Tag: mobile gaming industry

Mobile games eclipse portable consoles in revenue

| February 25, 2013

Mobile Games Eclipse Portable ConsolesMobile games generate more revenue than portable consoles

Mobile devices like smartphones and tablets have come to play a major role in the game industry. The advent of smartphones birthed the popularity of applications, relatively light pieces of software that provide services and entertainment for people all over the world. As smartphones became more advanced, so too did their applications. Mobile games have become the most popular of these applications, and they have benefitted tremendously from the advances made in mobile technology. Now, these mobile games are generating revenue that is dwarfing that produced through the game industry’s much touted portable consoles.

Consoles not living up to expectations

Nintendo and Sony are the biggest names in the portable console market. Both companies recently released portable consoles that were highly anticipated among consumers. Despite this anticipation, however, these consoles did not sell as well as the companies had hopes. Both the Nintendo 3DS and Sony Playstation Vita have seen lackluster sales globally and because these consoles are not universally favored by consumers, the games they support have generated less revenue than Sony and Nintendo would have liked.

Data highlights popularity of mobile games

Research firms IDC and App Annie have release data concerning the disparity in the revenues generated through mobile games and portable consoles. The data shows that portable consoles see high sales during holiday seasons, but mobile games account for year-round spending. Approximately 60% of all app spending in Apple’s App Store, and 80% in Google Play, was directed to mobile games. Most of these games include in-game transactions, which entice gamers to purchase power-ups or virtual currencies in order to gain an edge.

Game industry continues to adjust to the clout of mobile devices

The mobile games market has become extremely influential in the overall game industry. Large developers that had, in the past, been focused exclusively on consoles are beginning to set their sights on mobile devices in order to tap into a new generation of consumers. Publishers like Electronic Arts and Activision are also taking a strong position on mobile gaming, expecting to see major success in this market that they have not seen in portable consoles.

New program could help developers find success in mobile games market

| February 24, 2013

Mobile Games MarketExecution Labs teams with Chartboost to provide entry into mobile games

Execution Labs, a Canadian gaming incubator, has announced that it is teaming up with Chartboost, a mobile games advertising and monetization startup. Together, the two companies are forming a matchmaking program that is targeted at independent game developers. The program is meant to help developers promote their work, but not to consumers. Through the program, developers will have an opportunity to share their talents with one another, helping build network connections throughout the game industry.

Lab Partners designed with independent developers in mind

The program is called Lab Partners and has a primary focus on independent developers of mobile games. The idea is to give developers a way to connect with each other and tap into the skills of their colleagues while also being able to promote new mobile games to potential consumers. Big name developers like Zynga and Rovio are able to direct millions of gamers to their new titles by marketing in their older gamers, something that smaller development studios rarely do effectively. The program may help solve this problem by giving developers access to tools that can help them expand their reach.

Competition is fierce for newcomers

It is becoming for new mobile games developers to enter into the market, even if they have innovative ideas for games. According to a recent Distimo report, only 2% of the top 250 developers on the Apple App Store are considered new to the market. Lab Partners is designed to make it easier for developers to find success in the competitive mobile games market through connecting developers to one another and allowing them to promote their skills and products more effectively.

Larger developers continue to overshadow smaller developers

The mobile games market is currently crowded with new developers, but few of these studios manage to get attention because of the overwhelming presence of larger organizations. Large developers account for millions of gamers, who have little need to look elsewhere for the mobile games they are interested in. Lab Partners may provide smaller developers with the edge they need to establish a stronger presence in this market.