Mobile Data Usage
Verizon reported a 75% increase in gaming usage week-over-week. As more people are social distancing & remain at home, it is no surprise that there is an increase in usage of entertainment options, like gaming.
Type of Data Usage
Week-Over-Week Increase
Gaming
VPN
Web Traffic
Video
Social Media
75%
34%
10%
12%
0%
How Consumer Behavior is Shifting in Response to
COVID-19
While brands & marketers are doing their best to navigate unprecedented times, gaming is leading the charge when it comes to app downloads and ways for individuals to spend their time at home.
Impacts On Mobile Gaming
46%
23%
35%
33%
say their mobile usage, outside of work, has gone up significantly
are playing new games on their smartphones
focus solely on their mobile game while playing
play mobile games multiple times a day
User Behavior While Playing Mobile Games
While streaming other media (Hulu, Netflix , etc)
During what used to be my commute time
I focus solely on mobile games when I play them
During meals
Before I go to bed at night
23%
32%
9%
35%
1%
Gaming App Category
Card
Word
Board
Casual
Music
Trivia
Strategy
Arcade
Puzzle
Downloads % Change
20.88%
14.16%
13.13%
5.40%
4.33%
2.14%
1.92%
1.12%
0.46%
There were a total of 858M app downloads during the first week of social distancing due to the COVID-19 outbreak
Card, Word & Board game categories have seen the most notable surge in app downloads
Game Category Breakdown
Who Is Today's Mobile Gamer?
Male
48%
Female
52%
13-17
18-24
25-34
35-44
45-54
55-64
65+
6%
12%
17%
19%
22%
16%
8%
37%
Have a Higher Average HH Income
$85k vs $62k US Average
33.4% US Average
More likely to have a 4-year degree or more
2x
50% US Average
Identify as the household decision maker
66%
AdColony POV
With the global workforce being home, it is no surprise that Card, Word & Board game categories are seeing a surge, as these are amongst the categories that skew toward a high household income, highly-educated, ‘professional' demographic.
Coincidentally, games that fall under the Action & Adventure categories are down 5-6% respectively. These games closely mimic popular console games and with users socially distancing, they are opting for their console versus their mobile device.
Learn more at adcolony.com
Source: Statista Mobile Games Outlook; OnDevice Research, Under the Microscope; US Census Bureau, 2018 Census Test Results; ComScore; Activision-Blizzard/NewZoo Study, 2018
Source: Verizon, March 12-19, 2020
Source: Apptopia, March 15-26, 2020
Source: AdColony, Coronavirus Impact Survey, Week of 3/23
Revised April 1, 2020
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