Tag: Limelight Networks

Singapore – Video game playing in the Asia-Pacific has risen to a new level, with consumers playing more than 9 hours of online games each week in 2020, a report by content delivery network company Limelight shows.

According to the study, the sudden spike in gaming has been driven by some gamers looking for social connections. More than 7 in 10 Asia Pacific gamers (72%) say they have made new friends through online games in the past year and more than one in three (36%) say the ability to interact with other players is extremely important. 

Furthermore, opportunities for interactivity and social engagement are likely drivers for video game adoption with the majority (79%) of global gamers saying they started playing video games in the past year.

Part of the growing numbers in the online gaming community is the high demands for next-generation consoles as gaming performance peaks. About three quarters (74%) of gamers are interested in purchasing a new console, due to updated technology (39%) and faster gameplay (37%. According to the study, gamers in China are most likely to consider upgrading their console (92%).

Such high rise of next-generation consoles comes with a higher demand for faster gaming experiences, as the study showed that five in 10 (51%) of Asia Pacific gamers cite this importance, also emerging as the top-cited significant aspect of game. In addition, 84% of gamers in the region say the process of downloading games is frustrating.

“Asia Pacific is home to some of the world’s most ardent gamers, and they are now looking to video games to provide an interactive, high performance, disruption-free experience that allows them to connect with others and play longer,” said Edwin Koh, director of Southeast Asia at Limelight.

The study showed the average APAC region gamer has played video games consecutively for four hours and 49 minutes. Young gamers ages 18 to 25 have binge-gamed for the longest, at an average of nearly five hours.

Gaming has also become a spectator sport. The report shows that 72% of Asia Pacific gamers say they’ve started to watch others play video games in the past year. The average gamer spends three hours and 36 minutes each week watching others play video games online and gamers in India spend the most time of any country surveyed (five hours and 18 minutes each week). Furthermore, more than three in five (67%) gamers say they prefer to play video games versus watching a movie or TV show.

“This evolution is putting pressure on gaming companies to match this demand with edge-based content and compute to deliver high-quality gaming environments to users across the globe,” Koh stated.

Singapore – Digital media company Limelight Networks has unveiled a new enhancement for its streaming service Limelight Realtime Streaming – providing sub-second latency for time-sensitive video applications that enable live interaction with viewers.

In a press statement, Limelight Networks said Realtime Streaming is part of the widest range of low latency online streaming solutions in the industry that solve the perpetual challenge of delays in event broadcasts. In addition, Realtime Streaming mobile and HTML software development kits (SDKs) can also provide easy integration of interactive live applications with Limelight’s global private network.

Limelight Networks said the improved platform allows live video applications in areas such as:

  • Live sports—In-event betting allowing fans to bet on in-game outcomes while the game is being played.
  • Live auctions—Remote bidders can participate through a livestream and have a “just like being there” experience along with those on-site.
  • Online gaming—Online casinos can allow all players to instantly see table action and to place bets more quickly, increasing the number of hands that can be played each hour.

“As online video has quickly grown in popularity, performance expectations have increased and new technologies, such as Limelight Realtime Streaming, enable innovative new ways to engage audiences. Now live events are truly live with the lowest possible latency, and it’s possible to create interactive experiences that were never before possible,” stated Nigel Burmeister, vice president at Limelight Networks. 

Singapore – With consumers homebound during the pandemic, online video has been gaining popularity among Singaporeans, with streaming reaching an average of eight hours and 42 minutes per week, according to a study by tech company Limelight Networks. This is higher than the global average of seven hours and 44 minutes per week, a 14% increase from the past year.

The report also showed that four in 10 have subscribed to additional streaming services in the last six months. The longer hours spent at home came out as the top reason for the increase (36%), with the availability of new content emerging as a driver for subscriptions (22%). 

Being price cautious, Singaporeans have also resorted to actions to become more economical. More than half, or 55%, of consumers, will cancel a streaming subscription due to high prices, higher than the global average of 47%. Meanwhile, almost three in 10 Singaporeans, or 29%, admit to sharing login information or using someone else’s account. Furthermore, the report also found that for most Singaporeans, delays are a dealbreaker, with 66% stating that they would be more likely to stream an undelayed live event.

In terms of the type of content, TV shows and movies are the most popular, with both being watched by Singaporeans for an average of four hours and 24 minutes weekly.

Globally, watching user-generated content has doubled over the past year to an average of four hours per week. In Singapore, YouTube dominates as the most preferred platform for watching user-generated content (68%), followed by Facebook (12%).

Edwin Koh, director of Southeast Asia at Limelight Networks said “Online video demand has clearly accelerated in Singapore this year, especially with so many people turning to video for entertainment, information, and communication as they spend more time at home due to COVID-19. Our research shows that with the rise in viewers and subscriptions, it is critical that content providers have the right combination of the content consumers want, the infrastructure to scale to meet demand and technology to give them the best possible viewing experiences.”