Leveraging Esports & Gaming For Retail Success In Asia

Remember the thrill of dropping into Fortnite for a battle royale or customizing your avatar in The Sims? Gaming has evolved far beyond just entertainment—it’s a cultural powerhouse reshaping the way we connect, shop, and engage with brands. From massive multiplayer arenas like League of Legends to immersive experiences in Roblox, the gaming world is bursting with opportunities for brands to tap into a passionate, engaged audience. But how can retailers break into this dynamic ecosystem without disrupting the experience?

In this exclusive Q&A, Jenny Hall, Gaming & Esports Consultant/Managing Partner at PLAYBOOK XP, shares her expert insights on how gaming is changing consumer behavior and offering new avenues for customer loyalty and retention. We dive into the rise of in-game advertising, virtual storefronts, esports partnerships, and how brands can leverage gamified commerce to create memorable, authentic connections. Ready to level up your retail strategy? Let’s dive in.

Gaming has gone from a niche hobby to a global lifestyle—whether it’s esports, streaming, or even brands building virtual storefronts in games. What’s your earliest gaming memory, and did you ever imagine it would evolve into the powerhouse industry it is today?

I love this question, as I wouldn’t have ever classified myself as a ‘gamer’ in the past. However, when I cast my mind back to my childhood I realised that I started playing video games at a young age and was quite an avid gamer! It kicked off in the late 80’s with Space Invaders on the Arcade machines (yes, I feel very old saying that!). I then have fond memories of playing on our home PC with games like Microsoft’s Solitaire and the original Prince of Persia (an absolute classic!). As I transitioned into my teenage years, renowned game titles such as Super Mario World, Mario Kart, Street Fighter on the SNES (Super Nintendo) and Sonic The Hedgehog on the Sega Mega Drive were a regular feature. I even played Quake regularly on the PC, a first person shooter game, widely considered as one of the original esports titles too!

Super Mario Kart

I viewed gaming as a hobby, and a passionate one at that, in the same way I was passionate about playing sports. The technological advancements when I was growing up were astronomical, so even playing such a breadth of titles across different devices was incredible at that time. However, I don’t think I ever could have imagined that over 3 billion people globally would be gaming now and that from a revenue standpoint it could be larger than the music and movie industry combined! And esports, well, the fact we now have an “Esports World Cup” hosted annually in Saudi Arabia, which attracted 500 million viewers and achieved over 250million hours of content consumption during the 8 week event in 2024 is just mind-blowing. Furthermore, the Olympic Esports Games are now confirmed to take place in 2027 through a partnership between the IOC (International Olympic Committee) and the EWCF (Esports World Cup Foundation), which I never could have imagined way back then!

How Gaming is Influencing Consumer Behavior in Asia

Gaming is shaping consumer behaviour and purchasing decisions in Asia in a big way. Where do you see the biggest shifts happening, and how can brands strategically tap into this influence?

There is a wealth of data to demonstrate that all generations are investing an increasing amount of their ‘leisure time’ to gaming. Gen Alpha and Gen Z in particular are dedicating more time to gaming than other forms of entertainment, such as reading, listening to music and streaming movies. According to Newzoo, approximately 85% of consumers are game enthusiasts, meaning they engage with gaming in one way or another.

For GenZ it’s 92% and Gen Alpha 96%! It’s a common misconception that gaming is just about playing a video game, as it’s now evolved into so much more than that. Younger generations are engaged with gaming across multiple dimensions - socialising with friends in virtual worlds, watching video gameplay content and gaming influencers online, attending in-person gaming conventions, as well as esports (competitive gaming) tournaments. It’s become a cultural movement through which other popular culture categories intersect, including but not limited to, music, film, sports, fashion and food.

With all this in mind, brands can no longer ignore gaming as a medium to reach their target consumers. Consumers are highly receptive to brands that embrace their gaming passions and add value to their experiences. A study conducted by Newzoo on ‘How different generations engage with video games’ found that over 50% of Gen Alpha and Gen Z would be more likely to buy from a brand that featured in game, meanwhile 59% and 57% respectively have discovered new brands while gaming.

Those brands that are already immersing themselves authentically in the ecosystem are reaping the benefits. Whether they’re leveraging gaming influencers, partnering with an esports team, delivering in-game rewardable ads or creating a virtual store with digital items to purchase in-game, just to name a few, there are an abundance of opportunities. Pringles is a great example of a brand that has truly embraced gaming globally for many years through partnerships with popular game titles such as Mobile Legends Bang Bang in Southeast Asia, delighting fans by giving away free in-game diamonds and skins, and sponsoring one of the biggest esports leagues in Europe, the League of Legends European Championship (LEC).

Pringles x Mobile Legends

Gaming should no longer be seen as a ‘nice to have’ or a purely ‘experimental’ marketing platform, but rather a key pillar within a brand’s marketing strategy.

