TikTok Is Making A Significant Push Into Gaming
Source: TikTok
TikTok is making a significant push into gaming. Reports say it will soon add a dedicated gaming tab to the app. Users will be able to play games and make in-game purchases for additional content.
Not A Huge Suprise
TikTok has slowly become more involved in gaming, so this isn’t a huge surprise. For the past two years, it’s offered games to users in China. Last year, it partnered with Zynga to create exclusive HTML-5 games for TikTok. And more recently, TikTok launched a feature for gaming creators in Gaming Anchor that gives them the ability to add links to app stores in their posts when they partner with mobile gaming companies.
#TikTokMadeMePlayIt
This brings us to this week's #TikTokMadeMePlayIt, the platform's first-ever global gaming event. Many expected the gaming tab launch would be announced during the event. However, TikTok focused on educating viewers on TikTok and gaming. Top gaming creators and marketers discussed the value of gaming across the platform.
Why Gaming Makes Sense
According to TikTok research, gaming is one of the fastest-growing communities, with 82% of TikTok users saying they game once a week. In addition, there are over 30 billion average monthly views across the top 100 U.S. gaming-related hashtags.
Those stats alone should entice gaming marketers who are looking to promote their games as well as marketers across other industries that want to reach the Gen Z heavy gaming community. Gaming creators should be excited as well as TikTok provides opportunities for them to grow and cultivate audiences.
Perfect Timing?
TikTok’s foray into gaming comes as others, like Netflix, enter the market and some, like Facebook, retreat. It’s also happening simultaneously as Twitch’s relationship with creators crumbles.
This, combined with TikTok's creator-first approach, support for short-form and live video, massive reach, and upcoming gaming integrations, sets TikTok as a key destination for gaming.
