Video gamers are a special breed. Sure, they spend a lot of time playing games, but they're also building social networks. Like sports athletes, video game players thrive on competition. They play against other gamers online. Those who earn first place, or even second or third place, have bragging rights.
And like athletes who invest a lot of time training, video gamers take pride in the number of hours they spend playing. Furthermore, as games increase in complexity, gamers take pride in developing unique skills to best their compatriots.

Video game companies can tap into this environment and learn valuable information about their customers, especially their behaviors and the underlying motivations. These customer data enable companies to improve the gaming experience and better engage players.
Traditionally, the gaming industry appealed to its customers-the gamers-by offering striking graphics and captivating visualizations. As technology advanced, the graphics became more vivid with hi-def renditions. Companies have continued to use technology in highly creative ways to develop games that attract customers and capture their interests, which results in more time spent playing and higher affinity levels. What video game companies have not done as well is to fully utilize technology to understand the contextual factors that drive sustained brand engagement.

Questions for Case 6.2
1. What are the main challenges for gaming companies?
2. How can analytics help gaming companies stay competitive?
3. What types of data can gaming companies obtain and use for analytics?

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A New Level of Gaming Video gaming has evolved from the days of PAC-MAN and arcades. The widespread availability of the Internet has fueled the popularity of video games by bringing them into people's homes via a wide range of electronics such as the personal computer and mobile devices. The world of computer games is now a powerful and profitable business. According to NewZoo's Global Games Market Report from April 2017, the global games market in 2017 saw: $109 billion in revenues. • 7.8 percent increase from the previous year. • 2.2 billion gamers globally. 42 percent of the market being mobile.