Gaming WHAT GAMING STUDIOS KNOW


THAT RETAILERS SHOULD Gaming studios have long mastered the art of decoding player behaviour, but now


retailers can tap into gaming data to move beyond static demographics and unlock dynamic, real-time insights that convert engagement into revenue. Chris Connon, Senior Strategy Principal at Slalom, explains.


G


aming studios invest millions in understanding why players drop off games—creating a goldmine of consumer behaviour data that savvy hardware


retailers can transform into sales opportunities. While studios battle rising acquisition costs and changing player behaviour, retailers who tap into these same insights gain a powerful competitive advantage. Te gaming industry has evolved dramatically over


the past decade as Customer Acquisition Cost has surged 222%, now averaging $29 per player. Post-pandemic play time has decreased as people return to offices, and Gen Z has reduced game spending by nearly 25% compared to 2024. Tese shiſts oſten signal increased interest in hardware upgrades


as players seek to maximise value from existing game libraries rather than purchasing new titles. Studios collect extensive data on player engagement patterns,


when players abandon games, which features frustrate them, and how different segments interact with game economies. Tese behavioural signals directly correlate to hardware purchase intent: • When 40% of players abandon tutorials at stage three, it may indicate struggles with unresponsive input devices


• Declining engagement with graphically-intensive features oſten signals inadequate hardware


• Competitive gamers discussing millisecond advantages reveal demand for premium peripherals.


Tis intelligence exists in fragmented formats across Discord servers, social media, in-game surveys, Twitch streams, and support tickets. Sentiment analysis provides the crucial ‘why’ behind behavioural data. For retailers, this represents real-time market intelligence about what gaming customers want to buy: • Game updates: When players complain about frame rate drops aſter updates, promote performance hardware


• Competitive gaming: When esports communities discuss input lag, stock high-end peripherals


• Visual features: When streamers celebrate new graphics but lament hardware limitations, highlight GPU upgrades.


Leading retailers are already tracking gaming community sentiment alongside traditional metrics, recognising that emotional engagement with games predicts hardware purchasing behaviour better than historical sales data alone. Understanding the emotional context around gaming


experiences allows retailers to position products as solutions, not just specifications:


18 | November/December 2025


• When sentiment analysis reveals frustration with controller driſt, time promotions for premium controllers


• When communities express excitement about ray tracing in upcoming releases, drive pre-orders for high- end graphics cards


• When players discuss comfort issues during long sessions, prioritise ergonomic chairs and accessories


• Tis shiſt from spec-selling to solution-selling can dramatically improve conversion rates.


Retailers have three main options for implementing sentiment analysis. Off-the-shelf AI tools offer speed and affordability, ideal for rapid deployment. However, generic models oſten overlook the cultural and contextual nuances of gaming communities, limiting insight depth. In-house development enables full control and precision, with


models trained on proprietary gaming data. Tis approach delivers richer context but demands substantial investment in talent, infrastructure, and ongoing refinement. Specialised partners can strike a balance, providing tailored,


gaming-aware solutions without the overhead of building from scratch. For many, this hybrid model offers the best of both worlds: domain relevance and operational efficiency. As sentiment analysis becomes a competitive differentiator,


retailers must weigh agility, accuracy, and cost against the unique demands of the gaming audience.


The future competitive advantage With gaming revenue projected to rise from $262 billion in 2023 to $312 billion in 2027, retailers must demonstrate value beyond product availability. Te retailers that will thrive in 2026 will be those that: • Build infrastructure that captures sentiment continuously across communities


• Connect player frustrations directly to product solutions • Anticipate hardware trends before they peak • Position themselves as trusted advisors who understand gaming at a deeper level. Tis isn’t about collecting more data; it’s about deriving better meaning from signals gaming communities are already broadcasting. Studios have shown the way with their investments in player understanding. Now it’s time for retailers to capture the hardware opportunity that player insights reveal.


www.pcr-online.biz


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52