Hispanics Key to Industry Growth, says GameStop

There are more than 45 million Hispanics living in the U.S. right now, making them the largest minority group in the country. Why, then, haven't we seen more video game marketing to this important demographic? It's a good question, and it's something that the game industry needs to address. According to a recent report in Hispanic Market Weekly, the Latino demographic has helped fuel much of GameStop's huge growth in recent years. 

"We've gained considerable knowledge of the Hispanic consumer from our stores in California, Texas and Florida," said COO Paul Raines, who noted that GameStop's highest-volume stores are actually located along the U.S.-Mexico border in Texas. These stores are doing so well, that GameStop is actively looking into expansion into Mexico. Miami is another hot spot for the leading video game retailer. Two GameStop stores there saw annual sales exceed $4 million, in part thanks to big tourist traffic. 

For the video game industry, however, Raines thinks that publishers are just starting to realize how big the Hispanic market could be for them. "On the Hispanic marketing front, gaming is really a nascent category," he said, noting that he'd had a number of chats with companies like Activision about the creation of games designed to appeal specifically to Hispanics. 

Latin music in America is quite popular, and Raines said he hopes to see games in the music category based on superstars such as Shakira or Juanes. The hip-hop scene is big within the Latin community as well, so Raines is hopeful that Activision's DJ Hero may spark future ideas. 

Sega is looking to get in on the act as well. The company's Daisy Fuentes pilates game can be played in Spanish and a spokesperson told IndustryGamers that the publisher is making an "aggressive push" with the Hispanic market. 

As for GameStop, the retailer's approach to the Hispanic market isn't so much in direct marketing as it is in store placement and strategic hiring. GameStop put a focus on hiring bilingual associates. Raines noted, "We have between 600 and 800 stores that are in areas where the Hispanic population is greater than 40 percent."