Summary

The serious games market has expanded rapidly, as this tool integrates education, information or training objectives with attractive game elements. First appearing in the United States in 2002, the market has now been adopted in several developed countries and is set for significant growth. According to Meetari's projections, the market is set to grow fivefold by 2023, reaching around 17 billion euros. However, Allied Market Research offers a more conservative estimate, forecasting a market of $9.1 billion by 2023. The region with the greatest growth potential is South America, Africa and the Middle East, with a forecast average annual growth rate of 23.9%. Market growth is largely driven by increasing demand for user engagement across all sectors, the rise of mobile educational games and improved learning outcomes.

Training simulations are identified as the main global application segment, followed by advertising. The use of serious games is also becoming popular in the fields of research, planning and human resources, with new applications such as recruitment processes. One example of industry engagement is PwC's launch of its "GameChangers" serious game in May 2019, aimed at engaging young graduates and showcasing the firm's innovative approach. The market is experiencing diverse interest and application, underlining its broad appeal and potential for continued growth beyond 2020.

expanding the horizons of the serious games market

The serious games market is a unique blend of entertainment technology and educational purpose, targeting diverse fields such as training, advertising, research and human resources. This market, which emerged in the USA in 2002, has undergone significant global expansion, with applications in a wide range of professional fields. The integration of serious games into business strategies and processes reflects an evolving approach in the educational and professional sectors, largely influenced by the growing demand for immersive and engaging learning experiences. One of the key trends in this market, as the analysis points out, is the exponential growth it is set to experience over the coming years. The market is set to soar, with projections estimating that it will be worth around 17 billion euros by 2023, five times more than in previous years.

This growth is attributed in part to the increased need for user engagement in companies and the effective learning outcomes that these games facilitate. Training simulations dominate this market as the largest global application segment, while advertising via serious games is identified as the second largest application area worldwide. The versatility of serious games is further enhanced by their use in internal corporate research, planning and integration into human resources processes, particularly recruitment. Leading players in the serious games industry have taken advantage of these tools to rejuvenate their brand image and attract younger, more digitally inclined talent. One notable example is PwC's "GameChangers" initiative, aimed at attracting the attention of recent graduates. The use of serious games as recruitment tools underlines the industry's innovation in assessing interpersonal skills through digital means. Despite Allied Market Research's cautious estimates of the market's value at around $9.1 billion by 2023, the upward trend remains undeniable. South America, Africa and the Middle East are expected to be the fastest-growing regions, with an average annual growth rate of 23.9%.

In conclusion, the serious gaming market in the country in question is experiencing a resurgence of activity due to both technological advances and changing business needs. With an expected market valuation of between 15 and 20 billion euros by 2023, the sector stands out as a dynamic and fast-evolving facet of digital learning and business development. The proliferation of serious games in a variety of professional roles underlines their growing relevance and effectiveness in today's digital economy.

Key players in the expansion of the serious games market

The serious games market is experiencing a remarkable increase in adoption across a range of industries, primarily due to its effectiveness in training, education, marketing and recruitment processes. Key companies have strategically positioned themselves to capitalize and contribute to market growth, providing innovative solutions that revolutionize traditional approaches. Although the above text doesn't explicitly name specific companies, we can deduce from the context and roles that some key entities may be leading the charge.

Chief among these is PwC, a multinational professional services network that has demonstrated its commitment to innovative recruitment strategies by launching "GameChangers". This serious game aims to engage and attract young talent, demonstrating that PwC recognizes the importance of gamification in today's competitive job market.

Other entities playing an important role in this booming market could be software developers specializing in educational and training simulations. These companies are likely to be at the forefront, creating immersive, interactive content that appeals to the market's largest application segment.

Marketing companies could also be heavily involved, developing serious games that serve as advertising tools, thus occupying the second largest segment. In addition, the research and planning departments of various organizations can work closely with developers to create in-house serious games designed to facilitate strategic decision-making processes. Furthermore, human resources departments in various industries are likely to advocate the integration of serious games into their recruitment processes to improve candidate engagement and assessment.

As the market continues to grow, these innovators are likely to make substantial inroads, particularly in regions such as South America, Africa and the Middle East, where the highest growth rates are expected. These companies are expected to help shape the future landscape of the serious games market by constantly advancing technology, improving user engagement and optimizing learning outcomes.

