Newzoo’s 2022 Trends to Watch in Games, Esports, Cloud, and the Metaverse

Feb, 2022 Games, Esports, Live Streaming,
Cloud and the Metaverse!
Newzoo’s

© Newzoo 2022
The idea of gamers making money from playing games is nothing
new .Historically, such monetization attempts from players have
been against publishers’ terms of service . Companies were
unwilling to moderate and regulate player -to -player trading .
However, things are changing .Hype around NFTs and success
stories such as Axie Infinity mean many AAA publishers are
striving to legitimize play -to -player trading .Results so far have
been mixed .As things stand, NFT games face many challenges :
Valve has banned crypto – and NFT -based games on Steam,
inhibiting NFT growth on PC, South Korea has banned crypto –
based games on Google Play and the iOS App Store, limiting
growth in one of mobile’s highest -spending markets
Players have been vocally against NFTs in games, as shown by
the backlash to Ubisoft’s Ghost Recon NFTs and S.T.A.L.K.E.R.2
backtracking on NFTs due to player outrage .
Despite these challenges, the crypto scene is eager to get
involved, many non -vocal gamers are likely unbothered by NFTs,
and skin trading on Steam’s CS :GO marketplace remains popular .
Publishers might use blockchain technology to facilitate more
secure and legitimized player -to -player trading within a
centralized game environment .However, issues may arise with
customer support .
Still, game publishers are stuck between a rock and a hard place :
many shareholders and investors want to see NFT strategies as
they see it as “the next big thing” ;however, gamers in the AAA
space negatively react to the technology . We might see
publishers appeasing both parties by adding NFT( -like)
technology) under aless controversial name .
3
1.
3.0Bn
Gamers globally in 2021

© Newzoo 2022
While the metaverse future envisioned by Tim Sweeney and Mark
Zuckerberg won’t be a reality for years to come, the seeds
planted by these companies will begin to sprout in 2022 .
Facebook’s rebrand to Meta, its new metaverse -first strategy,
and the Meta Quest 2’s impressive 2021 sales are prime examples
of commercial and consumer interest in VR spiking again .
Some of consumer tech’s biggest brands have headsets on the
horizon, including Sony’s PS VR 2, Apple’s VR headset, and
Meta’s Cambria .These companies are leveraging their huge user
bases to position themselves for Web 3.0.
While metaverse buzz will drive investment and consumer
spending on VR this year, it will take time for companies to
implement an integrated, virtually connected world .To that end,
the metaverse gold rush will begin to hit critical mass in 2022 .
Only a small group of first movers and innovators will come out
on top, as is often the case .
4
2.
Read Metaverse Report

© Newzoo 2022
We expect to see both Google and Apple opening their
ecosystems to some extent due to fallout from last year’s Epic vs .
Apple lawsuit .The judge enforced stricter rules on anti -steering
policies, but the enforcement is currently on hold .App store anti –
steering policies have historically stopped publishers from
advertising alternate payment systems outside the platform
holder’s ecosystem .
Apple claims it is still entitled to collect revenues from third -party
payments outside of its App Store .Meanwhile, Japan has also
enforced restrictions on anti -steering .To abide by these rules,
Apple will allow publishers to contact app users via email if users
accept such permissions in the app .
These changes mean Google and Apple will have to open up their
ecosystems to consumers and publishers alike —not entirely but
to some extent .At the same time, consumer demand for services
like cross -platform play, cloud gaming, and play -to -earn
monetization puts even more pressure on the platform holders .
Developers and publishers —looking to maximize their revenues —
will increasingly look for ways to bypass app store payments .We
expect that pressure from these companies, regulators, and
consumers will force Apple and Google’s hands to open their
platforms in the coming years .
They will only begin to open their platforms in 2022 ,with the
biggest changes happening in 2023 and beyond .
5
3.

