Poki has published a study on web gaming based on surveys of players and developers in the US and UK. It suggests web gaming is taking a larger share of users’ attention alongside social media.

The Amsterdam-based company, which says it reaches 100 million monthly active users, commissioned Atomik Research to survey 2,000 people who play web games at least weekly and 400 game developers. The findings point to stronger engagement with browser-based games, broader spending across gaming, and growing use of web platforms to discover new titles.

Among consumers surveyed, 71% said the amount of time they spend playing web games relative to social media was either stable or increasing. Within that group, 28% said their web gaming time was increasing relative to social media use.

The study also found that 28% of web gamers said their gaming time was increasing specifically at the expense of social media, rising to 34% among daily players. At the same time, 90% of respondents said they listen to music, chat with friends, watch streams, use social media or do something else while playing web games.

Even with that overlap in media use, browser games often hold users’ focus. According to the report, 44% of respondents said the web game had their primary attention while multitasking.

Audience profile

The consumer data suggests web gaming reaches beyond a purely casual audience. Some 37% of those surveyed said they play web games multiple times a day, while 92% described HTML5 games as high quality.

Spending patterns also indicate that web gamers are active across the wider games market. The survey found that 27% spend more than USD $50 each month on purchases across the gaming ecosystem, rising to 35% among the most frequent players.

Hardware ownership in the sample was also high. The study found that 71% of web gamers own premium gaming hardware, including 42% who own a PlayStation 4 or 5, 27% who own an Xbox model, and 27% who own a Switch or Switch 2.

Taken together, browser play, paid gaming activity and console ownership suggest web gaming is part of a wider entertainment mix rather than a standalone niche. The report points to ease of access and free-to-play availability as key reasons, with 56% saying they favour web games because they are easy to access and 58% saying they choose them because they are free.

Discovery channel

The developer survey pointed to discoverability as a major reason to publish games on the web. Some 46% of developers said discovery was a core benefit of publishing to web platforms, while 53% said web gaming offered a way to reach new users.

Players reported similar behaviour. The research found that 62% had downloaded or bought a game after first playing it on the web, rising to 72% among the most frequent players.

That suggests browser-based play serves as an entry point for games that may later be downloaded or bought on other platforms. For developers facing crowded app stores and rising user acquisition costs, the findings add to a wider debate over how games are found and sampled online.

The study also included qualitative contributions from studios including Outfit7, HappyLander, Radical Play, Burny Games, StoreRider, Gopandagames and Emolingo. Poki said the report was intended to address what it sees as a lack of data on current web gaming behaviour and industry attitudes.

Stein Janssen, Chief Operating Officer at Poki, said: “At Poki we became keenly aware that there is almost no available data on the reality of web gaming as it is today. With that in mind, we commissioned Atomik Research to speak to hundreds of developers and thousands of players. A fascinating picture is emerging. Web gaming is usually discussed through the lens of what it used to be, rather than what it has become. And what it has become explains why it is currently enjoying significant growth.

“Web gaming today drives discoverability, thrives in engaging users distracted by a fragmented attention economy, exposes games and IPs to high-value players willing to spend on the worlds they discover, and is even reducing consumers’ time on social media. Developers yet to move on web haven’t got it wrong. But they increasingly risk being late to a new movement in games, where revenues are growing, players are staying, and gaming brands are unleashed to new audiences.”

The report was written by games journalist Will Freeman. It drew on responses from developers whose work is focused mainly on mobile, with the remainder working primarily on PC titles.

Will Freeman, the report’s author, said: “In my 20 years covering this industry, I’ve rarely seen a sector with such a large and engaged audience go quite so under the radar. Writing this report was an eye-opener because it allowed me to tear down my own assumptions about the format. I learned a tremendous amount writing it, and I hope readers do too.”

Bentley has entered a strategic collaboration with Capgemini to advance its digital transformation, centred on Bentley’s Dream Factory in Crewe.

Capgemini will lead Bentley’s digital transformation in the UK, providing digital infrastructure and systems integration across manufacturing technology and back-office operations. The arrangement also includes work on Bentley’s data and artificial intelligence foundations as the carmaker pursues its Beyond100+ strategy.

The project is intended to simplify operations, improve data ownership and accountability, and help staff adopt new digital tools and processes. Bentley’s Dream Factory, its manufacturing base in Crewe, is being developed for more personalised, lower-impact luxury vehicle production.

The collaboration reflects a broader shift among established carmakers as software, connected systems and data analysis play a larger role in production and commercial planning. Across the sector, manufacturers are turning to AI and digital tools to improve efficiency and respond more quickly to changing demand.

Areas of focus

The work spans several parts of Bentley’s business. One area focuses on customer and commercial insight, where improved analytics and AI are expected to support sales, marketing and campaign activity.

