Electronic Arts‘ vice president of brand believes the term gamer is going to be outdated.

This comment originates from Elle McCarthy, and she was interviewed by AdWeek, and here, she said the following: „The recent rise in more lo-fi live service games allows faster integration of culture than ever before. This is a huge marketing opportunity and forces a more audience-first and fluid approach for brands looking to engage authentically.

I often get asked about how brands can partner with gaming or talk to gamers – but there’s no such thing as gamers at all and understanding that will be crucial. Did you know that only 14 per cent of players self-identify as gamers and that is as low as 6 per cent for women? It might be the safety someone finds in playing with people like them, free from the shackles of identity politics that can factor less in positive gaming spaces than they do in the world,” McCarthy said.

A prime example of a live service game by Electronic Arts (staying intentionally within the company…) would be the upcoming Battlefield 2042. She then added that gaming isn’t merely a medium or an industry anymore, and there aren’t any established best practices for engaging these „niche, multifaceted, and passionate communities.”

Remember that this comment is just as out of touch as the one the company said as self-defence in the United Kingdom (if we remember correctly) when they called loot boxes „surprise mechanics.” Also, if someone plays games from 3-4 console generations before, then they should be called a gamer, as they are passionate about these games instead of the currently available products on the market.

This comment might be one to remember in the future, due to it not being up to snuff with what is happening in the real world.

Source: PSL