Gamers are more likely to watch free, ad-supported streaming television (FAST) than connected TV owners in general, according to the findings from a new study.
The rise of FAST is hard to ignore. While there are plenty of paid streaming services, many of which attract tens of millions of subscribers, many of the most popular have now pivoted to a partially ad-supported model. This includes Disney Plus, HBO Max, and Netflix, who all now offer an ad-supported subscription option.
Just as those paid services are making moves to enter the ‘with ads’ space, there are plenty of streaming services that now offer an ‘ad only’ steaming experience. With these services being completely free to use, many of us are now integrating them into our daily and weekly streaming setup more often.
When it comes to gamers, it would seem they are even more interested in free, ad-supported TV. This is based on the findings from a new study by LG Ad Solutions which suggests that nearly two-thirds (63%) of gamers spend at least two hours a week streaming FAST content. According to the study, this is 24% higher than all connected TV users.
It might be worth noting here that the free element seems to be less important than first suggested, as the findings also point to gamers tending to subscribe to more streaming services at a higher rate than connected TV owners in general.
Specifically, the study suggests an increased gamer interest in the likes of Apple TV Plus, Discovery Plus, Paramount Plus, and Peacock, among others.
It should be noted that the data is based on a survey of only 700 consumers and is focused on those “who owned a connected TV and played console games in March 2023” with 25% noted as playing on a daily basis. Not to mention, this is an LG TV study, and LG TVs are among some of the most popular when it comes to gamers.
All of which does highlight how the survey was a little more tailored towards gamers than the general market.
Still, it does provide some interesting insight into the within-gamer market. For example, and in addition to a preference for services like Apple TV Plus, Discovery Plus, Paramount Plus and Peacock, only 23% stream through their gaming console. In contrast, 55% stream through their smart TV app.
What was the main takeaway from the survey, however, was how effective FAST advertising can be for specifically targeting gamers. In other words, don’t be too surprised if you start seeing more gamer-focused ads when watching LG Channels, Pluto, Tubi, or any of the other free streaming services.
Leave a Reply