Video games are finding it increasingly difficult to attract attention - and it's not about stronger competitors, but about smartphones. According to a report by the consulting company Epyllion, the industry is facing an audience retention crisis.
In the era of instant entertainment, traditional AAA projects are losing out to applications that offer quick and easy "hits" of dopamine. The time that used to be spent on gaming sessions is increasingly being taken up by phone screens.
The report distinguishes between mobile games and mobile applications, with the latter being named the main threat. Social networks, online betting, gambling services, and adult content are increasingly effectively occupying our limited leisure time. A worrying trend is the rapid growth in popularity of AI-based applications.
Instead of buying a new game on PlayStation or taking out a subscription, users, especially on Fridays, are increasingly spending money and attention on other digital activities. The problem is not that players have stopped loving games, but that launching a console and playing in front of the TV is starting to seem like "too much effort." Compared to the instant reward of scrolling through TikTok or OnlyFans, traditional gaming looks demanding.
If the industry does not bring the audience back into its ecosystems, this could change the consumption of digital entertainment. According to the study, the main competitor to your favorite game is the device in your hand.
