How Reach3 powered by Rival used Instagram to understand the thoughts and behaviors of Gen Z Fortnite players

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Fortnite Logo

The brief

Fortnite is one of the world's largest online video games, with over 350 million accounts. Research shows that in the U.S., 90% of teens play video games of some kind. With this in mind, Reach3 (powered by Rival Technologies) used Instagram to connect with Fortnite players to examine the attitudes, behaviors and expectations towards the game.  

The objective

To connect with Gen Z consumers on a platform they're most familiar with to better understand their habits and behaviors towards Fortnite. Here, the ultimate goal was to understand how to best engage with Gen Zs for future market research opportunities. 

The Solution

 

The study used a two-phase approach to connect with its audience. In stage 1, Reach3 engaged 50 kids (aged 9 to 18) in a series of six chats leading up to the launch of Fortnite's season six. Here, players answered questions about gameplay, their online friendships, hobbies, brand perceptions, and their experiences.

Rival Fortnite chat preview v2


I
n stage 2, Reach3 partnered with popular Fortnite player and Twitch broadcaster, TheSquatingDog, who shared a link to our chat via their Instagram story. As a direct result of this partnership, the study expanded to engage 860 fans. This phase involved four chats and focused on players' attitudes, opinions and expectations towards Fortnite. 

"Utilizing Rival, especially through a social channel like Instagram, let us talk to Fortnite players in a way that felt more like something that fit in the gamer world. They felt more connected to the chat, seeing it as a fun activity rather than a long boring survey which ultimately meant we received more authentic and useful results from them." 

-Sean Campbell, VP Research, Technology & Gaming, Reach3

The Results

High response rates
900 completes and a 62% response rate shows Chat-based research recruited over Instagram create meaningful engagements with Gen Zs.

Ongoing research opportunities
95% of participants agreed to do a multi-day diary to share their gameplay experience– perfect for ongoing research.

Compelling qualitative data
Over 100 participants used video selfies to share their experiences and provide greater context in a way that is impossible to capture with traditional research methods.