© Newzoo 2022
Hollywood previously struggled to adapt gaming IP into other
media successfully .But we’ve lately seen a slew of high -quality,
commercially successful video adaptations .
These movies, TV shows, and cross -game promotions have
effectively portrayed stories, characters, and themes .To name a
few :
• (taking many cues from the
game) and Arcane at the end of 2021 impressed fans and
critics alike .And as we’ve covered before, adaptations of The
Last of Us (HBO), Fallout (Amazon), Borderlands, and others
are coming
• came to Fortnite and PUBG Mobile,
which helped promote Netflix’s Arcane to these games’ fans
• came to Genshin Impact, Fortnite, and Fall
Guys —showcasing a single -player game IP to fans of
multiplayer live -service games .
Embracer Group’s recent acquisition spree, which includes the IP –
rich catalog of Dark Horse Comics, further underlines the value of
solid IP across different media .
We will continue to see publishers putting more emphasis on
building new game -related IP and crossing game IP into other
media in 2022 and beyond .
4.
67M
Views for Arcane (Based on League
of Legends IP) on Twitch in the first
28 days after its release. Arcane was
the most -watched show on Netflix in
38+ countries in that month.
6

© Newzoo 2022
This year is on track to be gaming’s biggest yet, certainly in terms
of spending but also in terms of content —across console, PC, and
mobile alike .COVID -19 -related delays have inadvertently led to
one of the most crowded and exciting gaming release calendars
in recent memory .
Starting in February with Horizon Forbidden West and Elden Ring
to November with Bethesda’s Starfield and all the expected titles
in-between, 2022 is full of fun for players of all kinds .
The roster includes new releases (God of War Ragnarok ),
remasters of older games (Life Is Strange Remastered
Collection), ports (Apex Legends on mobile), and established
franchises hitting new platforms (Diablo Immortal) .
The release of the Steam Deck will introduce portability to PC
gamers (and PC games to the handheld console audience), while
increased PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X inventory will bring
many players to anew generation of high -fidelity content .
At the same time, live operations will continue to innovate across
the free -to -play and mobile spaces, keeping players engaged and
spending money on their favorite pastime .
When we consider the ever -expanding list of titles available on
Microsoft’s Game Pass (and its ever -increasing popularity), the
release of PlayStation’s imminent answer to the service, and
cloud gaming becoming more mainstream, the audience for
gaming titles has never been so broad .
7
5.

© Newzoo 2022
The esports market relies heavily on sponsorship, which
accounted for almost 60 % of esports revenues last year .Putting
all your eggs in one basket can be risky, which is why esports
companies are striving to diversify their revenue streams .To that
end, teams and organizers are increasingly exploring ways to
monetize fans directly .
Many are eyeing blockchain tech and NFTs to achieve these
goals .And we’re already starting to see new esports business
models emerge . So far, esports audiences have been largely
positive about blockchain and NFTs .Gamers have notably had
the opposite reaction .
The difference here is that NFTs can directly impact the games
players enjoy, whereas esports NFT innovations are mainly about
demonstrating fandom —often outside the esports events
themselves .
For example, organizations are innovating loyalty and reward
programs by putting them on the blockchain .Many programs
now allow users to trade digital goods with other fans, increasing
engagement and personal investment in an esports brand .Fans
can also earn digital rewards when they engage with an
organization’s content, including commenting on an Instagram
post, watching aYouTube video, or chatting on aTwitch stream .
Fan participation like this builds reach and engagement for
esports teams and organizations .It can also open the door to
more sponsorship revenues .
Esports’s relationship with blockchain and NFT is already
beginning to flourish, and we expect to see even more
developments throughout the year .
9
1.

© Newzoo 2022
While mobile esports is quickly making aname for itself in growth
markets across Latin America and Southeast Asia, more mature
markets are also getting involved as new mobile games enter the
market with an esports focus .
Free Fire and PUBG Mobile are among the battle royale’s most
prevalent on mobile .It’s no coincidence that these titles are
extremely popular in emerging markets .Huge player numbers,
regional leagues, and high -octane international competitions
attract millions of viewers .
Meanwhile, games from the biggest games companies globally —
Tencent, Riot Games (also owned by Tencent), and Moonton
(owned by TikTok’s parent company ByteDance )—are vying to
become esports’ #1mobile MOBA
• : Wild Rift benefits from the
company’s longstanding experience in esports development,
the popularity of League of Legends esports and PC, and its
many regional leagues across Brazil, Japan, North America,
and Southeast Asia
• (Arena of Valor in the West) is one
of the most popular games on the planet, boasts play across all
levels, has a cup with a $10 million prize pool, and is moving to
new regions —including the West —with support from
professional leagues
• is pushed by its strong
presence across Southeast Asia, but the company is also
eyeing Brazil, CIS countries, and other regions.
Each of these mobile esports operates tournaments across
different regions, drawing the attention of the wider esports
audience. The result can only be positive for mobile esports. The
more people who watch and play, the more companies invest,
and the stronger mobile esports becomes.
10
2.
+1Bn
Accumulated live gaming hours watched for
League of Legends: Wild Rift, Mobile Legends:
Bang Bang , Arena of Valor/Honor of King on
Twitch, YouTube, and Facebook in 2021.

