Digital gaming and viewership of gaming video content (GVC) has become more popular amid the pandemic. In 2021, some of this activity will see modest growth, while interest in other forms of gaming will taper off.

We expect there will be 159.1 million monthly mobile phone gamers in the US this year, up 1.2% from 2020. That’s 89.5% of all US digital gamers, making mobile phones the leading device by a significant margin.

Roblox could become a brand advertising powerhouse: Brands flocked to video games for experiential marketing during the pandemic—but Roblox's lasting popularity with kids and its planned ad capabilities could keep it an appealing option even after lockdowns end.

On today's episode, we discuss why marketers need to work on their mid-funnel (mid-range) game and the potential opportunities. We then talk about Peloton's apparel ambitions, Walmart's Q4 and 2020 performance, and packaged food giants' game plan for direct-to-consumer (D2C) sales. Tune in to the discussion with eMarketer principal analyst at Insider Intelligence Andrew Lipsman.

People ages 45 and older are leading in mobile gamer growth

eMarketer junior forecasting analyst Zach Goldner and senior forecasting analyst at Insider Intelligence Oscar Orozco discuss how US media use will change in 2021: Are fewer Americans watching TV, which digital devices are being used more, and how much time is spent with TikTok and Disney+? They then talk about how much people are willing to pay for TV streaming, virtually co-viewing digital content, and whether video games have replaced music as the most important aspect of youth culture.

The pandemic led to many upward revisions of our UK digital user forecasts. Some changes (podcast listeners) will be permanent, while others will be temporary (digital gamers). Our social network user numbers, meanwhile, didn’t change much at all.

A less global set of Olympic fans: Olympic organizers have banned foreign spectators from attending the games in Japan this summer, and there are two questions marketers should consider in response to this decision.