Gamification in Retail: Driving Conversions & Loyalty

We’re seeing more brands experiment with gamification in loyalty programs, eCommerce, and customer engagement. What are some standout examples of successful gamified commerce strategies, and how can retailers leverage this trend to boost conversions and retention?

One of the most exciting journeys and successes I’ve seen for a retail brand is Walmart on Roblox. The brand began its journey on the Roblox platform in 2022, which didn’t receive an overly positive response, but returned in 2023/24 as a trusted brand with the community, even earning itself a nomination for ‘Top Branded Experience’ at the Roblox Innovation Awards.

Back in 2022 Walmart launched ‘Walmart Land’, which was a “test for the brand as it considers moves into the Metaverse and beyond” according to Walmart CMO William White. The experience failed to resonate with and engage the community and was slammed by the media.

The Collaborative Launch of "Walmart Discovered" in 2023

It was described by some as ‘soulless’ and ‘inauthentic’, appearing as a corporate branded virtual space with no compelling reason to explore and play. The activities and games were seen as disconnected from what the Roblox players actually enjoyed, there was a lack of meaningful incentives and they didn’t engage with the Roblox creator and developer community to develop the experience or drive hype.

Walmart did not accept defeat but instead took a step back, evaluated the feedback from the community and came back stronger and smarter in 2023 with “Walmart Discovered” - a community focused experience. Their immense success this time round has been attributed to various factors, some of which include:

1. Taking a community centric approach - they partnered with over 300 creators and integrated a voting system for players on the games, experiences and virtual items.
2. Developing a data-driven strategy - leveraging in-game data to understand in-game trends & preferences.
3. Long term investment - it has now been running for 21 months with a commitment to regular updates.
4. Integration of real world commerce - bridging the gap between virtual and real life shopping experiences

To elaborate further on point 4, Walmart and Roblox have now taken e-commerce and customer engagement to the next level allowing the community to purchase real-world items directly within the platform. Players are able to browse and try on virtual versions of physical items for purchase in Walmart stores, which have been designed by Roblox creators. If a player purchases the item on the platform they’ll receive a digital version for their avatar and a real-life version will be shipped to their home.

By the end of 2024 Walmart had achieved over 30 million visits and more than 2.1million hours of play time, alongside a sustained approval rate of 96% by the community - no small feat! Listening to the community and allowing for their active engagement in shaping this world and the experiences have been the key drivers of success.

Esports Marketing: Engaging Communities Authentically

How can brands authentically engage with esports communities and integrate themselves into the gaming ecosystem without feeling like an outsider?

Brands need to add value to the ecosystem - to the players and fans. It’s not about just pushing your traditional digital ads or traditional sponsorships. Brands must respect and support gaming and esports communities in a way that matters to them, not just sell to them.

The gaming and esports ecosystem is vast and complex, so brands must take the time to understand the landscape, where they can most effectively reach their target consumers and ensure brand relevance. Quoting Mark Ritson “Marketing doesn’t start with creativity but with diagnosis”. This can be overwhelming for brands at first given the ecosystem is nascent from a brand marketing perspective, so this is when it’s best to bring in the experts who really understand the space, its communities and can help you navigate this. Depending on which gaming and esports communities you are trying to reach, and the platforms you leverage, there are different ways a brand can authentically engage the community.

Here are just a few points to consider at a topline:

• Collaborate with gaming talent as this is one of the easiest ways for a brand to dip their toes into gaming and esports in a way that they are most comfortable and familiar with to build credibility.
• Engage in conversations and interact with the creators, players and fans instead of sitting as a passive by-stander. For example, participate in the livestream chat and comments related to your campaign, ensuring you use the relevant slang, memes and other cultural nuances. 
• Ensure authentic storytelling with real players, teams, and moments rather than generic stories and a forced script.
• Prioritise long term commitment over a short, one-off activation if you really want to move the needle and gain the trust of the community.
• Give back to the community, which can be achieved in various ways and include competition giveaways with gaming rewards & gifts, grassroutes tournaments and diversity initiatives.

In summary, a brand can avoid feeling like an outsider and become a true supporter of gaming culture if they remember to be “ACE” - authentic, community driven and entertaining!

The Do’s & Don’ts of Gaming Influencer & In-Game Advertising

Gaming influencers and in-game advertising have become powerful marketing tools. What are the do’s and don’ts for brands looking to connect with gaming audiences through these channels?

Absolutely! Both have proved time and time again to be incredibly powerful.