© Newzoo 2022 11
3.
The synergies between esports and traditional sports are becoming more apparent as each tests the other’s waters .Esports teams are
evolving into lifestyle brands, and teams are dabbling in music, skateboarding, rollerblading, and chess .Organizers are tapping into new
audiences by partnering with content creators and organizations across these non -gaming areas .Esports companies are now even
starting to move into traditional sports themselves .A notable example here is esports team EVOS, which recently announced a real –
world basketball team .
The popularity of professional basketball has been growing —especially in Southeast Asia, where the NBA has strived to cultivate a
basketball culture via the Jr .NBA Program .The program led to basketball’s addition into the school curriculum across Indonesian
elementary, middle, and high schools .EVOS, also based in Indonesia, is looking to diversify its revenue stream and capitalize on
basketball’s growth .
Esports organizations:
• Utilize live -streaming platforms to interact with their fans .
• Prioritize digital content as one of the fundamental ways to
inform and engage with their fans .
• Are quickly adapting to new technology trends (like short -video
platforms) .
• Soccer teams like FC Barcelona and Flamengo have
announced gaming and esports divisions .
• NBA runs an esports league including esports -specific teams
and the gaming divisions of traditional NBA teams .
• Traditional broadcasters are partnering with leading gaming
content creators to reach the gaming community via co –
streaming (more on that on the next page), e.g.,Brazilian
streamer Gaules teaming up with F1and the NBA .

© Newzoo 2022
Co -streaming is a proven tool for publishers and organizers to
exponentially grow their total addressable audience .At the same
time, allowing co -streaming is more transparent and shows trust
in the content .Results have been promising so far .
Last year, Riot opened the broadcasting floodgates to content
creators worldwide, allowing them to rebroadcast stage 2 of the
VALORANT Champions Tour . The competition broke prior
viewership records for the title .And our data shows that third –
party channels accounted for two -thirds of the event’s live
viewership .
While the benefits of co -streaming are huge, there are
advantages to centralizing broadcasts on internal channels .
Keeping broadcasts in-house gives publishers and organizers
more control across the board .Fundamental viewership metrics
like average minute audience (AMA) and peak viewership —key
bargaining chips for sponsorship deals —are far easier to track
when all viewership is centralized .What’s more, publishers and
organizers retain more control over the content and its message .
We’re also seeing plenty of co -streaming innovation outside of
esports, including from Riot . During the launch of Arcane, a
Netflix show based on the League of Legends IP, Riot partnered
with Twitch and Netflix to let content creators stream and react
to the first episode on their channels .Leveraging the fanbases of
content creators helped the TV series quickly become a top –
watched Netflix show .
This year, we expect co -streaming to become a key component
in the media mix strategy of several brands and products —inside
games and out .Following Arcane’s success, we expect to see co –
streaming for future Netflix show launches —particularly those
that overlap with the gaming community .
4.
12
66%
of the viewership of stage 2 of the
VALORANT Champions Tour came
from third -party channels.

© Newzoo 2022
In 2021 ,interactive show Rival Peak took Facebook Gaming by storm, generating over 100 million minutes watched in just three
months .The show featured AI -controlled contestants .Viewers from over 70 countries could help these virtual contestants solve
puzzles and help them progress .Experiences like this leverage two of live streaming’s strongest pillars :immediacy and community .
Following Rival Peak’s success, Facebook Gaming announced a similar experience, PAC -MAN Community, in December .The title
will be fully integrated within Facebook’s Gaming .It even allows audiences to interact with Facebook Gaming streamers .Viewers
can join ongoing games and play directly with creators through a“Play With Streamer” feature .
In the next 12 months, we expect more platforms and publishers to announce live -streaming -first solutions leveraging creator –
viewer interaction .Such experiences will help make the broadcasts even more engaging and memorable, providing additional
avenues for directly monetizing fans .
5.
13
+100M
Views in the first three months of
Rival Peak launching.

