Report highlights the growth of mobile games over handhelds
IDC, a leading market analysis firm, and App Annie, a resource for Apple-centric information, have come together to release a new report concerning emerging trends seen in mobile games. The report, called “App Annie & IDC Portable Gaming Report,” shows that mobile games have managed to establish strong momentum over the years, especially when it comes to iOS devices. The iOS platform has become one of the most popular platforms for mobile games, so much so that these games are beginning to perform better than traditional handheld games.
Mobile games beat handhelds in terms of revenue
Mobile games have become one of the most lucrative sectors of the game industry. Developers and publishers around the world have begun focusing more heavily on the mobile space in order to tap into the powerful economic activity that is occurring therein. According to the report from IDC and App Annie, spending on mobile games has increased significantly over the past year and has, for the first time, outpaced the revenue that traditional handheld games produce.
Android may become powerful gaming platforms, eventually
The report shows that the iOS is leading the way in terms of mobile games spending. Google’s Android is lagging behind both the iOS platform and traditional handhelds in terms of gaming, but the report suggests that this may change in the next financial quarter. Google has been reforming its approach to gaming and mobile applications, introducing significant changes to its Google Play service. These changes are expected to help the company put more focus on mobile games. This focus is likely to propel Android ahead of handheld consoles in the future.
Mobile games may soon cut into console markets
The report indicates that there are a rising number of new markets emerging in the mobile gaming sector. In these markets, consumers are showing strong interest in mobile games of all kinds. Many of these markets happen to be in Asia, where smartphones and tablets are already quite popular. As mobile games continue to grow in power, they may soon begin to cut into the profits that have kept traditional handheld consoles afloat for several years.
