Video games have been at the forefront of popular culture since the 1980s when Atari and Nintendo competed in the first video game war. From then onwards, Sony and Microsoft have joined the battle and taken the sector to new heights. For example, there are now an estimated 2.7 billion gamers worldwide.
However, the bingo industry is also experiencing a resurgence, due in large part to the number of mobile users it now counts as its base. Although you might not assume they are comparable, bingo’s growth means they should be contrasted to find out how both tackle similar issues and whether there are any insights worth gleaning. Here’s how they hold up under the microscope.
The Rate of Game Development
The latest releases help to establish a loyal customer base. For decades, most developers believed in a strategy of treating people keen and keeping them mean. However, bingo is going with a different strategy that involves flooding the market with a string of regular releases that ensures online gaming platforms have superior libraries to their rivals.
For instance, you won’t only find classical versions of bingo on the internet as there are several variations, including bingo scratch cards, slots, and jackpots. The best bingo games are also based on popular themes to differentiate them even further and add extra excitement to 75- and 90-ball genres, with popular examples including Deal or No Deal and Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? The fact that they are compatible with the latest technology only increases the appeal.
Video games, on the other hand, are slower at introducing blockbuster releases. Just last year, four marquee titles were delayed, leading to uproar throughout the gaming community. From a game development perspective, it’s clear that bingo’s strategy is very appealing and video game developers might need to consider adopting the process if they want to prevent mistakes like Cyberpunk 2077.
Falling Demographics
Experts suspected that the perception bingo was mainly played by seniors wasn’t entirely true, and now there is empirical evidence. As it happens, studies highlight how the game is played by less than 20% of seniors in total. If older generations aren’t behind the industry’s revival, who is?
The answer is young adults who see the pastime as an excellent way to have fun and relieve stress from the comfort of their homes. A significant 27% of bingo players are now between the ages of 25 and 34, making it the main demographic. The video game industry’s figures are similar, with 38% of gamers aged between 18 and 34.
However, what’s telling is that the second-biggest group for video gamers is 34 to 54. This shows that while the age of bingo’s new base is lowering, the video game sector’s audience is rising. The fact that the majority of users play across multiple mediums - only 8% of people classify themselves as console gamers – shows how the branding of bingo is empowering the game to compete on the biggest stage against its main competitors.
Exclusivity Factors
Part of the reason why young adults are playing bingo and older people are investing in video games is the obstacles in their way. A prime example is the lack of resources that is synonymous between the two age brackets.
You only have to look at the latest next-generation consoles that are priced at around $500. Plus, there are the add-ons that come with them, such as virtual reality headsets, ergonomic chairs, and HD screens. Bingo, though, doesn’t have the same type of accessibility issues as it’s based online. There are more internet-equipped devices on the planet than humans, so it’s fair to say the game isn’t restrictive in the same way, giving the sector an extra tool to engage a broader customer base.
Console giants like Sony and Nintendo will continue to implement their current plan because it’s tried and tested. Still, they might need to think of ways to keep up with the internet-based providers if they want to retain their crowns, much like Microsoft has done with the xCloud.
Bingo and video game developers have very different ways of tackling similar goals. As their strategies highlight, they are incredibly powerful because video game providers are insanely popular and the demand for bingo platforms is intensifying daily.
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