Once upon a time, video games were thought of as a mere toy for children. Today, that’s all changed and everyone from your nephew to your granny could have a little bit of gamer in them. That’s not all that’s changed though - with such a wide variety of platforms and genres, the potential for product personalisation is truly astounding.
There’s a huge market out there for custom control pads, personalised consoles and one-of-a-kind apparel and it’s largely untapped. If you’re looking to level up your personalisation catalogue, the world of video games holds many secret areas and Easter eggs!
Customised gamepads, keyboards and mice
Without a controller, there is no game! This vital piece of equipment is dear to the gamer’s heart and it’s ripe for customisation. You could use a UV printer to add names or gamertags and give these peripherals the personal touch, or you could simply create a sheet of unique stickers, perfectly sized to suit the most common gamepads.
Printing on gaming PCs
Serious gamers look for a setup that fits them as individuals and they don’t mind investing time and money in building a gaming PC from scratch. Many of these enthusiasts will go to great lengths to make sure their new gaming machine has the looks to match their overclocked specs. Using a UV printing solution, it’s possible to print directly onto the outer casing making it an ideal way to add value to refurbished PCs or any other tech for that matter. Since the ink cures at low temperatures, you could even print onto the completed PC without worrying about heat damaging the machine, and give it a new lease of life to boot.
Branded consoles
Speaking of refurbishing pre-owned tech, the same UV technology can be used to print directly onto games consoles, letting you add unique designs and even textures. But you don’t even need to go that far to start offering console customisation as part of your print business. Several companies are making big profits by selling sets of vinyl stickers which their customers can apply on their own. With the cost of materials and postage relatively low, there’s potential for a huge profit margin.
Water bottles and mugs
A serious gaming marathon can easily run into several hours of non-stop, thumb-twiddling action. Just like any other intensive activity, hydration is important and there’s no better way to refuel than from a customised bottle with your favourite gaming franchise printed on it.
Gaming conference graphics
Aside from the peripherals and accessories, the gaming industry has many more opportunities for generating revenue. Nowadays, gaming isn’t confined behind bedroom doors - it’s a spawning ground for vast communities of enthusiasts eager to share their love for a particular title. The big gaming conferences and exhibitions are a gold-mine for signage specialists and large-format print suppliers.
Pro gamer merchandise
Competitive gaming is now a bona-fide sport and teams compete for huge prizes. Each of these events can boast audiences of millions who’ll turn up in person, or tune in online to watch the masters slug it out. In this competitive world, ‘go large or go home’ is the order of the day, and each team will be searching for their own custom tshirts and merchandise to help grow their fanbase.
Promotional items
Although a handful of large developers hold a big percentage of the market, there are hundreds of indie game developers out there looking to get their new title in front of a bigger audience. With a benchtop UV printer, there’s virtually no limit to the kinds of promotional items that can be created. You can easily create a batch of keyrings, USB sticks or mobile phone cases to give away at the next big conference. You can even use UV printing technology to create special packaging prototypes for a limited collector’s edition of the game.
If you’re looking for new ways to expand your profit offering, the video games market is just waiting to be tapped. Even if you have your own video games development company, investing in a compact UV printing solution can quickly save you money in outsourcing. If you want to explore the possibilities for yourself, just click here to get your hands on our brand new Guide to Digital Benchtop UV Printing.
