IT News on October 5th: German utility and electricity retail company SWK Energie has launched a new marketing strategy targeting gamers. According to ComputerBase, this initiative, named meinGAMING, involves extensive marketing campaigns centered around gamers. For example, the stability of power supply is compared to "your favorite game servers," and they have also invited gaming streamers like Limcube to conduct internet celebrity promotions.
But this doesn't mean that the company has injected some kind of magical, game-exclusive power into the electrical grid that allows players to directly obtain a higher frame rate once they plug in. In fact, it's just a pricing plan designed for households with high electricity consumption. Whether you have four gaming consoles equipped with RTX 5090 running simultaneously at home, or you charge four electric vehicles every day, this plan is applicable to both scenarios.
The company states in their FAQ that this package is suitable for households with an annual electricity consumption of over 2,500 kilowatt-hours. The reasons for high electricity usage can include "playing games, live streaming, or simply having a large number of electrical devices running simultaneously at home." Although the official claim is that the price is more cost-effective compared to competitors, the basic fee for meinGAMING is higher. Therefore, if the recommended minimum level of electricity consumption is not met, the company does not advise users to choose this package.
Even for gamers in Germany who consume a large amount of electricity, it doesn't necessarily mean they should immediately switch to another power supply plan. Users should carefully compare their current electricity prices with the quotes offered by different plans, as these prices can vary depending on the region they reside in.
Nowadays, a great number of companies are targeting gamers in their marketing efforts: ranging from computer accessories and peripherals to esports furniture, and even various food and beverages. Merchants promise to enhance players' performance and reaction times, helping them gain an advantage in matches. Some products labeled as "esports player-friendly" do indeed offer a slight improvement over regular consumer goods; however, many more are merely gimmicky products that charge an additional so-called "player premium" just for adding RGB lighting effects. Nevertheless, there are still many consumers willing to pay for them, as the brand packaging and promotion associated with esports are very eye-catching.
IT has noticed that even government agencies have taken advantage of esports marketing. The United States Army has targeted gamers in its recruitment efforts; the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) also focused on gamers in its latest recruitment round, successfully meeting 94% of its recruitment targets. The Royal Navy of the UK has also recognized that gaming is a hobby of sailors, with the latest commissioned ships even equipped with eight high-end gaming consoles for the crew to host LAN parties at sea.
Although meinGAMING won't make your gaming skills any better, if your household's electricity consumption is already high, it might help you save some on your electricity bills. There's also an additional bonus: the company claims that 100% of the electricity in their packages comes from renewable sources. When you spend long hours playing in front of your gaming console, it can not only reduce the burden on your wallet but also alleviate your concerns about environmental protection. However, how to ensure that the electricity actually used by users indeed comes from renewable sources remains an unanswered question for now.
