Unlocking the Metaverse: How Brands Navigate the Gaming Frontier

The gaming industry has undergone a remarkable transformation, with platforms like Fortnite and Roblox emerging as powerful marketing channels for brands. However, the path to success in this new digital landscape is not without its challenges. Brands must navigate the complexities of engaging gamers, who are increasingly savvy and discerning, while also leveraging the unique opportunities presented by these immersive gaming environments.

Bridging the Gap: Brands Leverage Social Media to Amplify Gaming Activations

The Limitations of In-Game Branded Experiences

Brands have been eager to establish a presence within popular gaming platforms, recognizing the vast potential of these virtual worlds. However, simply creating a branded experience within Fortnite or Roblox is not enough to guarantee success. Gamers are discerning and often resistant to overt marketing tactics, making it a consistent challenge for brands to capture their attention and drive meaningful engagement.

One of the key issues brands face is the limited visibility and discoverability of their in-game activations. Despite the platforms' efforts to provide discovery tools, many user-created maps and branded experiences struggle to gain traction, leaving brands frustrated by the lack of organic traffic. This underscores the need for a more holistic approach to marketing within the gaming ecosystem.

Leveraging Social Media to Amplify Gaming Activations

To overcome these challenges, brands are increasingly turning to social media as a complementary channel to drive engagement and awareness for their gaming activations. By aligning their in-game experiences with robust social media campaigns, brands can leverage the power of influencers, content creators, and the broader gaming community to amplify their presence and reach.

According to Rachel Rakowski, head of gaming at the agency We Are Social, this "package deal" approach is becoming essential for brands looking to succeed in the gaming space. "I've seen brands that are non-endemic to the space work with a lot more gaming influencers, and then also work with game developers to work with influencers in their network to actually propel their activations forward," she explains.

The Rise of the "Cultural Gamer"

Another factor driving the convergence of gaming and social media marketing is the evolving nature of the gaming audience. In 2024, a significant proportion of self-identified gamers are not necessarily avid players, but rather "cultural gamers" who engage with the gaming community through content consumption and following creators.

This shift in gamer behavior has important implications for brands. If they want to connect with this growing segment of the gaming population, social platforms become a logical and necessary avenue for reaching them. As Tom Morris, a trends manager and gaming expert at GWI, notes, "Nowadays, with gaming so ridiculously ubiquitous as it is, the perception of what a gamer looks like is completely different."

The Importance of Integrated Marketing Campaigns

Successful gaming-focused marketing campaigns often require a comprehensive, integrated approach that seamlessly blends in-game activations with social media outreach. As Jan-Hendrik Heuschkel, head of business development at the gaming-focused agency Unlocked, explains, "For every single element that we do, obviously we have to do the regular things — we have to do social posts, we have to do livestreaming and stuff like that. Because otherwise, you don't have anything to talk about."

This holistic approach allows brands to leverage the unique strengths of both gaming platforms and social media, creating a synergistic effect that amplifies their reach and engagement with the target audience.

The Future of Gaming and Social Media Convergence

As the gaming industry continues to evolve and become more mainstream, the convergence of gaming and social media marketing is likely to intensify. Platforms like Fortnite and Roblox are working to improve their advertising offerings, recognizing the growing importance of this lucrative market.

However, for these gaming platforms to truly rival the advertising power of social media giants like Instagram and Facebook, they will need to further enhance their internal marketing and discovery tools. This will help reduce their dependence on social media promotion and allow them to become self-sustaining hubs for branded experiences and content.

Gareth Leeding, global chief strategy officer at the agency Livewire, highlights the significance of this trend, noting that "a large part of the content consumption on social platforms is gaming, so then the answer is actually that gaming is cannibalizing social from the inside out." This dynamic underscores the growing importance of gaming as a marketing channel and the need for brands to adapt their strategies accordingly.