Although the text refrains from mentioning specific companies other than PwC, the general trend indicates that a multitude of companies in different sectors - from technology start-ups to established educational institutions - are contributing to the dynamic and rapid growth of the serious games market. As this niche market approaches a multi-billion dollar valuation, the synergy between these players will undoubtedly be a key factor in its continued expansion and global success.

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  • Number of pages : 30 pages
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  • Last update : 24/07/2023
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Summary and extracts

1 Market overview

1.1 Market overview and definition

There are several definitions of "serious game". According to Julian Alvarez, a university professor specializing in this field, a serious game is " software that combines a serious pedagogical, informative, communicative, marketing, ideological or training intention with the playful elements of a video game ". According to the French Ministry of Educationthe serious game is a "training, communication and simulation tool that is a useful variation of the video game for professionals".

Serious games have 3 main purposes:

  • Training or assessment
  • Marketing or promotion
  • Information or awareness-raising

The customer sectors and types of application for serious games are increasingly diverse. In May 2019, for example, PwC launched a serious game called "GameChangers" to revitalize its appeal among young graduates and attract the best talent. Using a serious game is also a way of instilling a new, younger employer image, based on fun, digital solutions that reward "soft skills".

This wide range of demand sectors, and the broadening scope of possible applications, explain the strong growth prospects for this market worldwide. The serious games market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 18.47% until 2026.

In France, however, growth prospects are somewhat less promising. The national serious game market is therefore looking for new growth drivers and new technologies to restore its dynamism.

1.2 A growing global market

The serious game market is one of the components of the video game industry, a dynamic global market valued at over $***.* billion in **** by Research and Markets.

The global serious games market is also a growth market. In fact, this market was valued at $*.* billion in ****, and is expected to grow ...

1.3 The domestic market

The video game market in France, which includes the serious game market, is estimated at *.* billion euros in ****. The slight decline observed between **** and **** is due to a particular context (***), but nevertheless shows a resilient sector with high growth prospects. The market grew by **.*% between **** and ****, and seems to have benefited ...

2 Demand analysis

2.1 In-company training, the first outlet for serious games

The main outlet for serious games is professional training[***] These large companies are the core target of the sector, since they can train hundreds of employees with a serious game, making their investment in "serious games" profitable.

It is therefore interesting to look at companies' training needs:

From a Human Resources ...

2.2 The use of new technologies in training

New technologies are increasingly used in employee training. As proof, digital learning is now adopted by **% of professional training players, according to a study by the FFFOF. Furthermore, following the democratization of the CPF, **% of HR managers want to innovate their training solutions[***]

This trend was further accelerated by covid-**, as ...

2.3 Demand extends to increasingly diverse sectors and uses

Because serious games can take so many different forms and serve so many different purposes, the spectrum of demand sectors and uses for serious games is constantly expanding (***)

The main sectors of demand for serious games are as follows, with an example of a serious game:

Education: the Dragon Box Elements ...

3 Market structure

3.1 The serious game market, a segment of the video game industry

Overview of the structure of the video game market:

In ****, there will be around *** video game development studios , up from *** in **** (***). [***] This increase in the number of studios is an indicator of the attractiveness of this sector.

The sector is also characterized by the strong presence of young companies. Indeed, most ...

3.2 The serious game value chain

The serious game industry's value chain is very similar to that of the video game industry, a simplified representation of which is shown below:

Source: ****

For the serious game market, it's the software part that's the most interesting. Indeed, the hardware part concerns the manufacture of game media (***).

On the software ...

3.3 Major players in serious games in France

The table below shows some of the main French players in the serious game sector (***):

Source: ****

it should be noted that there are also companies specializing in non-digital serious games, although they are few in number. For example, Game Partners offers serious games in the form of board games for private ...

3.4 Hardware

In serious game production, France is on the software development side. Different types of hardware can be used to support the software developed:

Computer A smartphone A video game console (***) Virtual reality and augmented or mixed reality headsets and goggles.

To date, we haven't been able to find any figures giving ...

4 Offer analysis

4.1 Offer typology and pricing

Types of offer

Serious games can have three aims:

Training or assessment Promotion or marketing Information or awareness-raising

Depending on these aims, different types of serious games can be distinguished:

Advergaming: promotional or marketing purposes, mainly for promotional purposes Edutainment: primarily educational or training purposes Edumarket game: dedicated to communication strategy, ...

