VICE Media and Razorfish recently surveyed Gen Z gamers and found that they spend twice as much time chatting with friends on Metaverse as in real life. Survey respondents spend 12.2 hours per week playing video games versus 6.6 hours chatting privately with friends.
These gamers see their time in Metaverse not only as pure escapism, but also as an extension of real life. Significantly, 57% of General Z gamers think they are able to express themselves more openly to others in the game than in real life.
As marketers (and teachers, parents, employers, and others) grasp this new environment with understanding, General Z is already growing with it; It’s not foreign or future for them – it is Is Their reality, especially for gamers.
The main results of the Razorfish study revealed that:
- Metaverse gives gamers space to explore their identities.
- 45% of Z gamers say, “I think my identity in a game reveals the truth about who I am.” Forty percent say it gives them confidence.
- Stress relief is a major driver.
- 77% of Z gamers say that the biggest purpose of their gaming is to relieve stress and anxiety.
- General Z is approaching Metavers with practicality.
- 47% want to use it to meet new people and 33% want to use it to build a career.
- Data privacy is a concern for General Z gamers, but less so than the older generation.
- 63% of Gen Z are concerned about data privacy in video games and metavers (vs. 66% Millennials and 70% Gen X).
“Our research shows that Gen Z uses metavers to build connections and explore who they really are,” said Julie Orbit, Global SVP, Insight of VICE Media Group. “It allows them to dream and create a more ideal version of the world.”