UK gamers ready for a post-console age of 5G, clouds and the metaverse
Software developer Amdocs has released research into consumer expectations around cloud gaming and the metaverse – and it suggests that broadband’s most demanding consumers consider 5G a weapon worth acquiring. Meanwhile, gaming battlefields are set to be littered with abandoned consoles, as the Smartphone becomes the weapon of choice.
Amdocs surveyed 1,000 UK gamers for their opinions on the effects of 5G on their lifestyles. If mobile broadband was ubiquitous and reliable, how would it affect their lifestyles and buying decisions? Most (79%) feel positive about it and half (43%) said it will change the gaming industry. Mobile users don’t want 5G networks per se. What they want is a network connection that guarantees quality of content, better streaming and more unique experiences.
Gamers by nature are people who make hundreds of instant decisions per minute, all based on timing and constantly shifting circumstances, so their perspective could be subject to constant changes as prices fall, equipment availability rises and a clearer picture of the metaverse emerges. Earlier this week Amdocs released a white paper examining Forty Ways to Play in the Metaverse.
According to Amdocs, a post-console future is dawning for gamers, who are now planning for the day when 5G connectivity makes cloud gaming feasible. One in five (18%) can’t envisage the metaverse, yet, namely because there are too many barriers to its widespread adoption. Many think it’s either too early in its infancy (47%) or that the hardware is too expensive (36%). A quarter (24%) aren’t convinced mobile broadband can handle the metaverse yet.
The survey sample, defined as consumers who play games a least once a week, were more decisive about how the arrival of 5G would affect their buying patterns, a development that could help mobile operators to sell more kit to their subscribers. A statistically significant majority, 85%, said they would consider prioritising cloud capacity purchases over gaming. A similar proportion, 81%, would pay at least €9 (£7.60) extra a month on cloud gaming services if that ensured a dedicated 5G connection. Almost twice as many gamers rated quality (44%) over cost (29%).
Anthony Goonetilleke, Group President of Technology and Head of Strategy at Amdocs, said the findings confirm that the next stages of evolution, such as the creation of the metaverse and the rise in popularity of cloud gaming, won’t materialise without the right supporting environment. “As these experiences become more ingrained in our culture and we explore the potential of a Web 3.0 world, connectivity will become increasingly critical,” said Goonetilleke.
The New Gamer Report is based on a March 2022 survey from Dynata, which targeted 1,000 UK consumers who reported gaming at least one time per week.