This study, as seen in VentureBeat GamesBeat, explores the individuals and topics that are shaping influential conversations in gaming (based on 60 days of data taken between April 29th and June 27th 2013). The results of this study may generate as many questions as they answer: Which companies and executives are driving the influential conversations on gaming? Why do bloggers overwhelmingly dominate the influential conversations on gaming? What role can executives play in boosting their brand’s influence? Why are consoles and handhelds such a hot topic? We hope this document is both useful and stimulating. And of course, feel free to tweet about or share the report using the hashtag #GamingInfluence, or debate the results with your peers.

1. 1
Gaming Influence Study
July 2013

2. Introduction
2
This report explores the individuals and topics that are shaping influential conversations in gaming.
The results of this study may generate as many questions as they answer:
• Which companies and executives are driving the influential conversations on gaming?
• Why do bloggers overwhelmingly dominate the influential conversations on gaming?
• What role can executives play in boosting their brand’s influence?
• Why are consoles and handhelds such a hot topic?
We hope this document is both useful and stimulating. And of course, feel free to tweet about or share
the report using the hashtag #GamingInfluence, or debate the results with your peers.
Methodology
This report is based on 60 days of data taken between April 29th and June 27th 2013. The scope of this
report is based on the three main gaming consoles (Xbox, PlayStation, and Wii) and their
manufactures, active game publishers and studios as listed by Wikipedia, and all the games published
between the beginning of 2012 and the end of 2013 for consoles and PC as listed by Gamespot.
About Appinions
Appinions is the only opinion-powered influence marketing platform designed to give companies the
unmatched ability to identify, analyze, engage, monitor and measure influencers. Built on more than a
decade of Cornell University research, Appinions extracts and aggregates opinions from journey by
converting faceless touchpoints into influential trust points™ to optimize marketing efforts. For more
information on the science of influence marketing, visit http://www.appinions.com/.

3. How Appinions Analyzes Influence
3
Who is an Influencer?
Appinions defines an influencer as a person, brand or company that expresses a contextually
relevant opinion that is meaningful enough to elicit action from others.
How is Influence calculated?
Appinions calculates individual influence scores based on an influencer’s opinions for a given topic.
Scores are determined by the following criteria:
• Frequency of actions the opinions generate;
• Credibility of the publications in which the opinions appear; and
• Diversity of publications carrying the opinions.
Appinions calculates influence at the topic level to understand the relative influence of different topics.
What is the Net Influence Score (NIS)?
Appinions calculates topic influence scores, or the Net Influence Scores, based on the following criteria:
• Influence scores of each individual within the topic; and
• Number of trust impressions created by each influencer on that topic.
Trust impressions are driven and derived by what influencers are saying and the subsequent actions
taken by the audience.
What is the most “Actioned” opinion?
The most “actioned” opinions are the influential opinions that resonate the most and thus travel the furthest.
Influence scores in this report were obtained on June 27, 2013 and are based on data
60 days prior to that date.

4. 37%
10%
10%
20%
10%
3%
10%
2012 Global Sales ($66B)*
TV/Console Handhelds
PC/MAC MMOs (PC)
Smartphone (Mobile) Tablet (Mobile)
Social/Casual
1,633
247 260
21
-
200
400
600
800
1,000
1,200
1,400
1,600
1,800
Consoles/Handheld PC Mobile Games Social Games
Net Influence Score
Consoles & handhelds win in sales,
dominate in influence
4
Net Influence
Score
*2012 Newzoo Global Games Market Report
53% of revenue but
underrepresented in
conversations
Global brands such as Sony, Microsoft and Nintendo propel the consoles & handhelds topic while PC,
Mobile Games, and Social Games have yet to find many influential advocates.

