A new survey commissioned by Ciena (NASDAQ:CIEN, news, filings) found that Singaporean adults love to play online games, whether it’s on their smartphones, laptops, desktops, or favorite consoles, with two out of three (66%) identifying themselves as a gamer. 

Against the backdrop of the pandemic, gaming emerged as one of the main entertainment and leisure activities in Singapore, as Singaporeans played video games more frequently than before the pandemic. As a result, sales of game consoles and games in Singapore reached S$592.5 million in 2020, an increase of about 7.8 percent from 2019[1]. This corresponds with the global trend, as revenue for the global gaming market surged 20% to $179.7 billion in 2020, and is expected to reach $256.97 billion by 2025[2].

Good connectivity, not the type of device, contributes to an enjoyable gaming experience

As digital entertainment such as gaming becomes deeply embedded in our daily lives, consumers naturally expect a seamless connection when consuming different types of content. According to Ciena’s survey, more than half (57%) of all gamers believe that better internet connectivity is the most important element for a positive gaming session, as compared to other device-related factors such as the type of gaming-optimized mobile phones they use (25%), the use of handheld gaming devices (11%), or VR headsets (3%).

Gamers are willing to pay more for faster internet speeds

To improve their gaming experiences, two in five gamers (42%) are willing to pay more for faster internet speeds. In fact, three in five (63%) are willing to try a new service provider that can offer a more reliable and consistently uninterrupted connection. These insights reinforce the notion that good network quality and connectivity can help service providers retain current subscribers and gain new customers who are open to alternatives.

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For the Love of Games

“Singaporean gamers certainly acknowledge that stable and reliable internet connection makes gaming more fun and enjoyable overall,” said Dion Leung, Regional Managing Director at Ciena. “With millions of gamers live-streaming every day and milliseconds meaning the difference between victory and defeat, networks need to adapt to unpredictable bandwidth demands and be future ready. The desire for a better gaming experience will also create new collaboration opportunities among local service providers, game developers and networking vendors to modernize their networks.”

Comfort matters, too

Interestingly, while playing video games, 37 percent of gamers indicated that a comfortable setting (i.e., chair, couch, table) is an important criterion for a satisfying gaming session. Similarly, a pleasant room temperature with air conditioning is also important in the humid climate of Singapore (18%). Other important factors while gaming include ergonomic gaming gear (11%), an organized setup (6%), as well as having snacks and beverages (5%).

For more information about Ciena’s latest survey, which also covers Japan and South Korea, please see the white paper here.

Note to editors
Ciena commissioned independent survey firm YouGov to conduct a survey of 1055 adults in Singapore between 29 July – 2 August 2021. The figures have been weighted and are representative of all Singapore adults (aged 18+) nationally.

About Ciena
Ciena (NYSE: CIEN) is a networking systems, services and software company. We provide solutions that help our customers create the Adaptive NetworkTM in response to the constantly changing demands of their end-users. By delivering best-in-class networking technology through high-touch consultative relationships, we build the world’s most agile networks with automation, openness and scale. For updates on Ciena, follow us on Twitter @Ciena, LinkedIn, the Ciena Insights blog, or visit www.ciena.com.

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