Gaming has become a global activity that brings people together. The “What Gamers Want” report by Golley Slater gets into the different behaviours of gamers around the world, and the insights are quite interesting…
First of all, for many players, personalisation is so important towards their gaming experience. According to the report, customisation allows gamers to mirror their personality and even appearance, in the virtual worlds they enjoy.
Games like Fortnite and Minecraft have embraced this trend, giving players tools to customise characters and worlds. Cosplay has also become a major part of gaming culture, with fans drawing inspiration from franchises such as Assassin’s Creed and Fallout. Events like Minecraft x Lush collaborations bring these virtual worlds into real life, blending the two in creative ways.
Brands that help gamers express their individuality are more likely to resonate with players. In fact, 72% of gamers feel more positive about brands that support their ability to bring their gaming personas into everyday life.
What Do Gamers Spend Money On?
The gaming economy thrives on microtransactions, as players often invest in exclusive skins, cosmetics, and other customisable content. According to the report, 60% of gamers are happy to spend on aesthetics that reflect their personal style, while many reject models that focus on pay-to-win features.
Baldur’s Gate 3 is an example of a game that gained respect for delivering a complete experience without over-reliance on add-ons. Meanwhile, limited-edition items remain popular, but re-releases at lower prices can frustrate early buyers who value exclusivity.
Collaborations, such as Coca-Cola’s League of Legends campaign, show how real-world purchases can connect with in-game rewards, blending digital and physical experiences in ways that gamers enjoy.
Who Are The Different Types Of Gamers?
Gamers, according to the report, can be divided into four main categories: Socialisers, Explorers, Achievers, and Competitors. Each group engages with gaming in its own way:
-Socialisers value multiplayer games as a way to connect with others and build friendships.
-Explorers enjoy open-world games and are drawn to storytelling and creativity.
-Achievers thrive on completing challenges and earning recognition for their skills.
-Competitors go for the thrill of outplaying others in high-pressure, player-versus-player scenarios.
What Do Experts TSuggest For Running A Gaming Startup?
Now that we’ve gone through the consumer behaviour of the gaming industry, it might be worth covering the business side of things. Experts have shared tips on what it takes to run a gaming startup:
Our Experts:
- Dariusz Kowalski, CEO, Pixel Trapps
- Richard Williams, Gambling Partner, Keystone Law
- Sina Azeri, Founder and CEO, Transform Gaming
- Bobby Voicu, CEO, MixRift
Dariusz Kowalski, CEO, Pixel Trapps
“Starting a gaming startup is a thrilling journey, but it comes with challenges. Here’s what to focus on:
“Find Your Niche: Research the market, follow trends, and understand your audience. Whether it’s mobile games or blockchain, knowing your space is key.
“Use AI: AI is a game-changer for designing levels, analyzing players, and saving time and money.
“Build a Community: Engage players early – their feedback is gold and can build loyal fans.
“Think Ahead: Plan for scalability in both technology and player engagement.
“Stay Agile: Gaming evolves fast. Be ready to pivot based on feedback and trends.
“Success is about combining creativity with smart, flexible strategies.”
Richard Williams, Gambling Partner, Keystone Law
“The British online gambling market is now mature, with high costs to acquire customers and to operate, with a significant regulatory burden. Start-ups face a tough time differentiating their product in a crowded market.
“Before launching a gambling start-up, establish where your customers will be located. Work out where you want to operate and what licence you will need. Most European countries (and many further afield) now require operators to hold a local licence to provide remote gambling services to residents. If you want to operate in Great Britain, you will need a licence from the Gambling Commission.
“As part of an operating licence application, you will be required to lodge a written business plan, including 3-year, monthly profit and loss projections. Make sure you’re aware of all the costs that are involved in running the business, including licence fees, legal fees, integration with GAMSTOP, betting/gaming duty, payment processing fees, identity verification fees, responsible gambling contributions, dispute resolution fees, security audit costs, staff costs etc. Only when you’ve worked out your revenue and expenses will you be able to assess whether the business is sustainable.
“Who is going to develop your software, whether it’s a website or an app? Do you know the process to get an app approved on the App/Play Stores? Remember that you will either need a remote software licence to do this or to engage a developer with a software licence.
“Are you aware of the licence conditions and codes of practice (“LCCP”) – if not, you need to read these through at an early stage to make sure you know what’s involved. The same goes for the Commission’s remote technical standards (“RTS”) in relation to remote gambling games. These standards regulate gambling games.
“Think about who you are going to bank with. Banking for gambling operators can be tricky. No high street banks will offer bank accounts to gambling start-ups. Speak to banking providers, as without banking you will have no business.”
Sina Azeri, Founder and CEO, Transform Gaming
“First up, you need a great idea. The storyline, creatives, art, or whatever tools you’re using to engage and retain the user, will ultimately dictate how successful your startup is. It’s important to get this right at the start, as games rarely get a second chance.
“Next, you need to take the time to understand your customer. How do they think and feel? What do they want from your game? Diving in to understand your customers’ preferences and behaviours will help inform your strategy and direction.
“With that in place, you need to focus on your operations. Build a talented team who can create an engaging game which keeps people wanting to play. Fostering a social gaming strategy is particularly effective here, as collaboration and competition are key for keeping players engaged.
“Your IT and tech are also vital. Building infrastructure that is adaptable to change, agile in addressing issues and scaling capacity, with a team who can innovate and remain flexible within the game’s technical constraints are needed for a strong foundation.
“Then, after launch, it’s also about luck. Of course, luck isn’t something you can plan for or control, but it can make all the difference. There are moments when a game launches at the perfect time, and everything clicks. Sure, it might have had amazing content, a deep understanding of its audience, a stellar operations team, and solid tech – but there’s always that extra bit of magic, that special, unpredictable sparkle, that helps it truly take off.”
Bobby Voicu, CEO, MixRift
“One of the biggest challenges when you are staring off is figuring out how to compete with the tech giants dominating the gaming space. You need to find your niche, follow what audiences want and recognise where a significant gap in the market lies.
“For us, we noticed that although demand for mixed reality experiences is surging, there is a notable scarcity of high-quality MR games. This disparity presented an undeniable opportunity—one that we are uniquely positioned to seize, especially when companies like Apple and Meta scale back their VR investments, creating a unique opportunity for small, but passionate and innovative MR startups like ours to step in and shape the future of immersive gaming.
“Gaming founders need to be resilient, and if they’re raising money, it’s important to take the amount of time they expect the process to take and then double it to set a more realistic timeline.
“Another important factor to keep in mind is that agility, genuine enthusiasm and dedication empower small startups to make a lasting impact, shaping the industry and driving transformative innovation in ways that larger corporations can sometimes overlook.
“For example, our unique approach at MixRift is centred on rapid prototyping and iterative development. Rather than investing years in a single ‘headline grabbing’ title, we focus on game mechanics, and developing and releasing games quickly – to ensure we know what resonates with audiences. This agility allows us to explore diverse game mechanics native to MR, truly harnessing the unique capabilities of this technology.”
