Retention Gaming: Engaging Audiences in the Age of Infinite Distraction

Gaming: The New Frontier of Engagement

Is gaming the new way to engage people, especially in a world of endless distractions and infinite scroll? Yes. The answer is yes. Games inherently capture attention, with mobile games averaging session durations of around 22 minutes, significantly longer than typical digital content. Interactive content achieves retention rates double those of static content or passive videos, proving gaming's effectiveness in holding user engagement.

A Trip Down Memory Lane: Shareware Days

I'll take you all the way back to the age of Shareware. This was the way to get and enjoy mostly demo or limited-play games, especially from indie game studios, back in the day. You could download them from BBS's or pick them up on floppies from these things called "Computer Shows," where smelly tech enthusiasts gathered to buy, sell, and trade PC gear. The ultimate score, if you were cheap (or a kid like me), was an entire shareware CD-ROM. Now, there was a lot of crap, but it was all worth a shot to find those diamonds in the rough.

Classic shareware CDs from the 1990s were treasure troves of indie demos.

The Shockwave and Flash Era

Before HTML5 and JavaScript, we had Director/Shockwave and then Flash, which became ubiquitously wedged into everything possible by the early 2000s, much to the dismay of serious web designers and developers. But that didn't matter- it’s what people wanted. People naturally crave interactivity. Think "Alien Hominid," "Line Rider," or even "FarmVille." Amid all the awkward interfaces and unnecessary animations, there were tasteful and creative implementations as well. It was a cool and exciting time, kind of like now.

A snapshot of a popular Flash-era Lego game bringing interactive fun to browsers.

Games vs. Traditional Advertising

You can keep eyes on your products longer when people are interacting with them and each other. This sustained engagement is something static ads and even videos can't match. Superbowl ads, traditionally viewed as advertising's pinnacle, have declined in effectiveness. Approximately 80% of viewers engage in second-screen activities during commercials, and overall viewership has dropped roughly 20% over the past decade. To compensate, agencies typically rely on blitzkrieg-style campaigns, saturating multiple media channels simultaneously to ensure high exposure and offset diminished viewer attention.

Data shows a surge in second-screen usage during high-profile ad breaks.

How AI is Revolutionizing Game Development

With AI's assistance, games can be developed more quickly, opening countless creative possibilities. No, it's not instantaneous- game development remains pretty labor-intensive, but it's a powerful and enjoyable method to capture attention. If you can meme, you potentially have a game idea. In today's digital culture, ridiculous insanity and even cringe-worthy become strengths rather than drawbacks. Examples include viral sensations like "Flappy Bird," known for its maddening simplicity, or the absurd yet beloved "Goat Simulator."

Concept art illustrating AI-driven game design processes.

Gaming On

With a market value of $184 billion, it's safe to say we're in the gaming era and things aren't turning around. The global movie box office and the music industry are worth $33.9 billion and $28.6 billion, respectively. Why have games so far outpaced everything else? Reasons are many, but among them, sheer interactivity, fun factor, competitiveness and rich media experiences. You can offer engaging stories with music and visuals thereby incorporating all the elements of the other media forms as well. And with further augmentation via AI technologies, the limits to creativity are virtually nonexistent. We truly are in "the most entertaining outcome is the most likely" timeline, and it's glorious. Are you ready to embrace the gaming revolution?