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Newest Survey by The NPD Group Provides a Clear Picture of Mobile Gamers in the
U.S.
PORT WASHINGTON, NEW YORK, August 16, 2005 – Mobile gaming is far more than just
a fad, according to a new report published by The NPD Group, “Mobile Games: Who’s
Playing.” The report, which provides an in-depth look at consumer demand for mobile
games, is based on a recent survey of more than 8,500 teens and adults conducted
by The NPD Group and explores the key growth drivers in this flourishing market,
including purchasing habits, who’s buying vs. who’s freeloading and just how much
they’ll pay to play.
”The world of mobile gaming is like the Wild West,” says Clint Wheelock, vice
president of wireless research for The NPD Group, who oversaw the study. “In
this time of rapid growth, and with the industry in such a formative stage, it’s
especially important for wireless operators and game publishers to understand
the mindsets of mobile gamers, in order to best position themselves for long-term
success.”
According to the report, the addressable market for mobile games continues to
expand quickly, with half of all U.S. wireless subscribers now owning phones capable
of downloading games. A full 27 percent play games on those devices, including
purchased downloads as well as free demos and pre-loaded games, compared to 20
percent last year. Even better for the industry, the market hasn’t come close
to tapping its potential—another six percent of current non-gamers confessed an
interest in playing on their phone over the next year. The reason most often cited
for the burgeoning interest: “to kill time or alleviate boredom.” In fact, the
average gaming session is a mere 11 minutes.
The Players and What They’re Playing
Mobile games are a “digital snack” for video gamers while they’re away from their
game consoles, PCs, and handhelds – consumers who play games on other devices
are twice as likely to play on their cell phones, as well. But limited screen
size and navigation options do have an impact, which is a key reason why casual
games like puzzles and cards are the most popular. Not surprisingly, kids between
the ages of 13 and 17 (60 percent) are nearly three times as likely as adults
(23 percent) to be mobile gamers. More surprising, however, is the increasing
ethnic diversity of the mobile gaming community—compared to typical wireless subscribers,
mobile gamers are twice as likely to be African-American, Hispanic or Asian.
The Price Conundrum
According to the report, mobile gamers tend to spend more on handsets—an average
of 57 percent more. They also tend to be heavier users of their mobile phones
for regular calls, using 48 percent more wireless minutes than non-gamers, and
their monthly wireless bills are 22 percent higher than the average subscriber.
But not all of the news is positive for the mobile gaming industry. According
to the report, there’s a significant price sensitivity issue, which is inhibiting
the industry from really taking off. That helps explain why only about one-third
of mobile gamers actually buy the games themselves. The remaining two-thirds are
satisfied playing free or pre-loaded games. And just like digital music, the dominant
purchase model is single downloads, while monthly subscriptions barely show up
on consumer’s radars.
Methodology
“Mobile Games: Who’s Playing?” was an Internet-based survey among members of
NPD’s online consumer panel. A nationally balanced sample of teens (13-17) and
adults (18+) was invited to complete the survey, and NPD collected 8,774 total
responses, of which 6,703 were current wireless subscribers and thus qualified
for the Mobile Gaming survey. Price sensitivity analysis was conducted using the
Van Westendorp Price Sensitivity Meter methodology.
About The NPD Group, Inc.
Since 1967 The NPD Group has provided reliable and comprehensive consumer and
retail information for a wide range of industries. Today more than 1,400 manufacturers
and retailers rely on NPD to help them better understand their customers, product
categories, distribution channels and competition in order to help guide their
business. Information from The NPD Group is available for the following major
vertical sectors: apparel, appliances, automotive, beauty, consumer electronics,
food and beverage, foodservice, footwear, home improvement, housewares, imaging,
information technology, music, software, travel, toys, video games, and wireless.
For more information visit www.npd.com |
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