New report claims gamers spend more time watching videos about gaming than playing games

Gamers are spending more time watching videos about gaming on YouTube and Twitch than playing games themselves.

That's according to a new report by Midia Research, which concluded that gamers typically spend 7.4 hours a week gaming, and 8.5 hours a week watching game-related videos.

The research, which Midia claims "highlights the untapped potential for game publishers to bring video content inside their own ecosystems," also claims that 24% of console/PC players and 48% of "in-game buyers" watch game-related content at least monthly, with the latter considered "high-spending gamers."

This means "revenue left [is] on the table," according to the report's authors, with game publishers "ceding significant revenue opportunities – especially advertising – to third-party video platforms, even as the games market faces growth challenges."

Bringing video content inside game ecosystems could also allow publishers to compete in another lane of the attention economy, the report states, "unlocking new revenue streams in the process."

"It's time for game publishers to think about in-game video as something beyond marketing alone," said Rhys Elliott, games analyst, MIDiA Research.

''By reclaiming video engagement, publishers have the potential to unlock new revenue streams, like advertising, and drive growth.''