Tag: tablet games

Mobile games continue to grow in popularity

| April 29, 2013

Mobile Games PopularityJuniper Research study highlights growth of mobile games

Juniper Research, a leading market research firm, has released a new study on the state of mobile games. As with other studies in the same vein, Juniper’s notes that mobile games are gaining strong momentum among consumers as smartphones and tablets become more availability. Mobile games are helping many fulfill their need for entertainment throughout the day, while also providing sufficient distraction for those at work or traveling. The report paints a promising future for the mobile games sector as more people become involved in gaming on their mobile devices.

64 billion mobile games to be downloaded by 2017

The study from Juniper Research predicts that more than 64 billion mobile games will be downloaded by consumers by 2017, more than triple the number of downloads that were reported in 2012. While many mobile games are specifically designed to be addicting, Juniper Research claims that the most significant contributing factor to this growth is the increasing number of free-to-play mobile games. These games require no purchase and are available to all consumers, immediately making them more attractive than games that are associated with a fee.

Games prove most popular with tablet owners

The study shows that tablet owners are particularly fond of mobile games. Juniper Research suspects that the reason mobile games are so popular among tablet owners is due to the better controls, larger screens, and higher fidelity visuals that can be achieved through these devices. As such, tablet games are considered slightly better than their smartphone counterparts among consumers. The study suggests that there are twice as many downloads for mobile games among tablet owners than among smartphone owners.

Mobile games expected to continue growing beyond 2017

Juniper Research does not predict the growth of mobile games to slow down beyond 2017. These games have established themselves as a cornerstone of the game industry and many developers and publishers therein are beginning to consider mobile games an ideal medium to consumer engagement. These games have also become one of the most lucrative sectors of the game industry.

Mobile games are becoming the heart of the game industry

| March 30, 2013

Mobile Games Heart of Game IndustryDevelopers becoming increasingly enthralled by mobile games

The game industry is currently on the verge of reaching its next generation; an era of powerful consoles equipped with cutting edge hardware. The companies behind this next generation of gaming, primarily Sony and Microsoft, are putting emphasis on the capabilities of new consoles, suggesting that they will be able to power games that provide a new level of entertainment and engagement was not possible until now. This new generation of consoles has, however, failed to hype consumers, many of whom are enthralled in the world of mobile games.

Developers are breaking away from publishers

In the past, a new generation of consoles typically meant a great deal of enthusiasm from developers. Developers have, traditionally, been focused primarily on these consoles, which served as the platform for the games they created. Over the past few years, however, smartphones and tablets have begun to replace consoles among consumers. These mobile devices have enabled a wider range of people to participate in mobile games, which have come to dominate the game industry itself. The popularity of mobile games has also lead to developers embracing mobile platforms over consoles.

Indie developers enjoy immaculate position among consumers

Today, many developers consider themselves “independent,” a term that suggests they have no ties with game publishers. The label of “indie” developer has earned several studios high praise among consumers, largely due to the concept that publishers are an inappropriate evil that is ruining the game industry as a whole. The advent of mobile games has shown that developers of all sized can find success in the industry without the backing of a large publisher. Indie ventures are often considered, among consumers, to be the purest form of game development. For developers, mobile games symbolize a way to present new ideas, but also a way to generate a great deal of profit.

Financial prospects of mobile games is not ignore by indie developers

As more developers break away from publishers and begin to focus on mobile games, console makers, like Sony, are attempting to encourage these developers to bring their games to the next generation of consoles. Sony’s Playstation 4, for example, is opening its proverbial doors to these developers, offering them tools and incentives to ensure that their games can run on this console. Many developers, however, have become irreversibly enthralled in the prospects of mobile games, and not just because of the creative opportunities that can be found therein. In-app purchases and advertising have made these games a lucrative venture that has turned a few innovative studios into multi-million dollar enterprises. Developers, large or small, are not blind to the financial implications of successful mobile games.