SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--According to a new survey from Sequence released today, the deep-rooted desire for face-to-face, social interaction represents an untapped opportunity for designers, developers and brands to build digital experiences that bring people together. The survey used the context of digital gaming to inquire about how digital experiences are -- or aren’t -- satiating people’s desires for a more natural, person-to-person connection. The survey found that while only 12 percent of consumers consider digital games to be social, 66 percent wish that more digital games were designed to facilitate social interaction between friends and family, in-person and not just on screens.
Games are already a very social activity, but often the socializing occurs online or between devices. Twenty-one percent of respondents reported playing games with others online. However, gameplay also occurs within regular group experiences, with nearly half of consumers (46%) playing digital games with friends and family because it is part of an in-person, social gathering.
The new survey report, “Technology and Tomorrow’s In-Person Social Experience,” was released today by Sequence, a San Francisco-based independent agency that designs and develops connected experiences for the world’s best-known and most innovative brands, including The Ellen DeGeneres Show, Chipotle, Apple, Facebook and Chevron.
Through the survey of more than 1,000 consumers, Sequence explored the juxtaposition between screen interactions and face-to-face interactions. In addition to identifying digital games as social activities, the survey uncovered that millennials are actually leading the charge towards in-person digital togetherness. Eighty-one percent of millennials wish that more digital games are designed to bring friends and family together - a clear contrast to the perception that millennials prefer to be “heads down” in their screens.
Additional key findings in the report include:
- When playing digital games with friends and family, 52% prefer bite-sized games that are easy to figure out and can be played in a short amount of time
- When playing games with friends and family, 47% play in smaller groups of 2-4 people, and 13% play in larger groups of four or more
- 57% said that digital games with easier to use technology (e.g. device-, operating system- or console-agnostic) facilitate more in-person social interaction
- Millennials are 2X more likely than baby boomers to play digital games with friends and family as part of a social gathering
- 1 out of 4 millennials like to play digital games with others in-person using multiple devices
- 97% of consumers play Pokémon Go in a group
“People are ready for digital games that connect them in more natural, social ways. Our insights show that increasingly people are seeking a balance between the digital and physical in our culture,” said Jojo Roy, chief executive officer of Sequence. “Gameplay can be a proxy for other social experiences that have moved online - fundamental interactions like learning, entertaining or communicating. This desire for real-life social connection represents a significant opportunity for game developers, but also for consumer brands that are extending their reach through second-screen experiences like games and other forms of digital entertainment.”
“Creating this same-space social environment requires a different type of design thinking and a new technology approach,” said Espen Tuft, Sequence vice president of digital products. “In our own client experiences and testing, we’ve discovered technology barriers when a group of people want to pick up a quick game that works across multiple devices. By breaking down the barriers of operating systems and opening up gameplay to more bite-sized experiences across many screens, Sequence has uncovered a new, more social way to play games.”
Sequence has extensive experience developing real-time platforms that enable same-space, multi-device gameplay. The suite of technologies integrated by Sequence allows for mobile games to be played as a group, across iOS and Android devices over any wi-fi or cellular connection. Additionally, the technology can extend gameplay across different types of screens, including smart TVs. Originally designed for high volume parlor games, the platforms can be used for any digital game, learning or brand experience that intend to spark more personal, in-person interaction.
For more information on the survey findings of “Tomorrow’s In-Person Social Experience” download the full report here.
About Sequence
Sequence is an independent agency that designs and develops connected experiences by launching new brands, digital products and service experiences that improve people’s lives and grow businesses. From strategy to design to development, the 75-person Sequence team delivers complete and compelling experiences for the world’s best-known and most innovative companies including Apple, Chevron, Chipotle Mexican Grill and The Ellen DeGeneres Show. For more information, visit Sequence.com or find us @sequenceSF.