© Newzoo 2022
From Elden Ring to Starfield, 2022 ’s release calendar is full of
highly anticipated AAA PC and console blockbuster releases .At
the same time, semiconductor manufacturers like Intel and
Toshiba have stated that the ongoing semiconductor chip
shortage will continue well into this year and possibly beyond .
These chips power the latest consoles and PC gaming
components, limiting many players’ ability to play the upcoming
titles .As cloud gaming promises AAA experiences without hard –
to -find hardware, we expect 2022 ’s new releases to positively
impact cloud gaming adoption .
Longer -term, as supply constraints ease, some of these cloud
gaming adopters will likely continue to subscribe to cloud gaming
services .After all, current user satisfaction with the experience is
high, as covered in Newzoo’s Global Cloud Gaming Report .
We already saw an adoption spike happen in 2020 . When
Cyberpunk 2077 launched, players were keen to experience the
game .Sadly, the console and lower -spec PC versions were not
fully optimized .
As high -end PC components were hard to find, many gamers
tried the cloud gaming version via NVIDIA’s GeForce NOW and
Google’s Stadia .They offered high -fidelity versions of the game
via the cloud, and both platforms saw user growth during this
time .
15
1.

© Newzoo 2022
The past year has seen some of cloud gaming’s most compelling
use cases in action .Publishers are also leveraging the cloud to
bring high -end content to limited hardware .
Via partnerships with Ubitus ,large publishers like IO Interactive
and 505 Games have used cloud gaming to bring high -fidelity
titles to the aging Switch hardware, including Hitman 3 and
Control .
Consumer sentiment has been mixed, as the gaming experience
depends heavily on the player’s internet connection .
Nevertheless, we expect more third -party publishers and
developers to continue leveraging cloud gaming to bring their
content to the massive Switch user base .
Likewise, last year Xbox Game Pass Ultimate added cloud gaming
to Xbox consoles .This highlighted two important use cases :
• Game Pass offers access to a huge library of games, but
players once had to download these games to try them .Now,
even gamers who are not ready to take the plunge into cloud
gaming can use the service to try games via the cloud
• Players on Xbox One hardware can play Xbox Series X|S titles
via the cloud, giving them access to new -generation gaming on
last -generation hardware .
Mobile publishers are also getting involved .They are increasingly
using mobile -focused Platform -as -a-Service (PaaS) cloud gaming
services to reach gaming audiences beyond the processing and
storage limitations of smartphones .
16
2.

© Newzoo 2022

© Newzoo 2022
Echoing the broader games market, the cloud gaming ecosystem
has seen several acquisitions and funding deals in the last 12
months .For example :
• In April, Shadow was acquired by Hubic for approximately $30
million, following Shadow’s financial and scalability difficulties
• In May, Mail .ru Group acquired Playkey for an undisclosed
amount
• In September, Unity bought Parsec for $320 million
• In November, Intel acquired RemoteMyApp
• Also in November, Antstream Arcade received a $3.5 million
investment led by the Atari Group
• In January of this year, Mythical Games bought Polystream .
• Plenty of cloud gaming companies have entered the market
since 2019 .
While these early movers continue to vie for their spot in the
highly competitive market, we expect to see more consolidation
and M&A activity this year as the market continues to mature .
18
3.

