$198 BN Global Gaming Market Will Double by 2027 and Blend’s Study Shows, Localization Is a Big Part of Its Growth

BLEND, an all-in-one localization platform, released its new analysis of the role of localization in the global gaming industry’s success. The study shows gaming localization tactics used by top-ranked brands with a global presence and analyzes data from the largest 50 websites as ranked by Similar Web in May 2022.

The global gaming market is expected to reach a value of USD $340 billion by 2027 due to factors such as wider access to smartphones and 5G services, in addition to a prompt from the global pandemic.

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Key findings from BLEND’s analysis include: 

• 48% of the top 50 gaming websites offer more than four language choices to their overall audience to enable a localized and native experience
• 33 of the top fifty brands attract more than 20% of website traffic from external countries and
• Nintendo, Xbox, and PlayStation all offer their websites in over 40 languages worldwide, drawing over 65% of their site traffic from foreign markets.

“Going global is paramount for brands in sectors like gaming,” says Yair Tal, CEO of BLEND. “Given that the market is competitive and top gaming brands have used localization strategies and techniques to aid expansion efforts and growth for over the past two decades,  gaming companies that are in their infancy must identify key areas in which to localize to avoid falling behind and being pushed out of the market.”

“The study demonstrates that no matter where in the world a gaming company may be situated, the majority and top companies use localization to cater to specific nuances and subtleties of each target market they intend to reach, says Hila Shitrit-Nissim, CMO of BLEND.”

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“To truly gain an international presence, companies must be willing to step outside of what they are familiar with and gain a clear understanding of what matters, in which format, language, and style, to their global customers.”

The study offers key takeaways for gaming brands to consider, which range from macro to micro level insights, including how companies can take into account cultural norms, history, societal expectations, and how voice-over and audio play a role in the overall experience.

The gaming market is currently made up of 2.9 billion gamers. As it continues to grow and reach its anticipated market size, gaming localization will be non-negotiable for multimarket success