From the gaming creator and influencer perspective, and this is not an exhaustive list, but just a few of the points to remember:

• Firstly, choose the right influencer for your brand in terms of their fans, their values and the games they play. Don’t just choose the biggest gaming influencers out there, who are linked to what you have read is the most popular game title, as this does not guarantee success. Also, consider micro influencers for niche, loyal audiences who might better suit your brand too.
• Secondly, and this is not new news, but I cannot emphasise this enough, prioritise authenticity and creative freedom. Allow the influencers creative freedom to develop the content in their own style. They know their fans and have achieved their social following through remaining true to themselves and understanding what their fans enjoy. A fake or forced brand endorsement can be spotted instantly by the fans. I’ve worked with various brands over the years who insisted on dictating the exact style, format and even script for an influencer to follow and it ended in disappointment for everyone involved.
• A clear brief is an essential ingredient for a successful campaign and ensuring alignment on the influencer’s plan for execution of the campaign, so all parties are on the same page and in agreement. It’s no different to working with other social talent.
• Engaging with the community is key, not just the influencer, for instance hosting tournaments for the community where they can play against the influencer or meet & greet events. Running challenges, giveaways or interactive polls via the influencer ensures the audience feel involved. 
• Leveraging longer term partnerships with influencers over one-off tactical campaigns as naturally this builds credibility with the community and embeds your brand in gaming culture.

When thinking about in-game advertising there are an abundance of different ways that these can take shape. This can include intrinsic in-game ads, rewardable ads, advergames, sponsored in-game events, all the way through to branded virtual worlds. Again, it’s critical to begin with a diagnosis of the gaming landscape to understand where your target consumers are playing when deciding upon the optimum opportunity for your brand and, do not forget to provide the players with a value exchange to ensure a positive outcome.

Here are just a couple of important points to remember around each of them:

• Ensure they blend seamlessly into the experience, so they are viewed as a natural addition to the game and/or experience and appropriate for the players.
• Reward players for their engagement. An example might be where the player receives in-game currency or power-ups that will help them progress in a game or heightens their experience.
• Avoid interruptive ads that force players to passively watch and disrupt their gameplay or experience.
• Check your content and its messaging with those who understand the ecosystem and are part of the community to ensure relevance and a positive response.

Unlocking Mobile Gaming & Social Commerce in Asia

With mobile gaming and social commerce exploding in Asia, what strategies should brands prioritize to engage these highly interactive audiences and drive seamless in-game purchases?

There have been a lot of really exciting developments coming to fruition over the last few years in this space. From gamified shopping on social platforms, branded items to purchase in-game, through to bundling real world purchases with digital gaming perks or vice versa! Creating a value exchange with the players sits at the heart of the most successful strategies in gaming.

A really great example of driving seamless in-game purchases, are where players can order real world QSR deliveries to their location, directly from their gaming set up, without needing to leave the game. In the USA, players could order a Mr. Beast Burger in-game, from their PC or Xbox console, using just the PC hotkeys or console controller buttons to order in seconds. The integrated app then sourced and placed the order with the cheapest delivery service, which they didn’t charge the player for, allowing the player to save time, money and still focus on their game. Genius!

Long-Term Strategies for Brands in Gaming

Beyond the hype, what are some realistic and sustainable ways for businesses to leverage gaming to achieve their marketing and business objectives in the long term?

Gamers value authenticity and not just innovation. It’s really important brands avoid getting caught up in the hype of new gaming platforms and tech as chasing the ‘next big thing’ can easily backfire.

Instead, focus on:

• Where the audience is and where they are most engaged
• How to integrate authentically into gaming communities
• Ensuring marketing dollars go toward promoting gaming activations

One common mistake is brands rushing into partnerships with game titles just because a marketing team member enjoys the game or because they believe creating a virtual world is the only way forward. This isn’t always sustainable or necessary.

A stand out for me dates back to 2023 when McDonald’s created the hugely successful ‘Unbranded Menu’ campaign, engaging hardcore and casual gamers across 350 game titles. In collaboration with top gaming streamers and influencers in the Philippines, they invited gamers to take screenshots of their favourite McDonald’s menu items which they could find replicas of in-game, post on their social channels and redeem McDelivery coupons. Not only did this approach drive community engagement with the brand but also increased McDelivery sales by 35%. It wasn’t complex, didn’t involve any game IP partnership or development of a new branded world. A simple approach can sometimes be just as effective to reach your target consumers and achieve the desired outcome.

Can you share what the audience can expect to hear from you at eTail Asia and what excites you about this event?

I’m really looking forward to attending eTail Asia for the first time this year. The agenda is jam packed with exciting content and there is an incredible cross section of speakers to share their insights and perspective. I’m particularly interested in attending the panel talks that explore the developments in data and analytics, as this is critical for any brand campaign and the ever-increasing emphasis on ROI.

Want to see skyrocketing ROIs in your brand partnership campaigns?

Integrating eCommerce into the dynamic gaming ecosystem is a profitable business, but how can you leverage on it to build sustainable growth while expanding your customer reach?

Jenny Hall is diving into this hot topic on the 14th of May during the Keynote Panel on Exploring Unconventional Partnerships in Retail to redefine retail success, click here to learn more!

Jenny Hall

Gaming & Esports Consultant/Managing Partner at PLAYBOOK XP