Nielsen’s Esports Playbook Australia summarises the average fan

Nielsen Esports has released its first Esports Playbook Australia, offering a variety of insights into the country’s Esports fanbase.

Saying “there are some clear distinctions among the Australian fan base and those in other global markets,” Nielsen’s research says the following about the average Aussie Esports fan and fans in general.

The average Aussie Esports fan

According to Nielsen, the average Aussie fan is:

• Male;
• 26 years of age;
• Plays shooters and MOBAs;
• Watches Esports to learn how to play better or simply for entertainment; and
• Is supportive of brand sponsors that relate closely to gaming.

Aussie Esports fans in general

From Nielsen’s research, the information giant has concluded that:

• 74% of Esports fans are male.
• Australian Esports fans are likely to be millennials, aged between 18-34. 35% of all Aussie Esports fans are aged between 25-34.
• Of Aussie fans, 55% have streamed a live event online, and 38% have watched a live event on TV.
• 60% of Aussie fans anticipate they’ll watch future live events on TV, and 58% say they’ll stick to livestreams.
• The number one genre of game followed by Aussie Esports fans is the good ol’ shooter, followed by MOBAs, sports titles, RTSes and fighting games.
• The number one PC exclusive game followed by Aussie Esports fans is Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, followed by League of Legends, World of Warcraft, Dota 2 and PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds.
• The number one cross-platform game franchise followed by fans is Call of Duty, followed by FIFA, Overwatch, NBA 2K and Street Fighter.

It should be noted the study was conducted ahead of its release in March 2018, so it’s likely Fortnite: Battle Royale would feature amongst the cross-platform top games list now.

If you’d like to read Nielsen’s full report, you can do so here.

What do you make of the playbook’s results?