Game on: How can energy drinks meet the needs of gamers?

This audience ranges from professional e-sports players, who build a career out of playing games online with a large following of devoted fans, to those who play games in the evenings or at weekends simply for fun.

Advancements in technology, graphics and UX – supported by super-fast internet speeds − have turned gaming from a leisure activity to a multi-billion dollar industry and global community.

But what’s fueling these gamers?

Looking for energy

Gaming has gone from a niche hobby area to one enjoyed by millions. By 2029, the gaming industry is set to be worth over $69bn.

And many regular gamers (61% of them) use food or nutrition products to improve their performance.

Food, beverage and supplement brands have all made moves into the space, but energy drinks are the category which gathers the most attention and innovation (around 48% of launches in the space are energy drinks).

Just like those turning to energy drinks to power them through skateboarding or BMX biking, gamers turn to energy drinks for the energy boost.

But there’s an added component: they’re also looking for drinks to help them focus and support the cognitive demands of gaming.

Finding the right tribe

As a category, energy drinks for gamers swept into the industry several years ago: with big brands such as Mtn Dew Amp Game Fuel (launched in 2018), Coca Cola Creations Zero Sugar Byte (2022) and numerous smaller entrepreneurial brands.

Successful brands out there prove the category has legs.

But that also means the first-mover advantage has gone: and those entering the space need to think carefully about what they can offer.

What’s important to realize, says SPINS senior director of market insights Scott Dicker, is that the gaming community is unique.

“It’s a very specific market,” he said. “There are different platforms, they get their information from YouTube, from Twitch. It’s a unique demographic and audience.”

That means brands need to think carefully about what gamers want, and be prepared to get to know their world inside out.

Ingredient focus

Energy drinks for gamers bridge both energy and physical performance with the mental aspects of cognitive focus.

And that brings with it a host of ingredients to meet these different need states.

Like energy drinks, that could include caffeine and added vitamins. But it also includes a new world of ingredients little explored in traditional energy drinks: including nootropics, adaptogens (such as lion’s mane or L-Theanine) or specifically-designed branded ingredients such as Cognizin (Kyowa Hakko). It even extends to ingredients more focused on brain health such as dietary flavenols.

“The number of gamers globally increased by an estimated 40% between 2019 and 2024 [Statistica],” observes James Street, global marketing director at ingredient and nutrient pre-mixes company Prinova.

“Meanwhile, our research shows that beverages are by far the most popular format to improve gaming performance, in particular with the youngest consumers.

“So it’s a huge sector, and one that crosses over with several others. Given that e-sports can require physical and mental endurance, as well as focus, enhanced reaction times and memory, many analysts now include it in the performance nutrition category.”

That idea of performance nutrition is important: because it highlights that gamers (particularly at a higher, professional level) pay more attention to what they eat and drink than the typical energy drink consumer.

“Most regular gamers - 61% overall and 65% of men – say they use food or nutrition products to improve their performance," continued Street.

”That suggests that they’re focusing on goals, rather than casually reaching for any old energy drink to wash down unhealthy snacks.

“Furthermore, the gaming demographic tends to skew younger, and our research shows that millennials and zoomers are particularly likely to be influenced by health claims. All of this points to a consumer group that’s more concerned with health and functionality than the traditional stereotype would suggest.”

But what functionality are gamers looking for?

“Common goals include concentration, mental sharpness, endurance, vision, reaction time and reduced fatigue,” said Cido Silveira, Regional Marketing Manager, South America, Arla Foods Ingredients.

“However, reflecting the growth and evolution of the category, new needs are emerging, and products targeting gamers are increasingly featuring ingredients outside of the usual suspects.”

But it’s also important to understand the gaming market is a diverse one: with a wide range of demands and need states.