A recent research study conducted by the HypeFactory team has shed light on the difficulties gaming creators face in the ever-expanding creator economy. The study, which surveyed gaming creators primarily active on YouTube and Twitch, aimed to provide valuable insights from the perspectives and experiences of these creators.
Regarding their main goals for 2023, the study found that 67% of respondents expressed a primary objective of channel growth. This goal is significant in increasing visibility, attracting a larger audience, and securing collaborations and sponsorship opportunities in the highly competitive game industry. Enhancing content quality emerged as a critical priority for 20% of creators, contributing to deeper engagement and building a loyal fan base. Additionally, 13% of respondents emphasized boosting income to sustain content creation and invest in necessary resources.
When it comes to concerns regarding content creation in 2023, 33% of creators expressed worries about facing challenges in consistently producing authentic and engaging content. Captivating users’ attention was a concern for 22% of respondents, recognizing the significance of capturing and maintaining audience interest. Burnout emerged as a concern for 16% of creators, acknowledging the potential exhaustion associated with content creation. The impact of AI on content creation raised concerns for 13% of respondents, highlighting the need to adapt to technological advancements. Monetization concerns were expressed by 11% of creators, emphasizing the importance of generating sustainable income.
Surprisingly, the study revealed that 60% of gaming creators confirmed no usage of AI in their work. This suggests a loyalty to traditional techniques in content creation within the game industry, despite the growing prevalence of AI in other sectors. The reasons behind this preference could be explored in future studies.
Nearly 45% of the participants reported facing creative blocks in their work, indicating reduced inspiration or productivity periods. Understanding the causes and potential solutions for creative blocks in the game industry could provide valuable insights for creators.
Regarding troubles with payments or monetization, the research found that only 26% and 14% of creators experienced issues. These findings suggest that some gaming creators face obstacles in generating income from their work, such as payment delays or a lack of monetization opportunities.
Regarding effective brand collaborations, transparent communication was identified as a key element by 40% of creators. Trust, clarity, and prompt responses help maintain authenticity and credibility while managing expectations. The brand’s relevancy to their content was mentioned by 34% of creators, emphasizing the importance of promoting products or services that genuinely resonate with their audience. Additionally, 16% highlighted the significance of a fair financial offer, while 10% emphasized the importance of a clear brief.
The survey results are particularly interesting for their discoveries regarding the impact of AI. Considering that discoverability is a major factor in the success of influencers, it’s logical to assume that AI would pose a more significant concern for them. Influencers publish their content on platforms like Twitch and YouTube.
Specifically, YouTube’s AI algorithm evokes greater concerns with each update. Concerns that it will push aside creators that create unique and genuine content, which is labor-intensive and time-consuming. On the other hand, the same algorithm rewards the channels that pump content written, voiced-over, and even edited AI. Published with clickbait titles and cover images, again created by AI, these channels have popped up like cordyceps mushrooms on a clicker’s skull and hinder the genuine efforts of real content creators, real humans.
The results are also open to debate since the survey doesn’t delve into why 60% of the influencers refuse to utilize AI in their work. It also doesn’t elaborate on how the other 40% use it. It may be as simple as transcribing the voice-over text, consultation for new ideas, or text editing. It may also be as complex as making the AI find the idea, write the whole script, and give clues on how to make the video more interesting.
Maybe influencers are not concerned about AI’s impact because they don’t rely heavily on organic or search traffic or if the algorithm deems them worthy of putting on the front page. Influencers have followers, their own community, and even in the internet and social media age we are going through, they thrive by word of mouth. If so, their emphasis on creating new content and captivating the audience’s attention seems conformable. Time will tell whether worries about the impact of AI will seize the majority of gaming influencers. Still, right now, they seem to be free of concerns about AI that are raising hell over other industries and businesses.
