five elements, there are other opportunities that need to be focused on.
Pay attention to the marketing potential of game content, use out-of-game platforms to find incremental space, strengthen localization layout and long-term operations, and pay attention to the potential of short video platforms
Strengthen the potential of game content promotion and distribution, use games Digging out more customer acquisition space
First of all, the advantages of native game content can be fully exploited. Users are more likely to be attracted by native game content to download games, and more opportunities can be tapped with the help of more native content.
At the same time, it is necessary to pay attention to the trends of experts and positions. Enterprises can approach from more angles to acquire new users and maintain retained users.
Create an out-of-game platform with the help of content, experts, position management, etc., and amplify the effects of each link in the game, allowing more players to discover, retain, and return to the game , and are more willing to pay for games.
Localization is difficult, and companies need to understand local user preferences
In-depth localization is also an important opportunity. Users have a high demand for localization, and they are more concerned about the game having a world view, art, culture, etc. that fit the market characteristics. At the same time, game companies going overseas said that the current difficulty in going overseas is reflected in the lack of insight into global user preferences and judgment of prospects.
Therefore, it is necessary to gain insight into the characteristics of users in different markets around the world, conduct research and development and acquire customers in a way that is more in line with local users’ gaming habits, and find a suitable platform to tap user value and find potential users of the category.
Focus on the long-term operation of the game, focusing on the improvement of long-term LTV
The retention time of RPG users is positively related to the payment level, and the payment level of long-term users is usually higher High, acquiring more long-term users can obtain higher game revenue and relieve profit pressure. Therefore, corresponding measures must be taken to maintain long-term operation of users and stimulate more paying behavior from users.
The short video platform helps RPG products gain more marketing growth
The potential of short videos in content marketing, long-term operations and other aspects can be continuously explored. At the same time, Short video platforms have higher user preferences and stronger stickiness, so they have become the most commonly used advertising form for RPG products at this stage.
From the perspective of short video conversion rate, among the top 20% of RPG ads by CVR at this stage, videos of 31 to 60 seconds account for the highest proportion, reaching 48%. Among the current mainstream platforms, short videos of 31 to 60 seconds on TikTok account for 43.6%, which is significantly higher than other platforms. The proportion of short videos of 31 to 60 seconds on the platform also reflects users’ preference for long and short videos. acceptance and preference, and choosing a platform with higher user acceptance will help RPG gain more marketing growth.
The short video platform has a high degree of matching with RPG product marketing, and more potential can be further explored in the future.
Insights on the development key points of RPG's global important markets
In order to further explore the development opportunities of RPG, it is necessary to conduct in-depth insights into the key points of the overall development of RPG.
Insight 1: RPG users prefer two-dimensional culture, and game communities help marketing break through the circle
Judging from the development status of RPG markets in various countries, the number of two-dimensional game users is large, with more than 60% of RPGs Game users prefer two-dimensional culture, and 70% of RPG mobile game users have played two-dimensional games.
User survey results show that 32.25% of RPG two-dimensional users will learn about new games through game forums or communities. Marketing on platforms with a higher concentration of two-dimensional users will achieve better results.
And 60% of the users of the TikTok platform have a preference for the second dimension, and the proportion of users who like the two-dimensional culture is even higher, which is very suitable for the two-dimensional RPG marketing.
At the same time, RPG two-dimensional users pay more attention to game-related content and are more willing to share. This is why many two-dimensional games can continue to gain popularity in communities with high user gatherings. The key to customers.
Insight 2: RPG users have significant preference for IP, have strong payment ability and are more active
RPG users have high IP preference, and global IP is helping marketing The advantage in terms of harvest is even more significant. In addition, IP can attract more big R users. Research shows that 81.9% of big R users have played mobile games adapted from IP.
Among RPG players, IP users tend to be more active on platforms outside the game, spending a long time paying attention to game content, and also through interactive challenges, live broadcasts, and talent Get game information.
But it should be noted that in the marketing process, you need to find a platform like TikTok with a high concentration of IP users and rich IP content.
Insight Three: Storytelling and character development rank among the top two RPG user preferences
Various game experiences Among them, plot stories and character development rank among the top 2 preferences of RPG users, and their preference is much higher than that of non-RPG users. Therefore, these two elements are the key to RPG product marketing. It is necessary to find suitable content scenes that can expand the influence of characters and plot stories.
Insight 4: Pay attention to the integration and innovation of gameplay, which will help expand the user group
Through the integration of gameplay, we can continue to expand new user groups, and some games even use the This has attracted circle users from other categories. In addition, "light gameplay" is also the long-term development focus of RPG products. Shooting, casual puzzles, and puzzle solving can all be combined with RPG to derive light gameplay.
Marketing on platforms with a higher preference for light gameplay can improve customer acquisition efficiency. We found that: on TikTok, users have a higher preference for light gameplay. It is obvious that TikTok users prefer integrated gameplay with casual attributes, and are more willing to relax and have fun in the game.
Insight 5: Polish the content to ease the pressure of customer acquisition, and leverage the content ecology to do RPG marketing
Live material has strong expressiveness and is widely recognized, so it is necessary to find the right fit The user survey data of the delivery platform
shows that RPG users around the world generally have a positive attitude towards real-person materials. Authenticity and fun, as the core elements of real-person advertising, are also recognized by more than half of the users. In terms of customer acquisition, real-person materials have key advantages such as better interpretation of RPG game highlights, stronger content performance, and faster iteration speed.
The habits and tonality of users on each platform will greatly affect the delivery effect, so it is necessary to find a suitable delivery platform. Among the mainstream platforms, TikTok has significant advantages in real-person material advertising, with a 20% placement ratio that is much higher than other advertising media platforms. It is favored by RPG game companies. At the same time, in many important market segments around the world, RPG real-person creative The proportion is also higher than the average of all media platforms.
