According to Juniper Research’s latest study “Mobile Games: Subscription & Download (4th edition)”, more than 460m mobile users are expected to download games by 2009, pushing revenues to nearly $10bn by 2009. Mobile game developers should thank to a steadily increasing variety of gaming-friendly handsets offering high quality 3D graphics, but also to emerging markets such as the Indian sub-continent, where the number of users will rise from 10m this year to nearly 40m in 2009.
Dr Windsor Holden, author of the report, suggests the game downloads have already overtaken those of ringtones in a number of Western European markets, while mobile handsets are now the de facto games console in many developing countries. However, he he sees potential problems with pricing structures, which continue to act as a disincentive to service adoption. In addition, the reports argues it’s the casual gamers whose needs has to be addressed with more classic titles in game developers portfolios.
Other findings from the Juniper report include:
- China and the Far East will remain the largest regional market for mobile games, with revenues rising from nearly $2.7bn in 2007 to $5.7bn by 2012.
- Global revenues from in-game advertising will rise from just $90m in 2007 to more than $1.2bn in 2012.
- Operators and publishers should expand the number of games they offer on a free trial basis.
Further details of the study can be freely downloaded from Juniper’s website.