Immerse yourself in a fast-growing and promising realm of video games. Explore the abundant opportunities to capitalize on and potential challenges to navigate. Learn how to carve out your niche to get a competitive edge.
Driven by the surge in mobile gaming, the adoption of AR and VR, and an increasing number of esports enthusiasts, the video game industry is riding the wave of unprecedented growth. The recent splash in games funding, hitting a solid $13B, proves the industry’s allure for gaming VCs, creating a fertile ground for agile and innovative gaming startups. Opportunities seem boundless: mobile gaming, esports, AR and VR, game streaming and content creation, game development tools and engines, etc. But…
First, competition strikes hard. Being dominated by such giants as Microsoft, Sony, and Tencent, as well as flooded with over 47K startups, it’s hard for newcomers to stand out and cement their place in the market.
Plus, the challenge of monetization looms large, making startups chase innovation at a breakneck pace, especially since free games have set the bar high for users’ expectations. Thus…
Dipping your toes in our market research will be a good start. At Waveup, our expert team knows how to transform mere ideas into big market players. Having secured more than $2B in fundraising, propelled the growth of more than 600 startups, and crafted numerous effective pitch decks and market-entry strategies, we are ready to help you make a splash. Let’s dig deeper into the gaming sector by checking our video game market research.
2.6x
Video games industry is expected to see a 2.6X growth from $217.06B in 2022 to $583.69B in 2030.
2.7B
there are over 2.7B gamers globally.
individual on the planet is a gamer.
is the percentage of global gaming market revenue generated by mobile games.
In 2021, the worldwide Esports viewership constituted 474M.
VENTURE LANDSCAPE
Key verticals:
WAVEUP VIEW
Video game startups often face stiff competition, soaring development costs, and the difficulty of building a loyal player base.
The video game market is packed with video games and platforms, making it challenging for startups to stand out and capture a significant video game market share. Let’s take an Indie game, for instance. Its developers often find themselves competing with Call of Duty or Fortnite franchises that have immense resources and a broad fan base. Thus, the newcomers must be agile enough to leapfrog the rivals. By focusing on niche markets, creating games that cater to specific audiences with unique preferences, and adopting effective GTM strategies, the newcomers can build a dedicated community and leave a lasting mark in the video game market.
Developing a video game, especially one with high graphics and complex narratives, may burn a hole in a startup’s pocket. Limited video game funds can mean a narrower scope, often forcing the developers to focus on either the depth of narration or the quality of visuals. It may also constrain marketing efforts and scaling potential. Thus, gaming startups must arm themselves with an arsenal of strategies to attract investors’ attention and secure additional games funding.
Navigating the waters of monetization is like cracking a Rubic’s cube. The abundance of free games has made users resistant to paid content, expecting to get high-quality games without loosening their purses. That’s why crafting a monetization strategy is akin to walking on a tightrope: you’re either risking to alienate your user base, or let your revenue well dry out.
From diligent industry analysis to storytelling and financial forecasts, we’re helping founders crystallize and structure key business fundamentals and translate them into a compelling investment opportunity framed in a winning video games pitch deck.
Evaluating potential investments, conducting due diligence, and supporting portfolio companies on their new fundraising rounds.
Discovering market opportunities in the market and developing execution strategies to build actionable and scalable blueprints for growth.
WHO WE ARE
Market intelligence
Fundraising support
Pitch decks
Financial models
Investor research
Growth consulting
Go-to-market strategies
Marketing/sales materials
Design support
Due to a growing user base, tech innovations, high revenue generation, and diverse genre offerings, the video gaming industry has become a lucrative oasis for gaming VCs.
In 2022, the video game market size constituted $217.06B, expected to grow annually at 13.4%. The gaming industry is a very promising realm for startups that can capitalize on mobile gaming, esports, community and social engagement initiatives, and cross-platform opportunities.
Fierce competition, hurdles in marketing your game and securing a loyal customer base, and obstacles in showcasing a promising ROI affect the process of game investing, making it quite challenging.
Usually, 14-21 days are required to finish all the documentation. However, the timeframes might stretch depending on the project’s complexity and our current load.
An inconsistent investment narrative often emerges as a crucial flaw in video game pitch decks. Coupled with a weak go-to-market strategy, an unstable monetization model, and a vague funding request, these issues leave investors in the dark, unable to find answers to their pivotal questions, making them turn toward more compelling and promising video gaming projects.
Video gaming startups primarily grapple with high development costs, fierce competition, and monetization hurdles. To address these challenges, many companies are focusing on niche genres or communities, leveraging evolving technologies, forming strategic partnerships, and searching for funding opportunities.
With numerous established players such as Tencent, Sony, Microsoft, and Nintendo and more than 47K startups, the video games market is a dog-eat-dog world. Thus, new entrants must bring fresh and engaging content coupled with unique gameplay experiences to carve a niche for themselves.
In the fast-paced world of video games, we help investors make effective investment choices. Our services to investors include deep due diligence on the video game projects, followed by clear, visually attractive presentations filled with key insights. Plus, we offer full-scale fundraising services to portfolio companies in the video games sector and beyond.
Sure thing! We provide comprehensive M&A support, both in the video games sector and beyond. Our pack of services includes searching for the most relevant deals, assessing their value, and ensuring smooth collaboration post-deal.
Of course! Once your project meets the specified criteria regarding round size, team expertise, and product viability, our experts will bridge the gap between you and gaming venture capitalists. Moreover, we’ll help you partner with investors during the deal process and well into the future.
Absolutely! We specialize in offering customized market intelligence in the video games sector. This includes detailed industry analysis, competitive assessments, and thorough market studies, all crafted to offer you a decisive advantage. Leveraging reliable data sources, we empower you to fully understand the intricacies, potential, and competitive aspects of the gaming domain.
Our experts offer comprehensive growth and fundraising assistance to video gaming startups at every critical phase, ranging from the initial Pre-Seed stage to the later Series C+ rounds.
Leverage Waveup's unmatched expertise in fundraising, M&A advisory, and growth hacking to take your project to the next level. Share your email, and let's discuss how we can help!