© Newzoo 2022
Most cloud gaming services were limited to PC and Android in
2019 ,somewhat undermining the use case of high -quality games
on any hardware .Services are now available on more platforms,
but there have been challenges .
Owing to strict rules around its closed ecosystem, Apple does not
easily allow dedicated cloud gaming apps on its App Store .To
jump this hurdle, cloud gaming services have used progressive
web apps via Apple’s Safari browser to bring services to iOS .
Several big cloud gaming services are bringing —or have already
brought —their cloud gaming services to TVs :
• Tencent launched its START service on several smart TVs in
2020 and continues to work with Chinese TV manufacturer
TCL to optimize the cloud gaming experience on large screens
• Last year, select LG TV models began supporting NVIDIA’s
GeForce NOW and Google’s Stadia .
• Already in 2022 ,Samsung revealed it was bringing GeForce
NOW, Stadia, and Utomik to its latest smart TV models .
However, smaller cloud gaming services have also been keen to
add their services to smart TVs to maximize their reach .
This trend will continue in 2022 .And we expect to see more
services and TV manufacturers announcing collaborations .Xbox
boss Phil Spencer confirmed in November that Microsoft was
working with manufacturers to bring Game Pass to Smart TVs, so
Xbox Cloud Gaming looks to be next in line .
19
4.

© Newzoo 2022
Platform -as -a-Service (PaaS) companies allow clients to host,
manage, and execute software via the cloud .Game companies
are already collaborating with PaaS cloud gaming solution
providers to :
• Circumvent app store fees
• Lower user acquisition costs
• Grow their reach, discoverability, and user base .
China is a trailblazer in B2B PaaS cloud gaming .Tencent, Haima
Cloud, Alibaba, and others are already active and innovating .The
PaaS cloud gaming model is well suited to the Chinese market’s
free -to -play nature . Game publishers pay the PaaS service
provider to host their titles .In turn, players can then access the
publishers’ mobile F2P games free of charge .
These services also boast cloud gaming’s many other benefits,
such as removing barriers related to storage or processing power
on mobile devices .
However, they also carry cloud gaming’s disadvantages, including
the need for a robust and reliable internet connection and having
to queue for access to servers when demand is high .
Although China’s fast rollout of 5G has boosted the country’s
mobile internet quality, some users may still run into issues,
especially as many popular mobile games are competitive and
online .
Nevertheless, we expect that B2B PaaS cloud gaming solution
providers will continue to flourish in China’s mobile segment .We
also foresee B2B PaaS growth beyond China .Some non -Chinese
companies that have already taken the first steps in this area are
now .gg, CareGame ,Facebook Gaming, and Ubitus .
20
5.

© Newzoo 2022
Growing pains aside, titles like Axie Infinity have catalyzed a new
wave of blockchain game development .These success stories
have shifted blockchain games from an unproven concept to a
reality that other companies can iterate on .
Despite some backlash from gamers, even huge AAA publishers
like Ubisoft are getting involved .EA’s CEO Andrew Wilson went
as far as to say that NFTs will ‘’play an important part of the
future’’ of gaming in arecent earnings call .
Building on the lessons of prior titles, upcoming blockchain
games will have deeper gameplay and high -fidelity graphics,
likely attracting even more curious players to the ecosystem
(especially those on the fence initially) .
At the same time, large publishers’ blockchain experiments are
blurring the lines between traditional and blockchain games,
acting as an entry point for many players .
The current barrier to entry for many existing blockchain games
is simply too high for undecided gamers, the antithesis of what
draws so many gamers to free -to -play experiences . Anyone
looking to start playing Axie Infinity right now has to pay
hundreds of dollars in up -front costs .
These barriers will lower in 2022 as developers will continue to
improve the first -time user experience of their blockchain games .
22
1.

1/2
8/10
players state that they
already get together at
least occasionally in game
worlds to socialize .
expect to do so in the
future.
Source: Newzoo Sentiment Survey (April 2021)Base: Representative sample by age and gender of the online population 14-50 years old in four markets (US, UK, JP, CN).

© Newzoo 2022
The metaverse is young, and its growth potential appeals to investors .This means venture capital is flowing into the
metaverse market, with more investments happening seemingly every week .
We foresee bigger investments and even outright acquisitions in 2022 . Naturally, companies already active in the
metaverse will seek strategic acquisitions to strengthen their leading positions —following a trend of consolidation we’ve
seen in the broader games market .
At the same time, M&A transactions are one of the fastest ways for companies without expertise in Web 3.0 to catch up
with the competition .As the metaverse is already a massive part of many big tech companies’ strategies, many will turn to
M&A to grow —or form —their footprint .
As the metaverse is such a young market, Web 3.0 developers are cheaper to invest in now than in the future .We believe
bigger companies will strike in 2022 when the M&A irons are hot .
24
2.

