From June 15 to July 15, G-Core Labs, the international provider of cloud and edge solutions, in partnership with Censuswide, the British research agency, conducted a study “World video games industry 2020-2023: trends, technologies, prospects.”
The survey was attended by representatives of 50 large, medium and small developers and publishers of video games from the USA, UK, EU countries, Russia and the CIS,
who shared their experience during the peak of quarantine measures last spring, as well as opinions on what the market will be like in the coming 3 years, talking about trends
and challenges, technologies used and implemented, monetization models, formats of games being developed, as well as development plans in new regions and difficulties of foreign expansion.

Methodology

Research study carried out by Censuswide
• A total of 50 respondents in USA, UK, EU, Russia & the CIS

Participant criteria

Respondents are CEOs, CTOs, Managing Directors, Managers/Consultants,
Chief Security Officer
or developers at video game developers & publishers aged 18+

Fieldwork

Research was conducted through online surveys
• Field work commenced on June 15, 2020, and closed on July 15, 2020

What format of games are you developing, if any? (Tick all that apply)

• Just under 4 in 5 respondents (78%) are developing mobile
• 7 in 10 respondents (70%) are developing console & PC
• 3 in 5 respondents (60%) are developing browser
• Just under half of respondents (48%) are developing client-server

Approximately, what is the size of the audience of your games?

• Over half of respondents (54%) said the size of the audience of their games is approximately 1.1 to 3 million players.

• Just over a quarter of respondents (26%) said the size of the audience of their games is approximately 3.1 to 5 million
• 1 in 7 respondents (14%) said the size of the audience of their games is approximately 500,000 to 1 million
• 1 in 16 respondents (6%) said the size of the audience of their games is approximately 5.1 to 10 million players.

What is the genre of your games, if any?

(Tick all that apply)

• Just under three quarters of respondents (74%) said the genre of their games are RPG & adventures.

• Over 3 in 5 respondents (64%) said the genre of their games are shooters and fighting
• 3 in 5 respondents (60%) said the genre of their games are
• Just over 2 in 5 respondents (42%) said the genre of their games are
• Just over a third of respondents (34%) said the genre of their games are simulators (sports, construction, ).

Approximately what is the average salary per month of a game developer in your company?

• Just over 2 in 5 respondents (42%) said the average salary per month of a game developer in their company is approximately $5,001–7,000.

• Almost 2 in 5 respondents (38%) said the average salary per month of a game developer in their company is approximately $3,001–5,000.
• 1 in 8 respondents (12%) said the average salary per month of a game developer in their company is approximately $1,000–3,000.
• 1 in 12 respondents (8%) said the average salary per month of a game developer in their company is approximately $7,001–10,000

Has there been an increased or decreased load on your infrastructure due to the coronavirus and the self-isolation regime?

• Over 4 in 5 respondents (84%) said there has been an increased load on their infrastructure due to the coronavirus and the self-isolation regime.

• 1 in 6 respondents (16%) said there has been no difference to the load on their infrastructure due to the coronavirus and the self-isolation regime.

Approximately how much would you estimate the load on your infrastructure due to the coronavirus and the self-isolation regime to have increased by?

• Just under 7 in 10 respondents* (69%) estimate the load on their infrastructure has approximately increased from 51% to 100% due to the coronavirus and the self-isolation
• Just over 1 in 6 respondents* (17%) estimate the load on their infrastructure has approximately increased from 101% to 200% due to the coronavirus and the self-isolation
• 1 in 7 respondents* (14%) estimate the load on their infrastructure has approximately increased from 10% to 50% due to the coronavirus and the self-isolation
• Respondents who have had an increased load on their infrastructure due to the coronavirus and the self-isolation

How, if at all, do you deal with the current increased loads on the infrastructure? (Tick all that apply)

• Just over three quarters of respondents* (76%) said they deal with the current increased loads on the infrastructure by expanding / upgrading their own server
• Half of respondents* (50%) said they connect cloud to deal with the current increased loads on the
• Over 2 in 5 respondents* (43%) said they connect content delivery networks to deal with the current increased loads on the
• 2 in 5 respondents* (40%) said they connect additional external hosting or upgrade it to deal with the current increased loads on the infrastructure.
• Respondents who have had an increased load on their infrastructure due to the coronavirus and the self-isolation

Do you provide any free features within the game or bonuses to your players in connection with coronavirus and self-isolation regime?

