In the United States and the United Kingdom, games have become the main way for young people to integrate into their fan groups.
According to a recent study by the technology company SuperAwesome, 86 per cent of children and adolescents aged 4-18 years are associated with a certain fan cultural circle, and games remain the starting point for their new interest and the most powerful driver of their long-term loyalty. Fortnight, Roblox and My World are among the most popular fan-crowding TOP lists. The study also describes four years as the “gold-discovery period”, when children are transitioning from early childhood to youth fan culture. They usually come into contact with the game earlier than the film, television or creator’s content.
The creators also play a central role in maintaining the fan culture of the game. About 48 per cent of those interviewed under the age of 18 indicated that their creators helped them to maintain a sense of participation, which rose to almost 60 per cent of younger children. The report also found that the rate of loss of fans was highest between the ages of 4 and 9, with 38 per cent of children aged 7 to 9 leaving a certain fan circle. However, many young fans will be re-incorporated through new publications, cross-border connections or nostalgia. From a commercial point of view, this audience group has become valuable. Eighty-one per cent of the respondents had spent over the past three months on fan culture, of which about 28 per cent had spent £100 (approximately £949.84) or more.