The reputation of experts drives RPG games to break through the circle and expand the influence of games with the help of diverse content
The content of experts is influenced by RPG User love has become the key to attracting users to download games, return games, and participate in activities in many markets. It also has a deeper impact on strengthening localization and users' access to game information. If the platform can provide multiple levels of talent resources, it will better help the game expand its influence.
And TikTok has formed a unique methodology, using localized content styles and cross-border elements to create circle-breaking content.
Daren live broadcast provides new opportunities to break through the circle and capture traffic to form a positive cycle
Live broadcast is an important form of building a game content ecosystem, and ultimately forms Sustainable expansion of the ecosystem, and RPG users have a stronger willingness to live broadcast and watch, and it is more suitable for games to use live broadcast to expand their ecological influence.
#On TikTok, you can achieve a positive circulation of traffic through live broadcasts by experts.
The position carries the diverse needs of users, the long-term value of the fan-operated energy storage community
Research shows that the position has important value for RPG products, especially when expanding operations It plays a significant role in attracting long-term users. TikTok RPG users discuss games with their friends in the community and have a higher willingness to return through activities. Building and operating a position on TikTok will achieve better results in maintaining user retention and strengthening return.
Native content combined with advertising traffic to reduce costs and increase efficiency at the customer acquisition level
Enterprises are still continuing to explore ways to combine native content with advertising traffic. Now, Heating native content on TikTok in stages and combining native traffic with commercial traffic is a powerful model to achieve cost reduction and efficiency improvement.
RPG Global Important Market Insights
Paying attention to more localized market conditions and user preferences is the key to laying out the RPG market, so the report also analyzes 13 global markets Research and analysis have been conducted on key regions. The United States, Japan, and South Korea markets are selected as case studies. For more information, please refer to the full version.
United States
Characteristics of the U.S. RPG mobile game market
1. Difficult to leverage top games
The U.S. RPG mobile game market size is expected to reach 24.93% in 2023 One hundred million U.S. dollars. As of September 2023, RPG product sales accounted for 11.4% of the top 100 mobile games. Compared with other markets, the typical feature of the US RPG market is that a few games have achieved high sales, and it is difficult for more RPG games to enter the market.
2. Other terminals have a greater squeeze on mobile games
In the U.S. game market, stand-alone machines, consoles, and customers PC games also have a large audience. For RPG games, they have certain disadvantages compared to other game devices in terms of operating feel.
3. The overall payment level of RPG users is not high
Compared with the overall RPG users, the overall payment level of American users is not outstanding.
4. Users’ long-term retention intention is lower
U.S. RPG game users have a lower willingness to stay in the game for a long time. Some short- and medium-term RPG products have Better commercial results may be achieved.
5. Low interest in the core gameplay of RPG
American RPG users have low interest in the core gameplay involved in RPG, so in the United States, they need to rely on innovative gameplay to gain customers.
Development opportunities in the US RPG mobile game market
1. Users have a significant preference for science fiction, urban, punk and other themes
Science Fiction It is a long-term favorite theme of American users. On the basis of science fiction themes, companies also need to pay attention to subdivided themes such as doomsday, space, mechas, and zombies.
2. There are more market opportunities for light gameplay
In recent years, among the top 100 products in the US mobile game market, the proportion of light gameplay has always been About 30%.
3. Opportunities for elimination RPG
Elimination RPG combines the leisure nature of elimination and the growth system of RPG, while satisfying the leisure needs and Develop needs.
How elimination RPG mobile games use TikTok to gain customers in the United States
Advertisements for elimination RPGs in the U.S. market usually tend to show actual combat effects and themed sitcoms, etc. element. For example, through sitcoms and voice-overs, the plot is unfolded from a first-person perspective, and immersive content stimulates users' interest in the game or characters; in addition, through the combination of strategy tutorials and challenging content, the game is shown to be easy to use but also deep. The features not only allow inexperienced players to play with confidence, but also stimulate the desire of high-end players to challenge.
How to gain customers for mobile card RPG games in Japan
Japanese card RPG game advertisements tend to highlight character drawings , modeling, card drawing mechanism, IP and theme song and other elements. In terms of advertising content, the theme song is used to create memory points and combined with vertical painting display to attract players who value the audio-visual experience; or the original IP content is restored through game materials to attract the interest of fans.
RPG users generally do not use a single social media platform, and their touch point behavior is relatively complex. However, the current mainstream MMP Last Click attribution model is actually difficult to evaluate the true value of each platform.
In recent years, companies have paid more and more attention to the quality of data signals. However, it has always been a pain point for companies to make detailed assessments of the actual effects of purchases on each platform.
On TikTok, TikTok for Business’ self-attribution platform (SAN) can be used to help advertisers better understand TikTok’s actual contribution to performance conversion. SAN self-attribution can provide advertisers with more delivery optimization signals, help advertisers accurately identify TikTok conversion data, tap high-value users, and improve advertising effectiveness.
High-value users have become the key to RPG marketing, using Shenzhen transfer products to increase reach rates
Compared with non-RPG users, RPG users’ payment level and frequency are higher, so more efficient methods are needed to accurately mine high-value users.
However, it is often more difficult to mine high-value users, so they need to be better marked and reached, and TikTok for Business Self-attribution platforms (SAN) will help companies find high-value users.
The combination of product and effect expands the marketing effect, and brand activities activate users’ willingness to spread
The above is the detailed content of Breaking through the bottleneck of RPG global marketing: methods and strategies to open a 200 billion market. For more information, please follow other related articles on the PHP Chinese website!
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