Tag: mobile games news

Mobile games help spur growth in digital sales

| April 22, 2013

mobile games digital salesDigital sales show strong growth with the help of mobile games

Market research firm SuperData has released a new study focused on the game industry and the sales therein. The study shows that sales for the month of March have grown somewhat over the level they had been in the same month in 2012. The growth is most pronounced in the field of mobile games, which have become rampantly popular among consumers of various types. The study shows that social games, however, continue to experience a steady decline in terms of revenue.

Digital sales grow 2.9%

According to the study, digital game sales for March grew to $875 million, an increase of 2.9% over the previous year. Mobile games, especially those that have some online and social elements, contributed heavily to this growth. Mobile games were able to capture the attention of consumers with an assortment of in-app purchases and advertisements, all of which contributed to the overall revenue that these games produced.

Social games begin losing ground with consumers

While mobile games saw growth, social games continue to experience a decline. Social games, those found on social networking sites like Facebook, have begun to lose favor among consumers due to lack of innovation and the inherent difficulty in engaging consumers in advertisements and in-game purchases on such platforms. SuperData notes that Facebook insists that social games are on the rise, but there has been a decided lack of competition in the social network’s social gaming environment since Zynga’s fall from grace.

EA pulling out of social gaming space

Large game publisher Electronic Arts announced early this week that it would be closing down some of its social games hosted on Facebook. The publisher has adopted a strong interest in mobile games, considering social to be a thing of the past and mobile to be the future. While EA already has a strong presence in the game industry, the company has found it difficult to compete in the mobile games arena and is keen to devote more focus therein.

Consumer behavior may affect performance of mobile games

| April 21, 2013

Mobile Games ConsumersMobile games heavily influenced by consumer behavior

Mobile games are becoming more than simple entertainment pieces for consumers with smartphones and tablets. These applications have proven to harbor valuable marketing opportunities and have helped engage consumers in a variety of brands that have benefited from their exposure in mobile games. As these games become a more important part of the lives of mobile consumers, understanding how they are used and how much time is devoted to them is becoming more important.

Survey shows that most gamers play while at home

How consumers engage in mobile games often determines whether or not they will engage in the marketing and monetization elements of these games. The behavior of consumers can often affect whether these games will be successful or not, regardless of whether the game itself is designed adequately or offers significant levels of entertainment. According to a recent survey from Mocospace, 46% of consumers are playing more mobile games now than they have ever done in the past. The survey also shows that the majority of these consumers actually play these games while at home instead of out in public.

Gaming trends affect mobile engagement

Because consumers are playing mobile games at home, they have shown themselves to be more susceptible to advertisements regarding other products that they could enjoy while at home. The Mocospace survey also shows that a sizable portion of consumers play mobile games while waiting for an appointment or while commuting. In these cases, consumers are likely to engage in mobile games for longer periods of time, but less likely to participate in in-app purchases or marketing campaigns.

Understanding consumer behavior may be key to successful mobile games

Understanding how people play mobile games could help developers fashion applications that align more with the interests of consumers. Doing so would also enable these applications to appeal to the interests of consumers from a marketing perspective, increasing the opportunities available for marketers to engage these consumers.