Changing Demand for Gaming Content among Young People under the Influence of Sanctions Restrictions

Abstract

At present, information technologies are an integral part of many spheres of life of a modern person, and the market for digital products is rapidly developing. An important segment of the digital market is gaming content. However, the sanctions policy against the Russian Federation, which intensified in the third decade of the 21st century, has imposed serious restrictions on the possibility of consuming foreign-made game content for domestic consumers. The purpose of the article is to identify changes in the demand for gaming content among Russian gamers in the face of increased sanctions pressure. The relevance, as well as the scientific novelty of the study, lies in the verification of trends in the consumption of gaming content by Russian consumers. This will allow using the information obtained in the development of new and transformation of old digital gaming products, the formation of product and marketing policies of the creators of gaming and entertainment content. In addition, the study of gamers as a social group in modern society is currently an important area of scientific research. The object of the study were young people aged 16 to 22 living in Irkutsk. The data obtained by the authors during the field study, as well as their comparison with the results other studies of a similar nature, made it possible to identify a number of changes in the consumption of gaming content among young people that occurred under the influence of sanctions. The authors come to the conclusion that the impact of sanctions, although it had an impact on Russian consumers of gaming content, nevertheless could not significantly change the popularity of this form of entertainment among young people.