Omni-Channel Strategies in Gaming: A Win for Players and Companies?

Written by Oliver Buckley, Ph.D. candidate at the University of Liverpool, UK

Gaming has skyrocketed in popularity and profitability over the past decade: it is currently the largest and most lucrative form of entertainment worldwide, estimated to generate over 500 billion USD in revenue during 2025 (Statista, 2025). With nearly 3 billion active players globally—more than half of whom engage through mobile platforms—gaming is an economic powerhouse and a cultural phenomenon (Statista, 2024a, 2024b).

As the industry has evolved, new business models have emerged: one-time purchases have largely given way to freemium models, where games are free to download and game companies rely on voluntary in-game purchases to generate revenue. As such, fostering long-term player engagement is crucial for success, and that is where Jo and Lewis’ study (2024) comes into focus.

Expanding a game’s accessibility from the PC to a mobile console like the Nintendo Switch sounds like a win-win for consumers and game companies, but what does it really mean for player engagement and spending? This question is deeply personal for Dr. Wooyong Jo, an empirical modeler whose passion for gaming and data intertwines. He cites two sources of personal inspiration for this study: professional collaboration with a gaming company during his doctoral studies at Emory University and experiences as a gamer. He recalls the frustrating dip in his in-game performance in attempting to transition from his PC to the mobile gaming platform to play PUBG: BATTLEGROUNDS.

Jo’s research, titled ‘How expansion to the Nintendo Switch impacts PC players’ game usage and spending: A study of an omni-channel strategy,’ examines game companies’ benefits and challenges of implementing an omni-channel strategy. His findings offer key strategic insights for gaming companies, balancing the potential for increased engagement and revenue with the need to address issues like player performance dips in adapting to a new platform.

Greater flexibility encourages players to invest more

Jo’s research shows that when PC players adopt a portable version of a popular Multiplayer Online Battle Arena (MOBA) game via the Nintendo Switch, their engagement and spending increase. The study leveraged data from a major U.S.-based video game publisher and comprised large treatment (early adopters) and control samples (late adopters). This partnership between the author and publisher facilitated a real-world assessment of how mobile channel adoption influences gameplay and spending.

Specifically, the study found that players:

• Spend 31% more time playing the game compared to their playing time before adopting the mobile version.

• Invest 6.9% more on in-game purchases compared to their pre-adoption spending.

• Spread their gaming sessions across more diverse hours, taking advantage of the portability of mobile consoles.

“The strength of mobile devices is mobility—you can play anywhere, anytime. Mobile devices offer a wider range of access hours, which really enhances engagement.”

Wooyong Jo

Jo refers to this as the “ubiquity effect” of mobile gaming, where the improved accessibility and flexibility of mobile platforms enable players to enjoy the game more frequently. When expanding a game from a console or PC to a portable device, this effect is pronounced, boosting consumer engagement and leading to a rise in voluntary in-game spending.

Increased accessibility re-engages fading players

Jo was surprised by one finding: how expanding to a new platform re-engaged players who were losing interest in the game. Mobile platforms facilitate more frequent gaming on commutes, during breaks, or even just away from a desk.  By reducing barriers to access, mobile platforms help integrate the game into players’ daily routines, revitalizing their engagement and reducing churn risk.

“Omni-channel strategy in gaming is not always a positive intervention. Players who adopted the mobile channel experienced a slight but significant dip in their in-game performance, which may hurt long-term engagement if not properly managed.”

Wooyong Jo

In other words, omni-channel strategies not only serve to expand the overall player base, engagement, and spending but also serve to revitalize interest among existing players.

A smooth transition is key to omni-channel success

The study also revealed some challenges for gaming companies. One is that players experienced a slight drop in their in-game performance when transitioning to mobile platforms. Jo reflects on this, “omni-channel is not always a positive intervention. Migrating to a new device can create a mental transition cost for users.” 

To address this, Jo recommends gaming companies to support players as they transition to mobile devices. “Tutorials and coupling easy tasks with in-game rewards can help motivate players to adapt to the new environment,” he advises.  

Implications for researchers and gaming companies

Jo’s study provides a clear takeaway: expanding to new devices boosts engagement and spending, but careful planning is essential to address the potential drawbacks. Providing tutorials and in-game rewards can reduce the mental transition costs players face. In freemium models—where revenue depends on consistent voluntary purchases—these supportive measures can be critical to long-term growth.

For researchers, the study underscores how platform transitions affect engagement, retention, and spending—factors central to many freemium-based business models. For industry professionals, it offers a strategic blueprint for multi-platform expansions, highlighting best practices for player onboarding and re-engagement.

Read the paper

Interested in reading all the details about the benefits and challenges associated with omni-channel marketing in gaming contexts? Click here to read the article in full.

Want to cite the paper?

Jo, W. & Lewis, M. (2025). How expansion to the Nintendo Switch impacts PC players’ game usage and spending: A study of an omni-channel strategy, International Journal of Research in Marketing. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijresmar.2024.10.007  

References

Statista (2024a). Number of video game users worldwide from 2019 to 2029. Retrieved January 21, 2025 from https://www.statista.com/statistics/748044/number-video-gamers-world/ 

Statista (2024b). Number of mobile game users worldwide from 2017 to 2027. Retrieved January 21, 2025 from https://www.statista.com/statistics/667694/number-mobile-gamers-worldwide/ 

Statista (2025). Video game market revenue worldwide from 2019 to 2029. Retrieved January 25, 2025 from https://www.statista.com/forecasts/1344668/revenue-video-game-worldwide 

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Meet Wooyong

Wooyong Jo (조우용) is Assistant Professor of Management (Marketing Area) at Mitchell E. Daniels, Jr. School of Business, Purdue University, West Lafayette. He is an empirical researcher with a passion for modeling consumer behaviors in video games, social media, and all sorts of online digital platforms.

What motivates your research?

“I like seeing patterns in the data and generating new insights. I find it very enjoyable writing Python code to scrape data from a website and seeing the patterns emerge. My nerdiness in data and insights drives me.”

If you weren’t an academic, what would you be?

“I’d probably be working for a big tech company like Samsung or another major firm in South Korea, doing something nerdy and data-driven. It would still likely involve digital technologies and analytics.”

What video game best reflects your personality as a scholar?

“I’d say the Zelda series. In those games, you control a character, explore an open world, accomplish quests, and grow stronger. That resonates with me as a researcher—I tackle quests, fight with reviewers, and publish papers. Over time, I become stronger and more experienced.”

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This article was written by

Oliver Buckley

Ph.D. candidate at the University of Liverpool, UK