4.2 Supply trends: integrating technological advances

To create ever-higher-quality games and satisfy customers looking for continuous innovation in games, specialist companies are taking a keen interest in integrating new technologies. In ****, **% of development studios said they wanted to integrate virtual reality into their games, and **% said they wanted to integrate augmented reality. The challenge here is not ...

5 Regulations

5.1 Personal data regulations

Like many digital fields, serious games are not exempt from the transverse regulations on personal data:

Initially, the French Data Protection Act of January *, **** provided the legal framework for the protection of personal data in France.

In the European Union, the General Data Protection Regulation (***).

Article * of the General Data Protection ...

5.2 The Video Games Tax Credit (CIJV)

The video game tax credit (***) is a tax deduction scheme for companies with innovative and creative projects in the video game industry. Included in the French Audiovisual Act of March *, ****, and effective from January *, ****, the main aim of this measure is to improve the competitive position of French companies internationally.

The ...

6 Positioning the players

6.1 Market segmentation

  • Daesign
  • Ishtar Games
  • Breakaway Games
  • Ubisoft
  • Activision Blizzard
  • Arkane Studios
  • Electronic Arts
  • Gameloft
  • AD Inviders
  • My Serious Game
  • Almedia
  • Collock

List of charts

  • Trends in the size of the global serious game market
  • French video game market size
  • Estimated size of the French serious game market
  • Breakdown of development studios by year of existence
  • Breakdown of studios by sales
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Latest news

Microsoft's $70 billion takeover of Activision: the trial of the century - 02/07/2023
  • Microsoft wanted to buy Activision for around $70 billion.
  • Nearly forty countries, including those of the European Union, China and Japan, approved the deal.
  • Activision's market capitalization reached $65.3 billion
  • The FTC sued Microsoft in an attempt to block the deal.
  • Microsoft previously bought ZeniMax for $7.5 billion.
  • Development costs for high-end games such as "The Last of Us Part II" and "Horizon Forbidden West" cost $220 million and $212 million respectively.
  • In some years, these high-end games accounted for up to 15% of Sony Interactive Entertainment's profits.
  • Sony has negotiated exclusivity for the much-anticipated "Final Fantasy XVI", which is not planned for Xbox.
  • Activision's mobile revenues passed the $3.5 billion mark in 2020, representing almost 50% of its total sales
  • Microsoft's share of the mobile gaming market is just 0.3%.
The French video game market awaits better days - 30/05/2023
  • French video game market down 1.6% in 2022
  • French video game market sales in 2022: 5.5 billion euros
  • World video game market decline in 2022: 4.6%
  • Hardware sales down in 2022: 10%
  • Increase in game sales in 2022: 6%
  • Nintendo Switch sales in France since launch: 7 million units
  • Sales of Fifa 23 (Electronic Arts) in France: nearly 60 million euros
  • Gameloft growth in 2022: 21
  • Share of Gameloft sales generated by consoles: 28%
  • Gameloft's target for console sales by 2026: 50%
After a setback in 2022, the French video game market is back on track - 23/03/2023
  • The sector contracted by 1.6%, to 5.5 billion euros in 2022, according to Sell
  • PC game sales up sharply
  • Fifa is still in first place on all consoles, with over 1.7 million units sold last year, generating revenues of 107 million euros
  • - French video game market: 5.5 billion euros by 2022 - up 11% over 3 years
  • - Console segment: 2.57 billion euros in 2022
  • - Game sales: 1.63 billion
  • - PC segment: 1.55 billion euros
  • - Additional content sales: 2 billion euros
Gameloft reaps the rewards of its new video game strategy - 10/03/2023
  • In 2022, sales were €321 million, up 19.4%
  • Console and PC business accounted for 28% of total sales, compared with less than 15% the previous year

Companies quoted in this study

This study contains a complete overview of the companies in the market, with the latest figures and news for each company. :

Daesign
Ishtar Games
Breakaway Games
Ubisoft
Activision Blizzard
Arkane Studios
Electronic Arts
Gameloft
AD Inviders
My Serious Game
Almedia
Collock

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