• Over half of respondents (54%) said no, they don’t, but are planning to provide free features within the game or bonuses to their players in connection with coronavirus and self-isolation
• Almost 3 in 10 respondents (28%) said yes, they provide these
• Under a fifth of respondents (18%) said no, they don’t and are not planning to provide free features within the game or bonuses to their players in connection with coronavirus and self-isolation

Do you provide any free features within the game or bonuses to your players in connection with coronavirus and self-isolation regime? By Q3. What is the genre of your games, if any? (Tick all that apply)

• Over a third (35%) of respondents who said the genre of their games are RPG & adventures said yes, they provide these features. In comparison over 1 in 5 (23%) respondents who said the genre of their games are strategies said yes, they provide these
• 3 in 5 (60%) respondents who said the genre of their games are strategies said they don’t provide any free features within the game or bonuses to their players in connection with coronavirus and self-isolating regime but are planning to. Whereas just under half (49%) of respondents who said the genre of their games are RPG & adventures said the same.

What modern technologies, if any, do you use or plan to start using in 2-3 years? (Tick all that apply)

• Just over 4 in 5 respondents (82%) said they use or plan to starting using cloud gaming technologies (where all computing processes are performed on an external server, and the player just gets only video stream to his device) in 2-3
• Two thirds of respondents (66%) said they use or plan to start using development of VR or AR-formats of existing projects or VR or AR as an independent business in 2-3
• 2 in 5 respondents (40%) said they use or plan to start using artificial intelligence technologies and machine learning in 2-3
• 3 in 10 respondents (30%) said they use or plan to start using big data technologies in 2-3

What modern technologies, if any, do you use or plan to start using in 2-3 years? By Q3. What is the genre of your games, if any? (Tick all that apply)

• Over half (53%) of respondents who said the genre of their games are simulators (sports, construction etc.) said they use or plan to start using artificial intelligence technologies and machine learning in 2-3 years, whereas a third (33%) of respondents who said the genre of their games are strategies said the

• Just under half (48%) of respondents who said the genre of their games are quests said they use or plan to start using big data technologies in 2-3 years, in comparison to over 1 in 5 (22%) respondents who said the genre of their games are shooters and fighting games who said the

1. Cloud gaming technologies (where all computing processes are performed on an external server, and the player just gets only video stream to his device)
2. Development of VR or AR formats of existing projects or VR or AR as an independent business
3. Artificial Intelligence technologies and machine learning
4. Big Data technologies

What clouds do you use/plan to use to solve your tasks?

(Tick all that apply)

• 9 in 10 respondents (90%) use/plan to use hybrid clouds to solve their
• Half of respondents (50%) use/plan to use private clouds to solve their

2 in 5 respondents (40%) use/plan to use public clouds to solve their tasks

What tasks are you solving/planning to solve using public or hybrid clouds? (Tick all that apply)

• Over 3 in 5 respondents* (63%) are solving/planning to solve handling peak loads and traffic using public or hybrid clouds.

• Just over 3 in 5 respondents* (61%) are solving/planning to solve back end tasks using public or hybrid
• Over half of respondents* (53%) are solving/planning to solve game development using public or hybrid
• Just over 2 in 5 respondents* (41%) are solving/planning to solve ensuring the operation of related services using public or hybrid clouds.
• Just over 2 in 5 respondents* (41%) are solving/planning to solve ensuring the sustainability of infrastructure using public or hybrid clouds.
• Just under 2 in 5 respondents* (39%) are solving/planning to solve testing using public or hybrid clouds.

Respondents who use/plan to use public or hybrid clouds to solve their tasks.

What tasks are you solving/planning to solve using private clouds? (Tick all that apply)

• Over 3 in 5 respondents* (64%) are solving/planning to solve back end tasks using private clouds.
• Almost half of respondents* (48%) are solving/planning to solve game development using private
• Almost half of respondents* (48%) are solving/planning to solve handling peak loads and traffic using private
• 2 in 5 respondents* (40%) are solving/planning to solve working on game design using private clouds.

