Here's the thing: you, right now reading this, might already fit the Gamer profile without even knowing it or identifying with the term. When we think of someone who plays video games, we usually picture massive consoles, controllers, gaming desks, computers, panels, huge headphones with microphones, and neon lights inside a dark room that hasn't seen sunlight for over 12 hours. But in 2025, the Mexican Gamer doesn't fit a single profile.

There's the professional playing Candy Crush on her phone during her metro commute to the office, and the young guy connecting with friends after school on Twitch. There's also the mom solving puzzles while her kids do homework, and whoever saves their Duolingo streak at 11:55 pm outside the club… and then there's the Core-Gamer stereotype we all imagine. 

Pocket Gaming: The Smartphone Is the New Console

Gaming is no longer a niche activity—it's evolved into a massive cultural phenomenon reshaping how we connect, consume, and spend.

One of the biggest drivers of this boom was the pandemic. That moment fundamentally shifted our digital consumption patterns. In 2020, smartphones became our must-have for staying connected and socializing—our work tool and escape route, all in one. Today we carry them everywhere: to the gym, while eating, in the shower, even during our most private moments.

You don't need a next-gen console or an expensive gaming PC with RGB lighting anymore. By 2023, mobile gaming penetration hit 81.4%, making being a Gamer something immediate, accessible, and everyday.

Mobile eSports like Mobile Legends and PUBG Mobile have proven that competitive gaming no longer requires massive investments in hardware. Now, with a mid-range smartphone, a Mexican player can compete on international stages and potentially build a professional career.

In a country marked by socioeconomic, educational, and geographic gaps, video games have become spaces where different profiles and realities converge, where communities are forged and alternative economies are built.

Player 3 Has Joined: Gamers, Brands, and Opportunities

The mainstreaming of gaming in Mexico has opened extraordinary opportunities for brands.

45% of Latin American Gamers say that brands that feel real and organic make the gaming experience more authentic—they're a surprisingly receptive audience to subtle advertising.

People have matured to the point of accepting video games as a legitimate social and cultural space where brands have a natural place. It's almost like how advertising and sports converge and support each other.

This way, almost any industry can tap into the gaming world. It's such a versatile sector that all kinds of profiles, personalities, and realities converge there, making it fertile ground for brands that know how to listen and adapt.

Today, gaming doesn't stay digital—it crosses boundaries and seeps into our daily lives.

Fortnite, the Battle Royale developed by Epic Games in 2017, isn't just a place to play—it's a cultural venue. You can attend concerts like Marshmello's, which drew over 10.7 million concurrent players, or Travis Scott's show, which in just 10 minutes attracted 12 million viewers and generated massive digital conversation.

We already knew how powerful product placement could be in film, but gaming has taken it even further. It's turned products not just into promotions, but into main characters in their narratives.

Who would've thought The Last of Us, a series based on the video game, would draw over 30 million viewers and become HBO Max's most-watched series in Latin America? Same story with adaptations like Mario Bros, Gears of War, Halo, Gran Turismo, and The Witcher.

Players IRL

Fintechs and Banks: Gaming becomes a powerful vehicle for indirect banking adoption. By facilitating alternative payment solutions, financial institutions can accelerate digital account adoption among a young, active segment with high conversion potential. Yes, your Candy Crush is part of the digital financial system's evolution.

Fashion: Balenciaga launched a special line to create skin outfits inside Fortnite and brought them to physical stores too. The line between digital and physical is blurring, and fashion gets it.

Food: Burger King partnered with Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II in 2023 with a themed menu that included codes to unlock exclusive in-game content. A Whopper combo you don't just eat—you play it.

Automotive: Toyota sponsors competitions within Gran Turismo and promotes hybrid and electric models, connecting the brand with passion for speed and technology. The future of mobility is also accelerating in the virtual world.

Menstrual Health: Saba by Essity created V-Land inside Roblox to teach about the menstrual cycle in a playful way. A testament to how even the most intimate topics can be addressed with empathy and creativity in the metaverse.

Travis Scott and Fortnite Present: Astronomical (Full Event Video): https://youtu.be/wYeFAlVC8qU?si=gEIH1O7mR597bL3i

What started as a simple pastime has transformed into a cultural industry redefining how we relate to technology, entertainment, mass consumption, our health, and even our finances.

Emerging technologies like game streaming, augmented reality, 5G networks, and artificial intelligence are expanding these horizons, shaping a more immersive, personalized, and accessible future.

Just as sports and brands learned to coexist, gaming today offers a new playing field for building communities and attracting audiences.

At Lemon Ice, we analyze how phenomena like Gaming transform consumption and open opportunities for brands.

If you think your brand doesn't have a place in this world yet, you'll be surprised to discover the game has already started.

Ready to play? 🎮