Key Points

  • 44% of Gen Z's screen time is spent playing video games and watching gaming content
  • The average 13-24 year old spends 16 hours weekly in gaming environments
  • For Gen Alpha, gaming has surpassed social media as their #1 media activity
  • Traditional advertising models are largely invisible to these demographics
  • Authenticity is critical—these audiences can immediately detect irrelevant or intrusive advertising
  • New AI-powered solutions can identify key gaming moments and serve contextually relevant ads
  • Brands must join gaming communities, not interrupt them, to establish relevance with younger consumers

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In a recent industry presentation, Playwire's Paul Chenier dropped a bombshell that should make every marketer sit up straight: "Young men 18-24 are just not engaging with traditional media. And the problem only accelerates as you get younger."

The data backing this claim is staggering. A full 44% of entertainment screen time for Gen Z is now spent either playing video games or watching others play them on platforms like Twitch and YouTube. For the average 13-24 year old, that translates to roughly 16 hours weekly—effectively a part-time job spent in gaming environments where traditional advertising simply doesn't exist.

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The Invisible Generation

While marketers have long understood that younger audiences consume media differently, we've now reached a tipping point where an entire generation has become nearly invisible to conventional advertising approaches. As Chenier put it, referencing his 9-year-old son, "He doesn't see an ad throughout the entire day."

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This isn't just about ad-blocking technology or subscription services. It represents a fundamental shift in how content is consumed. The kids who grew up with iPads in their hands have built entertainment ecosystems that operate largely outside the traditional advertising economy.

From Subculture to Dominant Culture

"Gaming has gone from fringe culture to subculture to culture to the immersive and dominant culture right now," notes Chenier. The numbers for Gen Alpha (born after 2010) are even more dramatic, with 94% playing video games and 80% watching gaming content—making it their primary media activity, even surpassing social media.

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The marketing implications are profound: "You're not building your funnel, you're not accessing the next generation of buyer of your product, you're not influencing purchase decisions within the home if you're not thinking about this."

Authenticity Is Everything

This isn't just about placing banner ads in Fortnite. As GroupM's Pete Basgen emphasized during the presentation, these audiences "can smell out a broadcast untargeted, irrelevant ad before they're even a second into the playtime."

The old playbook of interruption-based advertising simply doesn't work here. These younger audiences understand the ad-supported content model, but they demand relevance and authenticity in exchange for their attention.

New Solutions for Unreachable Audiences

To address this challenge, Playwire has partnered with efuse's Sidekick platform to develop innovative approaches that respect the gaming experience while creating opportunities for brands.

One fascinating approach uses computer vision technology to identify key moments in gameplay—like winning a Fortnite match—and serve contextually relevant advertising that feels natural to the moment. Another leverages AI to monitor what's being discussed in stream chats and deliver ads that respond to those conversations in real-time.

"This is about joining the conversation, joining the community," explains Matthew Benson, Founder and CEO of efuse. "So not only are you getting to share, but you also get to listen."

The Stakes Are High

For brands, this isn't just about capturing current market share—it's about future-proofing their relevance. As these generations age into greater purchasing power, the brands that have established authentic connections within gaming ecosystems will have a tremendous advantage over those still relying on traditional media channels that younger audiences simply don't use.

"Gaming has gone from a fringe culture to the immersive and dominant culture right now," Chenier observes. The question for marketers is no longer whether to engage with gaming audiences, but how quickly they can adapt to this new reality.

The brands that understand this shift—that learn to become part of gaming culture rather than trying to interrupt it—will be the ones that remain visible to a generation that has otherwise become unreachable through conventional means. In the attention economy of tomorrow, that visibility may be the most valuable currency of all.

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