PlayStation is one of the most recognizable brands in gaming and entertainment, known for its lineup of popular home video game consoles. Since launching the first PlayStation console in 1994, PlayStation has gone on to become the second-best selling video game brand worldwide, behind only Nintendo.
TikTok, meanwhile, has rapidly emerged as one of the world’s leading social media platforms. Owned by Chinese company ByteDance, TikTok is a video sharing app that allows users to create and share short videos set to music. Since launching internationally in 2017, TikTok has amassed over 1 billion monthly active users globally. It has become a hotspot for viral video trends, memes, and pop culture moments.
Playstation’s Social Media Presence
PlayStation maintains accounts on all the major social media platforms including Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, and Twitch. On Facebook, PlayStation has over 36 million followers, making it one of the largest brand pages on the platform. Its Twitter account has over 16 million followers. On Instagram, PlayStation has over 28 million followers and regularly posts new game announcements, behind-the-scenes content, memes, and fan art. The PlayStation YouTube channel has over 27 million subscribers and is used to share game trailers, announcements, and official PlayStation content. Its Twitch channel has over 820,000 followers and is used to livestream gameplay and events. Across its social media presence, PlayStation engages with fans by sharing the latest on its consoles, games, and services.
The Rise of TikTok
In recent years, TikTok has seen massive growth in popularity, especially in the US. According to one source, TikTok had over 500 million monthly active users in the US in 2021, making it the 7th most popular social media platform (Source). Another source showed that TikTok’s traffic growth on networks increased 90% from 2019 to 2020, demonstrating its rising popularity (Source).
Several factors have contributed to TikTok’s rapid emergence. Its short video format, algorithmic “For You” feed, and viral challenges resonated widely with young audiences. Brands and content creators also leveraged TikTok for marketing and building engaged follower bases. Overall, TikTok filled a niche for entertaining, easy-to- consume video content on mobile devices.
Brands Using TikTok
Major brands have flocked to TikTok to reach its large and engaged user base. According to TikTok itself, the platform has helped brands drive significant results, with TikTok’s Brand Lift studies showing an average ad recall lift of 6 times and an average increase in brand awareness of 2.5 times (source).
Examples of major brands finding success on TikTok include:
- Chipotle – Participated in viral trends like the Flip the Lid challenge, driving significant engagement.
- NBA – Created hashtag challenges and leveraged influencers during the NBA Finals, resulting in over 4 billion video views.
- Guess – Launched the #InMyDenim campaign with TikTok creators, driving a 55% increase in website traffic.
- Coca-Cola – Partnered with creators like Charli D’Amelio for dance challenges, garnering over 182 million views.
- Red Bull – Shared extreme sports content aligned with their brand, amassing over 5 million followers.
Brands that align their content strategy with popular TikTok trends and work with top creators have seen great success. TikTok’s immersive format allows brands to showcase their personality in fun and creative ways (source).
Does PlayStation Have a TikTok Account?
Yes, PlayStation does have an official TikTok account. The verified account “@playstation” joined TikTok in December 2019 and currently has over 4 million followers and 34 million likes. The account shares a mix of gameplay clips, behind-the-scenes looks at game development, reactions to PlayStation announcements, and more.
According to DualShockers, PlayStation’s TikTok account launched in February 2020. The account grew quickly, gaining over 1 million followers in its first month. Other gaming news sites like ComicBook also reported on PlayStation joining TikTok in late 2019.
PlayStation’s TikTok reflects their attempts to engage with a younger, more social media-savvy audience. As TikTok continues to grow rapidly, having a presence allows PlayStation to tap into new demographics and spread buzz about their brand, games, and announcements.
PlayStation’s Potential on TikTok
PlayStation has the potential to make great use of TikTok for marketing and engaging with younger audiences. As the platform continues to gain popularity among Generation Z and young millennials, PlayStation could leverage TikTok to promote upcoming games, consoles, accessories, and more.
