Battle royale players are among the most engaged gamers, report finds
Newzoo: 88 per cent of battle royale players invest money in gaming, compared to 75 per cent of traditional competitive game players
Battle royale players are among the most engaged gamers, spending more time and money on their game of choice, plus watching and streaming more content.
According to the latest report from market intelligence firm Newzoo, there are several key differences between battle royale players and those who play other traditional competitive games such as Call of Duty, Overwatch, Rocket League, World of Tanks, and League of Legends.
Most notable perhaps is that 88 per cent of battle royale players invest money in gameing as opposed to 75 per cent of people who play competitive games.
Additionally, battle royale players spend more time gaming on both console and PC.
Considering hours spent on console, just over 30 per cent of battle royale players play six hours a week or more, compared to 25 per cent of competitive gamers. Battle royale players are also sinking more time on PC with around 40 per cent playing six hours or more per week, compared to 32 per cent of competitive game players.
This higher engagement is also reflected in habits surrounding streamed content, with more than 80 per cent of battle royale players watching live game streams and esports.
The data reveals that 28 per cent of battle royale players watch esports several times a month, compared to 19 per cent of competitive game players.
Battle royale players are also more likely to both watch and create live-streamed content with 81 per cent watching and 51 per cent having streamed their own content within the last six months, compared to 67 per cent and 31 per cent respectively for competitive game players.
The number of players uploading recorded content shows a similar disparity between the two groups with 45 per cent of battle royale players having uploaded pre-recorded footage of themselves playing games within the last six months, compared to 29 per cent of competitive games players.
Comparing the audiences of the two most popular battle royale games -- PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds and Fortnite -- there is a high level of crossover, with 40 per cent of users playing both titles. However, Fortnite has a more dedicated user base with 35 per cent playing Epic Games' offering exclusively, compared to 25 per cent of users who stick solely to PUBG.
Fortnite players are typically younger too, with around 68 per cent of them aged between ten and 30, compared to 60 per cent of PUBG players, the latter of which are more likely be in full time employment (65 per cent versus 50 per cent).
"The differences in player demographics may be explained in part by the fact that Fortnite is free-to-play, has a more accessible aesthetic, and features less demanding system requirements," said Newzoo data analyst Orla Meehan.
"PUBG players are also more likely to identify as core gamers, while a larger share of Fortnite players identifies as a casual gamer (24% versus 17%), underlying Fortnite's appeal to a larger gamer audience."