Fifteen years ago, the gaming industry had a limited appeal, primarily attracting young males, and was often associated with violence, addiction, and social isolation. However, today, gaming has undergone a remarkable transformation and has become a mainstream phenomenon. In 2023, there are over 3.07 billion video game players worldwide, showcasing the immense global reach of this industry. Additionally, the emergence of eSports has garnered significant attention, with over 532 million viewers in 2022. Streamers, who are gamers that broadcast their gameplay online, have amassed large followings of dedicated fans who eagerly tune in daily to watch them pursue their passion for gaming. Gaming has now integrated into various platforms such as consoles, mobile devices, cloud-based services, and virtual reality, becoming an integral part of our daily lives, offering both casual and competitive experiences. It has evolved into a lifestyle, a social platform, and even a marketplace for digital assets.
For brands seeking success, achieving visibility among potential customers presents a significant challenge. Higher visibility translates into increased awareness of a brand’s products or services, leading to enhanced sales and revenue. As television channels have become less effective for publicity in recent years, marketing divisions have turned to new strategies to gain visibility, including partnerships with influencers and video game studios. Key examples of such partnerships include Mountain Dew and Doritos collaborating with Call of Duty, strategically targeting the beverage and chip preferences of a substantial portion of CoD players. Additionally, prominent influencers like Ninja, a renowned Fortnite streamer, secured a partnership deal worth $20–30 million with Adidas. Through this deal, Adidas gains exposure to Ninja’s extensive subscriber base of 23.75 million.
These online personalities have garnered the loyalty of gamers worldwide, and their followers view them as authentic and trustworthy. It comes as no surprise that brands eagerly seek partnerships with these influencers to promote their products. By leveraging the trust between influencers and their followers, brands can tap into an existing audience that is more receptive to recommendations and likely to make purchases. Gamers are an enthusiastic community, deeply passionate about the games they play and continuously seeking ways to enhance their gaming experiences. Whether it involves investing in cutting-edge hardware or software, or exploring new products and services, they willingly spend their hard-earned money to gain an advantage in their favorite games. Consequently, brands are naturally drawn to this market, with influencers serving as the key to unlocking its potential.
However, implementing this marketing strategy successfully comes with its own set of challenges. One major obstacle is establishing an authentic partnership with a gaming influencer that genuinely resonates with their audience. Gamers are discerning individuals who can quickly detect a sales pitch. If something feels overly commercial or forced, they will lose interest. To overcome this, brands must be cautious when selecting the ideal influencer to collaborate with. The focus should be on finding a natural fit — an influencer who already uses and genuinely loves the product or service being marketed. Moreover, influencers should have creative control to ensure that the content they create feels authentic and true to their personal style. After all, effective storytelling hinges on establishing a genuine connection with the audience.
Agencies are already addressing this challenge by striving to find the perfect influencer match for brands. Although this approach seems promising, agencies often push deals onto specific influencers to secure a higher commission, resulting in limited reach and lower-than-expected conversion rates. Furthermore, finding the right fit takes time, leading to higher costs and underpayment of influencers.
This is why we invested in Streamforge — Capturing Opportunities in the Rapidly Growing Gaming Influencer Marketing Market. Triptyq Capital leads the Seed Round, investing alongside Leansquare and Telegraph Hill Capital (THCAP).
1. Seizing the Potential of a Thriving Market with Technology-Driven Solutions:
Streamforge represents a strategic investment opportunity to capitalize on the exponential growth projected in the gaming influencer marketing market. Over the next decade, studios and brands will increasingly turn to gaming creators on streaming platforms to effectively promote their games and products. This market offers tremendous potential due to its high engagement levels, expanding user bases, and a young demographic that avidly consumes gaming User-Generated Content (UGC). Streamforge’s disruptive approach, leveraging advanced technology and artificial intelligence, revolutionizes influencer marketing in the gaming space. By enhancing targeting capabilities, Streamforge significantly boosts engagement and conversion rates for clients. Furthermore, with over 10,000 games launched on Steam in 2022, there is a clear demand for technology-driven tools and platforms that empower studios to successfully publish, promote, and monetize their games.
2. Meeting the Challenges Faced by Brands in Engaging Gamers:
Streamforge’s investment value extends beyond gaming studios, offering a comprehensive tech-driven solution applicable to any brand or company aiming to launch influencer marketing campaigns targeting gamers. This unlocks a substantially larger Total Addressable Market (TAM) beyond the gaming industry. Brands are actively seeking ways to connect with the highly engaged and influential gamer demographic. However, they often lack the necessary tools and infrastructure to effectively reach this audience. Streamforge’s solution fills this critical gap by equipping brands with the means to engage with gamers and harness their considerable purchasing power.
3. Exceptional Leadership: A Complementary Team with Founder-Market-Fit:
Streamforge is led by a highly cohesive team of passionate gamers who possess a deep understanding of the challenges prevalent in the gaming influencer marketing landscape. The team members initially crossed paths while streaming games on Twitch, giving them firsthand experience in the field. Their collective expertise and complementary skill sets position Streamforge for exceptional success. Furthermore, the company has already gained impressive traction with early adopters, validating its potential for rapid growth and market acceptance.
4. Synergies with Triptyq’s Ecosystem:
Investing in Streamforge aligns seamlessly with Triptyq’s existing and future portfolio companies. Influencer marketing will continue to be a vital component of Go-to-Market (GTM) strategies for businesses focused on the creator economy. By integrating Streamforge’s technology and expertise into its ecosystem, Triptyq gains access to synergistic opportunities that enhance the overall value proposition for its portfolio companies. Additionally, the vibrant gaming scene in Quebec provides Streamforge with a fertile ground of potential clients, including numerous gaming studios that can serve as early adopters of its technology.
In summary, investing in Streamforge provides a compelling opportunity to enter the rapidly growing gaming influencer marketing market. With its technology-driven solutions, ability to cater to both gaming studios and brands, exceptional leadership team, and synergistic potential with Triptyq’s ecosystem, Streamforge is positioned to capture significant market share.