5. Gaming is an industry where the bloggers
rule the influential discussion
5
One reason why bloggers are so influential is that they publish content on
various gaming topics every day.
Bloggers enrich the stories by providing
more context and perspective.
Most “Actioned” Opinions
Writers AnalystExecutives
“And while much of this year’s focus has been
on Sony’s new PlayStation 4 and Microsoft’s
Xbox One, there’s little point to owning a
console if the games aren’t any good.”
Influencer: Harley Tsukayama
Source: Washington Post
“The console won’t ping Sony’s servers every
24 hours like the Xbox One, so gamers are
free to game in areas without Internet
connectivity, as long as they have disc-based
games.”
Influencer: Shawn Ingram
Source: GottaBeMobile
“When the smoke cleared, all that was left
was the PlayStation 4 basking in the glory
of everything that is great about the future
of gaming, and the Xbox One has been
stuck with the guise of being what gamers
don’t want.“
Influencer: Ron Duwell
Source: TechnoBuffalo
Influence
Score
Top 10
Influencers
Description
192 Sal Romano Editor In Chief, Gematsu
189 Kevin Cassidy Editor in Chief, GoNintendo
187 Shawn Ingram Writer, GottaBeMobile
183 Jack Tretton
President, CEO, Sony Computer Entertainment
of America
179 Ben Gilbert Senior Associate Editor, Engadget
176 Don Mattrick
Former President, Interactive Entertainment
Business, Microsoft
170 Michael Pachter Research Analyst, Wedbush Securities
169 Ron Duwell Writer, TechnoBuffalo
167 Hayley Tsukayama Reporter, Washington Post
166 Joey Davidson Senior Editor, TechnoBuffalo

6. Console manufacturers & game publishers
top the gaming ecosystem
Influence
Score
Top 20 companies
230 Microsoft
218 Sony
202 Electronic Arts
190 Nintendo
178 Konami
172 Activision
170 Ubisoft
169 Capcom
168 GameStop
164 Zynga
153 Square Enix
149 Facebook
149 Maxis
145 Google
143 Blizzard Entertainment
141 Apple Inc
140 Best Buy
136 Amazon
129 Nvidia
127 PopCap Games
6
Most “Actioned” Opinions by Top Companies
Nintendo and its partners are concerned with Nintendo’s
lackluster performance, which drives the most resonant
opinions concerning the brand.
“However, following Sony's announcement that the PlayStation 4 would allow
used games, Microsoft has stated that the Xbox One will also allow the same.”
Influencer: Microsoft Source: Forbes
“Sony also drew cheers from the audience at the Electronic Entertainment
Expo (E3) in Los Angeles when it said the PS4 would run second-hand games
and did not require an always-on Internet connection.”
Influencer: Sony Source: Reuters
“EA’s gaming pipeline clearly reflects the company’s focus on the Xbox One
and PlayStation 4. EA did not announce a single game for Nintendo’s platform,
citing lower demand for the console compared with Microsoft’s and Sony’s.”
Influencer: Electronics Arts Source: Zacks.com
“The company has struggled since November with the launch of the Wii U…
Nintendo Co. said it sold just 3.45 million units by the end of March, well
below the company's expectations.”
Influencer: Nintendo Source: Associated Press
“Games developer Ubisoft has told Nintendo it'll need to start shifting some
serious Wii U inventory before it grants the console any more exclusive
games like the critically acclaimed ZombiU.”
Influencer: Ubisoft Source: Kotaku

7. Sony execs Jack Tretton, Shuhei Yoshida and Adam Boyes experienced substantial boosts
in influence at E3 as their message drowned out their peers.
Executive influence lifts Sony at E3
7
Influence Score
before E3
Influence Score
after E3
Top 20 executives Description
92 191 Jack Tretton President, CEO, Sony Computer Entertainment of America
168 170 Don Mattrick Former President, Interactive Entertainment Business, Microsoft
171 168 Mark Pincus Former CEO, Zynga
149 164 Satoru Iwata President, Nintendo
163 161 Larry Hryb Director of Programming, Xbox Live, Microsoft Gaming
151 153 Eric Hirshberg President, CEO, Activision
130 152 Shuhei Yoshida President, Worldwide Studios, Sony Computer Entertainment
149 149 Hideo Kojima Director, Metal Gear Solid V
138 149 Masahiro Sakurai Director of Software Development, Sora Ltd
147 149 Phil Spencer VP, Microsoft Game Studios
127 147 Frank Gibeau President, EA
123 147 Yves Guillemot Chairman, CEO, Ubisoft
150 146 Marc Whitten Chief Product Officer, Xbox One, Microsoft
128 145 Reggie Fils Aime President, COO, Nintendo of America
97 142 Adam Boyes VP, Third Party Relations, Sony Computer Entertainment America
124 138 Pete Hines VP, Public Relations, Bethesda
123 138 Eiji Aonuma Game Producer and Designer, Nintendo
109 135 Peter Moore COO, EA
118 134 Shigeru Miyamoto Game Producer and Designer, Nintendo
135 131 Neil Druckmann Creative Director, Naughty Dog