• 2 in 5 respondents* (40%) are solving/planning to solve testing using private clouds.
• 2 in 5 respondents* (40%) are solving/planning to solve ensuring the sustainability of infrastructure using private clouds.

Respondents who use/plan to use private clouds to solve their tasks

What are your main criteria, if any, for choosing a hosting service? (Tick all that apply)

• Well over 2 in 5 respondents (46%) said their main criteria for choosing a hosting service is server capacity.
• Just over 2 in 5 respondents (42%) said their main criteria for choosing a hosting service is the presence of effective cyber-attacks protection (including DDoS) on servers.
• 2 in 5 respondents (40%) said their main criteria for choosing a hosting service is
• Over a third of respondents (36%) said their main criteria for choosing a hosting service is High-quality and fast technical support.
• 3 in 10 respondents (30%) said their main criteria for choosing a hosting service
• 3 in 10 respondents (30%) said their main criteria for choosing a hosting service is integration of hosting with the content delivery

By Q2. Approximately, what is the size of the audience of your games?

• The most commonly cited main criteria for choosing a hosting service stated by respondents who said the audience of their games is 500,000 to 1 million players is integration of hosting with the content delivery network (57%).
• The top main criteria for choosing a hosting service cited by respondents who said the audience of their games is 1.1 to 3 million players is sever capacity (48%).
• The most commonly cited main criteria for choosing a hosting service cited by respondents who said the audience of their games is 3.1 to 5 million players is the presence of effective cyber attacks protection (including DDoS) on servers (62%).

1. Server capacity
2. The presence of effective cyber attacks protection (including DDoS) on servers
3. Ability to quickly increase a hosting performance
4. High-quality and fast technical support Proximity of hosting to the final audience Price
5. Integration of hosting with the content delivery network
6. Ability to quickly install your own operating system

How important are high-quality content delivery networks with points of presence in places of audience concentration for the success of your business?

• 3 in 10 respondents (30%) said high-quality content delivery networks with points of presence in places of audience concentration for the success of their business are very
• Over 3 in 5 respondents (64%) said high-quality content delivery networks with points of presence in places of audience concentration for the success of their business are somewhat
• Only 1 in 16 respondents (6%) said high-quality content delivery networks with points of presence in places of audience concentration for the success of their business are not very

How important are high-quality content delivery networks with points of presence in places of audience concentration for the success of your business?

By Q2. Approximately, what is the size of the audience of your games?

1 in 7 (14%) respondents who said the audience of their games is 500,000 to 1 million players said high quality content delivery networks with points of presence in places of audience concentration for the success of their business is not very important. Whereas 1 in 14 (7%) of respondents who said the audience of their games is 1.1 to 3 million players said the same. It is also worth noting that no respondents who said the audience of their games is 3.1 to 5 million players or 5.1 to 10 million players stated

What factors, if any, can slow down the development of your business in 2020 and in next 2-3 years? (Tick all that apply)

• Two thirds of respondents (66%) said cyberattacks, including DDoS can slow down the development of their business in 2020 and in the next 2-3
• Two thirds of respondents (66%) said change of user preferences can slow down the development of their business in 2020 and in the next 2-3
• Over 3 in 5 respondents (64%) said an increase in the number of competing products and companies, glut of market can slow down the development of their business in 2020 and in the next 2-3 years.

Are you planning to enter new geographic markets (new countries or regions) in the medium or long term?

(Tick all that apply)

• Just under 4 in 5 respondents (78%) said ‘yes, we’ve already identified priority markets’.
• 1 in 8 respondents (12%) said they are not planning to enter new geographic markets (new countries or regions) in the medium or long term.

Are you planning to enter new geographic markets (new countries or regions) in the medium or long term? (Tick all that apply)

By Q2. Approximately, what is the size of the audience of your games?

• Over 9 in 10 (92%) respondents who said the audience of their games is 3.1 to 5 million players said yes they are planning to enter new geographic markets (new countries or regions) in the medium or long term and have already identified priority markets, whereas over 2 in 5 (43%) respondents who said the audience of their games is 500,000 to 1 million players said the
• Just under 3 in 10 (29%) respondents who said the audience of their games is 500,000 to 1 million players said they are not planning to enter new geographic markets (new countries or regions) in the medium or long term, compared to 1 in 12 (8%) respondents who said the audience of their games is 3.1 to 5 million players who said the

What new geographic markets are you planning to enter in the medium or long term? (Tick all that apply)

• Well over 2 in 5 respondents* (46%) are planning to enter markets in Western Europe in the medium or long term.