© Newzoo 2022
Some NFT collections like the Bored Ape Yacht Club are already
popular among some celebrities .These high -profile people are
eager to show their expensive NFT collections to vast followings .
Celebrities who own Bored Ape NFTs —and are vocal advocates
on social media —include :
Snoop Dogg : followers on Instagram
Post Malone : followers on Instagram
Logan Paul : followers on Instagram
Even as recently as last week, Jimmy Kimmel and Paris Hilton
flaunted their Bored Ape NFTs on Jimmy Kimmel Live!, one of
America’s leading talk shows .Although, much of the internet
ridiculed the showing .
25
3.
Nevertheless, exposure from influencers can increase consumer
demand for NFTs among the extremely wealthy and the wider
public, echoing the traditional luxury -fashion market . These
exclusive NFTs will serve as status symbols to the broader public .
Social media platforms are also embracing the technology .For
example, Twitter Blue subscribers can now display their NFTs on
their profiles .The move makes sense, as Twitter is the go -to
platform for many crypto and NFT enthusiasts . Twitter can
monetize these fans —all while exposing NFTs to a wider
audience .

© Newzoo 2022 26

© Newzoo 2022
Clothing brands are playing a huge role in shaping the early
stages of digital identity .After all, digital expression via avatars is
an important part of aplayer’s virtual identity .
Branded skins are nothing new, but fashion brands are best
positioned to capitalize on the trend as the metaverse continues
to grow .Fashion appeals to most consumers in the real world,
translating well into the digital world .
Luxury -fashion house Balenciaga teamed up with Fortnite to
launch digital skins alongside a physical clothing line .While the
real -world clothing is out of reach for many fans, Balenciaga’s
digital Fortnite cosmetics are just afraction of the cost .
Balenciaga can therefore reach and monetize a wider audience
via the metaverse while preserving the brand’s real -world
exclusivity .The company also benefits from early connections
with avast pool of younger gamers —some of whom will be in the
market for real -world luxury goods one day .
27
4.
Also recognizing the opportunity early, Nike acquired NFT maker
RTFKT, specializing in digital sneakers, in December 2021 .
Likewise, Adidas partnered with Bored Ape Yacht Club and
created their own custom NFT wearing Adidas clothing .The
company is also investing in virtual land in the metaverse, which
brings us to our final trend .
of gamers are interested in
attending a fashion show in the
metaverse for real -life fashion
brands or in -game cosmetics
67%
Source: Newzoo Sentiment Survey (April 2021)Base: Representative sample by age and gender of the online population 14-50 years old in four markets (US, UK, JP, CN).

© Newzoo 2022
Virtual land allows companies to build interactive experiences in
the metaverse for consumers .Meanwhile, brick -and -mortar retail
stores have struggled during the pandemic and are expensive for
brands to maintain .
Virtual land in growing metaverses like Decentraland and The
Sandbox can provide an attractive (and cheaper) alternative for
brands re -evaluating their physical footprint . These virtual
locations can act as venues for events or highly realistic virtual
shopping experiences for digital or real -world goods .
28
5.
A single location in the metaverse has the potential to reach a
larger share of customers than most physical locations .To that
end, early metaverses like Decentraland and The Sandbox have
attracted major investors seeking to build virtual shopping malls :
• (via its subsidiary Metaverse Group) purchased
digital property in downtown Decentraland‘s Fashion District
for $2.4 million .
• Virtual real -estate developer bought land in
The Sandbox for $4.3 million to build a virtual mall dubbed
Metajuku ,adigital rendition of Tokyo’s famous Harajuku .
• also bought land in the Sandbox, which it will populate
with branded content and experiences .
We expect to see even more brands getting involved in 2022 and
beyond .After all, some of the biggest tech companies in the
world are doubling down on metaverses (and VR headsets to
enter them) .The brand gold rush for virtual real estate is only just
beginning .

© Newzoo 2022
Access to the Newzoo Platform
Newzoo Pro licens e
Annual PDF Report
Quarterly Updates
www.newzoo.com/games -report
www.newzoo.com/cloudreport
www.newzoo.com/esportsreport

Games, Esports, Live Streaming,
Cloud and the Metaverse!
Newzoo’s