Welcome to BGM’s Games Industry Media Trends, your monthly analysis of media coverage on the key trends shaping the media conversation around the business of game development.
September 2024 (Updated 10 October)
(Pssst! Run your mouse over the interactive chart below to see the numbers and click on the topics at the top to highlight specific ones)
Games Industry Media Trends by Big Games MachineSome more information on the data and how we’ve analysed it (click each section to expand)
Overview
Games Industry Media Trends analyses monthly media coverage of critical issues shaping the games industry using keyword searches. Our experts regularly select and review these issues to monitor the most prominent topics and trends. This analysis focuses on English-speaking publications, providing an accurate snapshot for users to explore.
Objective
Our research offers insight to businesses in the games industry, clarifying shifting trends and providing guidance on the trajectory of given topics.
Methodology
We track trends and associated keywords (e.g., ‘mental health’ as well as ‘wellness’) while ensuring these topics remain relevant to the games industry. We exclude any coverage that does not link these keywords to the games industry. Our analytics tools monitor media coverage across thousands of English-speaking publications, not just the games trade press.
Glossary – More info on the topics we’ve chosen
Curious about the trends we’re monitoring? Our comprehensive glossary below will equip you with the knowledge to understand and navigate the dynamic games industry.
- AI: The advent of AI has exploded into the games market. This trend looks at AI in the games industry and tracks how much this topic is discussed
- Mental Health: As an ongoing issue in the market, we are tracking all areas of mental health in the games industry – from initiatives that aim to improve the well-being and wellness of individuals to issues of online toxicity
- Diversity: “Diversity continues to be a significant issue in the gaming industry. This trend encompasses a wide range of diversity considerations, including LGBTQIA issues, gender, race, and the differently abled. This topic addresses both positive developments such as diversity and inclusion initiatives, as well as challenges like discrimination and lack of representation within the industry.
- Monetisation: Models within games that use monetisation have been cause for success and criticism in the industry. This trend focuses on terms associated with monetisation to capture the sentiment in the market
- Employment: Discussions about employment in the games industry have intensified due to market challenges. We are closely monitoring topics such as layoffs, workplace culture, and crunch to assess their impact on the industry.
- ESG: Environmental, social, and corporate governance are increasingly important issues in the games industry. This trend encompasses environmental initiatives, corporate social responsibility (CSR), and carbon footprint reduction efforts within the industry.
- Web3: Blockchain gaming continues to impact the global gaming industry, despite its mostly negative reception. This trend encompasses concepts related to Web3, including Blockchain, NFTs, and other Web3 topics.
- M&A: A growing discourse in the industry, along with conversations around mergers and acquisitions, is one that we recognise as an essential trend to track. This topic captures the corporate discussions around the games industry.
Important Note !
This index focuses on media coverage of key industry trends related to making games, not individual games that may dominate media from month to month. So sadly, you won’t find information about specific games like Helldivers 2, Elden Ring, or the latest Zelda game here..
Feedback
Think we’ve missed something? Is there a topic you’re keen to explore? Contact us, and we’ll see if we can help.
NEW! September 2024 Insights
- September saw a positive uptick in mentions from the majority of topics, with discussions around M&A, ESG and Diversity being the only conversations that have seen a continued decline
- Despite a small uptick in the number of mentions, AI’s interest has continued to wane in recent months – no doubt driven by the increasing amount of scepticism towards this technology and major brands – such as Nintendo – wanting to ‘buck the trend’ of AI
- Discussions around mental health saw a 30% increase from August. New research highlighted the mental health benefits of games, while a piece focusing on Black Myth: Wukong, highlighting mental health issues in China, became a syndicated issue this month
- Topics around monetisation rose 20% in September from the previous month, driven by increasing conversations around the value of subscription-based gaming services and the growing fatigue that the sector may be experiencing
August 2024 Insights
- The majority of mentions across key trends all saw a decline in August. Given the focus on Gamescom, as well as the common trend of media taking holidays during August, this decline is to be expected
- Diversity and Mental Health were the only trends that saw a slight increase in August. Diversity rose 1% from July’s mentions, driven by a few articles highlighting the ongoing issues around online toxicity remaining present in the games industry
- Mental health topics saw a 9% increase in August compared to July.In contrast to other months, conversations around mental health have focused more on the benefits that video games bring to users
- AI and Web3 topics are still popular, but their mentions are declining, suggesting decreasing relevance.
July 2024 Insights
- July saw significant changes in topics brought about by several factors highlighted below
- Conversations around AI, while still gaining traffic in the press, saw a 15% drop from last year as discussions have shifted to question AI’s actual value
- Employment mentions increased significantly by 83% in July compared to June, mainly due to layoffs at Bungie and Humble in the sector this month.
- Following the surge of Pride Month activities, diversity topics experienced a sharp 49% decline in July as campaigns and initiatives shifted focus away from inclusion efforts.
- Discussions about mental health dropped by 49% last month, possibly linked to reduced focus on Pride Month, where mental well-being is discussed as part of inclusivity.
- The lack of new NFT launches and activations appears to have impacted Web3 markets, which saw a 36% drop in mentions throughout July
- Despite the decline, AI and Web3 remain popular topics due to their appeal beyond the games industry, sparking broader discussions.
June 2024 Insights
- In June, most topics experienced a decline except for diversity and inclusion, which saw a 5% increase in traffic in June. This rise was mainly due to increased discussions during Pride Month and the introduction of relevant initiatives by major game brands such as Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III and Call of Duty: Warzone’s Pride cosmetic packs.
- Discussions related to employment, such as layoffs and closures, decreased significantly by 35%. While layoffs continue to occur in the industry, this drop-off is in line with the decreasing volume of layoffs in the sector
- The biggest news event around employment followed Hidetaka Miyazaki’s comments regarding any risk of From Software facing layoffs.
- While Web 3 still receives high monthly traffic, it has significantly declined by 20% since April. Most of this traffic is from dedicated Web 3, blockchain, and crypto publications, highlighting the segmented nature of this market.
- AI remains the dominant topic of discussion in the gaming industry. While its popularity dipped by nearly 10% in June, it still holds the top position. The widespread appeal of AI within and outside the games industry has fueled increased conversations about its potential applications for video game companies, covering both negative and positive aspects.
