Currently, influencers receive tens of thousands of dollars from gaming companies to test new games in front of their audiences on social media platforms, especially Twitch and YouTube. This partnership reduces marketing and user acquisition costs, allowing independent developers to benefit by paying a lower percentage of sales.
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What's new in the North American market is that these influencers are venturing into the world of gaming publishing and consultancy, both for big titles and independent games, which can appeal to the specific tastes of their fans.
Earlier this year, Michael “Shroud” Grzesiek and Chris “Sacriel” Ball, two mega influencers who have a combined audience of 11 million followers on Twitch, announced their union with the studio Splash damage to create an open-world survival game.
According to a Bloomberg report, One True King, a media company focused on gaming content, launched Mad Mushroom, a new game publishing division where influencers can not only play, but also launch, distribute, test and promote games in partnership with industry veteran, Mike Silbowitz.
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Top-Earning Gamers in the World:
— 24vGames (@24vGames) February 4, 2020
1. Ninja (Tyler Blevins) – $17 million
2. PewDiePie (Felix Kjellberg) – $15 million
3. Preston Arsement – $14 million
4. Markiplier (Mark Fischbach) – $14 million
5. Shroud (Michael Grzesiek) – $12.5 million pic.twitter.com/q5LnpwsIFT
Furthermore, “game influencers” take advantage of opportunities offered by gaming companies that allow users to remix and design original versions of their favorite games. In this case, they work with developers to create unique experiences that meet followers' desires.
In April, five streamers known for playing Fortnite da Epic Games have come together to announce a new title: Project V. Using tools from Fortnite Creative, which allows players to create their own games, streamers are working with developers to create an experience they believe will appeal to their large following.
New ventures are not without risks
Even small, independent games can cost hundreds of thousands of dollars to launch and take one to five years to develop. Additionally, there are challenges such as marketing the new game, adapting it to different devices, and localizing it into multiple languages.
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Recently, the OTK organized an exhibition featuring 30 games, from “Toxic Crusaders” to “Turnip Boy Robs a Bank”. During the live streaming event, fans and influencers chose two favorite games, and the winners each received $25.
A Mad Mushroom is looking for investors, but the main objective of OTK is about enriching the gaming ecosystem, not just making a profit.
According to the company's chief strategy officer, Zachary Diaz, they care about profitability, but the main focus is the success of the games and how this benefits gaming content creators.
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(Source: Bloomberg)
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