Online gaming has gained so much strength worldwide for a few years now. The community of online gamers has fed this with on-growing groups, competitions, and streams that consistently reach new audiences in several countries and languages.

Recently, it has been brought to social media conversation that online gaming has been having a peak moment in Latin America. Is this true? Possibly. But why?

A recent article by Sounds and Colors found four main reasons for this phenomenon. The report comes from a website dedicated to the Latin American community, so the reasons found may have an interesting insight on online gaming in Latam. But, keep in mind that Latin American people did not create the site. So, this could include some biased information too.

Let’s check out their insights:

  • Internet is more accessible than in other corners of the world: Fundamentally, that may be true. Wifi access and social media platforms are way more reachable than in certain countries. Also, it is easier to have a device to play with that’s not necessarily a console. It is said that it is also more affordable. I wouldn’t be 100% sure about this one. Many WiFi public spots in the US have a fee beforehand, but it does ensure quality internet for the time paid; in Mexico, for example, there are a lot of free Wifi spots that allow everyone to go online. But, this doesn’t mean that this last internet service is a quality one nor allows online gaming. It may be more accessible in Latin America, but the affordable part could be questionable.
  • Accessible means of entertainment for occupied people: this one is particularly tricky. On one side, the article covers the evident need for a hobby or a different activity from work. And gaming comes up as an excellent relaxing and social option. Up until this, everything’s fine, although the reason why this impacts Latam is not apparent. Finding a moment to unwind and play for a while can be tricky sometimes, especially if you have a job and whatnot. The only reason online gaming growth could be related to this matter is the famous (or infamous) home office. Staying more at home raises the possibility of spending some time playing video games. And having good internet at home sure helps to get into online gaming. And after this, the author concludes that accessible also means affordable. And even though there are many options, from second-hand sales and online discounts, this doesn’t necessarily mean that affordable options will involve online gaming.
  • A variety of gaming options are available: this one is entirely true. The possibilities offered today are infinite. Depending on the publisher, the genre, the console, or the device, you can find endless gaming opportunities. Although it’s still unclear why this phenomenon strictly influences Latin American gamers, it impacts the online gaming community. You can stream, join, and compete in specialty subcommunities from Minecraft, Fall Guys, Fortnite, Call of Duty, and many other franchises that offer this option. Also, the fact that some games are more accessible or free incites the online community to grow by the second.
  • Rewards and bonus content keep players engaged: Rewards are intended to do that from a broader sense. When a game catches you, rewards fulfill their purpose. Some of them take time to obtain and keep the player engaged for longer. However, this still doesn’t talk from a Latin American perspective. It’s not like we have just recently discovered that rewards and bonuses exist. So, it’s not clear why this feature would exclusively make Latam online gamers spread. The article also mentions cash rewards for pro players as an incentive to get into online gaming. On this, I could agree. Pro players and official tournaments are beginning to have a spotlight moment in Latin America. Professional online gaming has had more and more people participating and winning very juicy prices.
  • Even though the approach was interesting, it did lack supportive data that could focus on the Latin American gamer public. However, most of the insight could quickly point to other audiences too. Also, just as a bonus, the Pandemic was a HUGE element to consider here, and the article didn’t mention it. Since the lockdown, many people have gotten much more into gaming, offline and online. After these confusing years at home, many developed an affinity for gaming and spent much more time playing video games. As I mentioned above, the fact that many people stay at home working also heavily affects the time someone spends gaming. So, this could be an essential factor for online gaming, but maybe that’s just my input.

What are your thoughts on this? Do you play online? Let us know in the comment section!