Another focuses on IT service operations, moving beyond traditional support models to improve reliability and the employee experience. The collaboration also covers the data architecture needed to support faster decision-making and future product development, alongside cost control and ongoing process improvement.

The project extends beyond the factory floor. By linking manufacturing systems with back-office functions, Bentley is seeking a more integrated operating model across production, administration and commercial teams.

That approach reflects a wider automotive industry trend, as companies try to break down older technology silos that can slow decision-making and add complexity. In practice, this often means replacing or connecting legacy systems so information can move more easily between departments.

Capgemini said Bentley’s programme would draw on its experience in modernising large enterprise and manufacturing environments. The consulting and technology group reported global revenues of EUR €22.5 billion in 2025 and employs more than 420,000 people in more than 50 countries.

Rob Pears outlined Capgemini’s view of the partnership.

“Bentley Motors represents the pinnacle of British quality and manufacturing prowess, and we’re delighted to be supporting them to transform its digital operations. The brand’s legacy and ambitious vision offer exciting opportunities to drive innovation through data and AI, enabled by Capgemini’s deep expertise in integrating and modernising complex enterprise and manufacturing systems at scale,” said Rob Pears, UK Head of Manufacturing, Automotive and Life Sciences at Capgemini.

Bentley described the work as part of a longer-term relationship rather than a single technology deployment. Integration is already under way.

Axel Dewitz, who oversees finance and IT at Bentley, said the company sees the move as part of its broader transition.

“This transition marks an important step in Bentley’s digital journey. With Capgemini, we are building a strategic relationship to support our long-term ambitions. The integration is progressing smoothly and we’re looking to the future with a shared commitment to quality and agility,” said Axel Dewitz, Member of the Board for Finance and IT at Bentley.

SOFIAH NICHOLE SALIVIO

News Editor

Broadband traffic on Hyperoptic’s network rose by more than 125% during the England v Ghana match, peaking just before kick-off.

Measured against a 7pm pre-match baseline, the jump marked the network’s highest traffic point in June so far.

The figures suggest pressure builds on household internet connections before live sport even begins, as viewers stream coverage, follow social media, message friends and use several devices at once. The sharpest rise came during the pre-match build-up rather than during the match itself.

A consumer survey of 2,000 UK adults with home broadband found that 59% of football viewers had learned about a goal or another key sporting moment before seeing it on their own screen. Sources included phone alerts, social media, group chats, reactions from neighbours and responses from others in the same home.

For some households, the issue goes beyond spoilers. The research found that 11% had missed a key sporting moment because of buffering, lag or connection problems.

Nearly a third, or 29%, said buffering during a goal, penalty or another important moment would be among the most frustrating things that could happen during a major match. During major live sporting events at home, an average of 2.7 internet-connected devices are in use in the household at the same time, according to the survey.

Multiple devices

The findings underline how viewing habits have changed around big sporting occasions. Fans increasingly watch matches while scrolling on a second screen, sending messages, placing food orders or checking live reactions online, adding to pressure on home broadband connections.

Hyperoptic found that 65% of people who watch major live sport at home had taken none of the listed steps to prepare their broadband before a major event. Those steps included checking broadband speed, considering an upgrade or using mobile data as a back-up.

The full-fibre broadband provider, which focuses on urban areas, said its network now passes more than 1.9 million homes and has more than 400,000 customers. It operates across 64 towns and cities in the UK.

That footprint gives it a broad view of how entertainment habits affect internet demand in homes. The latest spike around an England fixture suggests national team matches can create concentrated surges in consumer traffic, especially immediately before kick-off as households settle in to watch.

Practical steps

Hyperoptic advised households to pause large downloads and software updates before a match, as these can consume bandwidth in the background. It also urged users to disconnect devices not needed during the game and keep routers in open positions rather than hiding them behind televisions or in cupboards.

Viewers should also make sure the main screen is using the strongest available Wi-Fi signal, or a wired connection where possible. If a stream starts to struggle, reducing second-screen activity may help. Hyperoptic also suggested switching off goal notifications to avoid spoilers if there is a delay.

Mark Bartlett, Chief Operating Officer at Hyperoptic, said: “Fans think about the snacks, the drinks, the comfiest spot and the group chat before a big match, but the broadband check is just as important. A frozen picture or delayed stream can mean missing the moment entirely, or finding out what happened from a roar coming from your neighbours, notifications or messages before it appears on your own screen.”

He added: “Tuesday night’s England game gave us another reminder of how broadband demand can build before the match even starts. Traffic on our network surged by more than 125% from the 7pm pre-match baseline and reached its highest point in June so far just before kick-off. That’s why the broadband check matters before the first whistle. Before a big fixture, households should pause large downloads, check what else is connected, keep the router clear and make sure the main screen is using the strongest connection available. These are small steps, but they can really help stop buffering becoming the real matchday spoiler.”