8. Executives’ most “actioned” opinions
reinforce the narratives
“Shu Yoshida, president of Sony Worldwide Studios, said the company's studios have more than 30 PS4 games in
development, including 12 brand new intellectual properties.”
Influencer: Shu Yoshio, President, Sony World Wide Studios
Source: E3 Presentation
8
“PlayStation 4 disc-based games don’t need to be connected online to play or any type of authentication.”
Influencer: Jack Tretton, President, CEO, Sony Computer Entertainment of America
Source: E3 Presentation
“Xbox boss Don Mattrick believes concerns over connectivity are overblown, recommends Xbox 360 for those
without an Internet connection.”
Influencer: Don Mattrick, Former President, Interactive Entertainment Business, Microsoft
Source: Gamespot
“Major Nelson, in a Reddit video interview, contradicted Xbox Support, stating, "Absolutely not, you will
always have access to the games you purchase.”
Influencer: Larry Hyrb, aka Major Nelson, Director of Programming, Xbox Live, Microsoft Gaming
Source: Reddit
“In an interview this week for CNN, Iwata admitted the company made missteps with the introduction of the Wii U.
But he remains convinced a strong lineup of upcoming Wii U software will get gamers excited about the
living-room console.”
Influencer: Satoru Iwata, President, Nintendo
Source: CNN

9. 0
200
400
600
800
1000
1200
1400
5/12 5/19 5/26 6/2 6/9 6/16 6/23
Timing matters: Xbox’s launch lifted its
influence when competitors were out of the spotlight
9
Net Influence
Score
E3 Conference and
PS4 Launch
Xbox One
Launch
Xbox expanded its lead by
launching Xbox One before E3
Microsoft layers success by launching Xbox One during a time with less industry “noise” and
leading influential conversations during E3. Sony’s launch of PS4 during E3 gave it a single boost
in influence and Nintendo, having launched Wii U months earlier, is left behind.

10. Wii shut out of conversations & industry
comparisons
10
Influential opinions before E3* Influential opinions during E3**
Xbox:
13,969
Opinions
PlayStation:
8,418
Opinions
Wii:
1,496
Opinions
Xbox vs.
PlayStation
Comparison:
4,190
Opinions
* Weekly average opinion volume before E3 (5/12 – 6/8)
** Opinion volume the week of E3 (6/9 – 6/15)
Wii:
708
Opinions
PlayStation:
2,572
Opinions
Xbox:
5,377
Opinions
Xbox vs.
PlayStation
Comparison:
1,252
Opinions

11. 0
500
1000
1500
2000
2500
3000
3500
5/12 5/19 5/26 6/2 6/9 6/16 6/23
Xbox One
Launch
E3 Conference and
PS4 Launch
Microsoft’s Xbox had five times more exclusive coverage than Sony’s PS4.
Xbox One wins by reaching a much
broader audience compared to PS4
11
10%
41%
50%
No. of publishing
sources
Total no. of
publishing sources
2788
and

12. 0
20
40
60
80
100
120
140
0
100
200
300
400
500
600
5/19 5/26 6/2 6/9 6/16 6/23
Microsoft initiated the DRM conversation
but Sony took advantage of the issue
12
No. of Influential
Opinions
Regarding DRM
DRM Net
Influence ScoreSony hijacks the
DRM discussion
during E3
Xbox One Launch
boosts DRM
discussion
Microsoft responds;
Sony exits the
conversation
Others DRM Net Influence Score

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Contact Us!
To learn more about Appinions and our modular approach
to influence marketing, contact us at
info@appinions.com or +1 646-532-3062.
Web: www.appinions.com
Twitter: @appinions
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