• Well over 2 in 5 respondents* (46%) are planning to enter markets in Central Asia in the medium or long
• Just under 2 in 5 respondents* (38%) are planning to enter markets in India in the medium or long
• Almost 3 in 10 respondents* (28%) are planning to enter

markets in North America in the medium or long term.

• Almost 3 in 10 respondents* (28%) are planning to enter markets in Southeast Asia, including China in the medium or long term.
• Just over a quarter of respondents* (26%) are planning to enter markets in Eastern Europe, incl. CIS in the medium or long

* Respondents who are planning to enter new geographic markets (new countries or regions) in the medium or long term.

On average, how often, if at all, do you face DDoS attacks?

• Just over half of respondents (52%) face DDoS attacks once every 3 months to 5 months.
• Almost 3 in 10 respondents (28%) face DDoS attacks once every 2
• 1 in 7 respondents (14%) face DDoS attacks once every 6 months to 11
• 1 in 16 respondents (6%) face DDoS attacks once a month

How, if at all, did DDoS attacks affect you? (Tick all that apply)

• Well over half of respondents* (56%) said there was criticism of users as an effect of DDoS attacks.

• Just over half of respondents* (52%) said they faced server unavailability for more than 1 hour as an effect of DDoS
• Well over 2 in 5 respondents* (46%) said gathering of significant internal company resource to counter attacks as an effect of DDoS attacks.

• Just over 2 in 5 respondents* (42%) said they were faced with short-term unavailability of the server (less than 1 hour) as an effect of DDoS

* Respondents who have faced DDoS attacks.

What technological challenges, if any, did you have to deal with when entering new markets or growing in your market? (Tick all that apply)

• Well over 2 in 5 respondents (46%) said they had to deal with an increase in the number of DDoS attacks on company resources when entering new markets or growing in their
• Almost 2 in 5 respondents (38%) said they had to deal with problems with internet connectivity and speed in the region when entering new markets or growing in their market.
• Almost 2 in 5 respondents (38%) said they had to deal with availability of qualified engineers when entering new markets or growing in their market.
• 3 in 10 respondents (30%) said they had to deal with availability in the data centre of high-quality IP transit from major telecom operators when entering new markets or growing in their market.

What regions that you already work in or are going to work in, if any, are the most problematic for you from technical point of view? (Tick all that apply)

• Just under 2 in 5 respondents (38%) said India is the most problematic region for them to work in or they are going to work in from a technical point of
• Just under a third of respondents (32%) said Southeast Asia, including China is the most problematic region for them to work in or they are going to work in from a technical point of view.

Just under a quarter of respondents (24%) said North America is the most problematic region for them to work in or they are going to work in from a technical point of view

What monetization models, if any,

do you use in your projects? (Tick all that apply)

• Just over half of respondents (52%) use advertising inside games as a monetization model in their
• Half of respondents (50%) use payment for the following parts/levels/locations of the game following the free part/level/location as a monetization model in their

How satisfied are you with the level of monetization of your projects?

• 3 in 5 respondents (60%) are somewhat satisfied with the level of monetization of their projects.
• Over a third of respondents (36%) are very satisfied with the level of monetization of their
• Only 4% of respondents are not very satisfied with the level of monetization of their

How satisfied are you with the level of monetization of your projects?

By Q23. What monetization models, if any, do you use in your projects? (Tick all that apply)

• Over half (52%) of respondents who use the monetization model payment for the following parts/levels/locations of the game following the free part/level/location are very satisfied with the level of monetization of their projects. In comparison 1 in 5 (20%) respondents who use the monetization model subscription are very satisfied with the level of monetization of their
• 1 in 9 (11%) respondents who use the monetization model direct sale of the game itself are not very satisfied with the level of monetization of their projects. Whereas 1 in 20 (5%) respondents who use the monetization model in-game purchases (characters/items, etc.) said they are not very satisfied with the level of monetization of their

Via G-Core Labs