One major opportunity is utilizing TikTok’s hashtag challenges and trends to generate buzz around new PS5 releases. PlayStation can encourage users to participate in custom branded challenges that showcase gameplay footage, unboxings, reactions, and more. This can help spread awareness and excitement for big PlayStation launches. As evidenced by the success other brands have found through hashtag challenges, these types of campaigns have major viral potential on TikTok.[1]
PlayStation can also leverage TikTok influencers and creators to promote PS5 products and games. Sponsored content from popular gaming personalities and influencers allows PlayStation to authentically reach younger audiences. Paying influencers to create custom content around new game releases is an impactful marketing tactic on TikTok.[2]
In addition, PlayStation can use TikTok to drive hype through teasers, trailers, and behind-the-scenes content. Short-form videos work great for generating excitement and awareness leading up to big announcements like new games or console updates. TikTok is the ideal platform for releasing bite-sized teasers and building engagement in the lead-up to major launches.
While challenges, influencers, and teasers represent some of the biggest marketing opportunities, PlayStation can also use TikTok for community building and customer service support. Responding to comments, questions, and feedback allows PlayStation to strengthen connections with users. TikTok presents a new channel for PlayStation to directly interact with their audience.
Challenges for PlayStation on TikTok
While the massive popularity of TikTok could be a huge opportunity for PlayStation, adopting the platform does come with some challenges. One of the biggest difficulties PlayStation may face is figuring out how to adapt its gaming content into the short, viral video style that works best on TikTok. Most gameplay videos are long form, which doesn’t align well with TikTok’s 15-60 second maximum video length. PlayStation would need to get creative with short clips, memes, animations, and other video formats optimized for TikTok.
PlayStation also faces the challenge of connecting with a younger audience. According to Business of Apps, 41% of TikTok users are between 16 and 24 years old. While PlayStation has a strong reputation with gamers, TikTok requires establishing credibility and relevance with Generation Z. This means adopting different styles of content and influencer marketing compared to other platforms.
There are also risks associated with TikTok’s unpredictable viral nature. While viral videos can help grow an audience exponentially, brands lose some control over how their content spreads. Controversies or PR crises that emerge on TikTok can be harder to manage. As a major brand, PlayStation would need to have social media policies and crisis plans in place before effectively leveraging TikTok.
Fan Reactions
Since PlayStation does not have an official TikTok account, some fans have expressed disappointment. Many gamers and PlayStation enthusiasts are active on TikTok and would love to see more engaging and entertaining video content from the iconic brand.
Scrolling through the #PlayStation hashtag shows fans posting reaction videos, unboxings, gameplay clips, and more. With over 52 billion views on #PlayStation videos, there is clearly demand for PlayStation content on TikTok.
Some loyal PlayStation fans have taken to TikTok to voice their desire for an official account. As user @blue_thundergaming said in a popular video, “Should Playstation fans be concerned about this? Xbox is killing it on TikTok…Playstation, it’s time to step up your social media game!” (source)
Overall, many PlayStation enthusiasts are eagerly awaiting the day when PlayStation finally creates a TikTok account to engage with fans on the platform.
The Future
While PlayStation currently does not have an official TikTok account, there is speculation that the company may join the platform in the future. As TikTok continues to grow rapidly, with over 1 billion monthly active users, many major brands are establishing a presence in order to connect with younger audiences.
PlayStation caters to a demographic that is very active on TikTok – teens and young adults who are passionate about gaming. Having an official PlayStation account on TikTok would allow the brand to create fun, shareable content that highlights their consoles, games, and experiences. This could help further build their community and spread brand awareness organically on a platform where users are highly engaged.
However, as a gaming and tech brand, PlayStation also faces challenges in adapting their marketing approach to TikTok’s style and culture. The content would need to feel authentic and creative in order to resonate with TikTok users. PlayStation would need to find a way to showcase their products and branding in a way that entertains rather than simply promotes to the TikTok audience.
While joining TikTok poses some strategic and creative challenges, the potential benefits may motivate PlayStation to develop an official presence on the platform. As TikTok continues to evolve and cement itself as a powerful marketing tool, we could see PlayStation become part of its content creator community and tap into its young audience in the future.
Conclusion
As we’ve seen, while PlayStation does not currently have an official presence on TikTok, the platform presents an interesting opportunity for the brand to engage with a younger, highly engaged audience. Given TikTok’s explosive growth and cultural influence, along with PlayStation’s focus on innovation, it seems likely that the brand will establish a foothold there in the future. However, they will need to carefully consider the challenges of adapting their gaming content for the TikTok format and audience. Overall, TikTok represents a new frontier for brands looking to connect with Generation Z, one that a forward-thinking company like PlayStation can’t afford to ignore. Their eventual presence there will be something for fans to eagerly anticipate.
