Image via Wikipedia
The last few years have dramatically changed what it meant to be a "gamer." All of a sudden, a genre that had previously only included people willing to invest in powerful computers or home consoles blew up to potentially include anyone with access to Facebook or a phone. In a world of Angry Birds, we are all gamers.
According to Venturebeat, a new study by market research and consulting company found that 135 million people now play games for at least one hour a month, up from 56 million in 2008. Smartphones are the biggest culprit, though not the only one: seventeen percent of all gamers have downloaded a gaming app for their phone. Facebook also fares well, with a full 80 percent of gamers using the computer to play a free-to-play title.
While it could be easy to dismiss the wave of new gamers as economically insignificant as compared to traditional players shelling out $50-$60 for every new title, the study says this isn't necessarily the case. People who spend money on Facebook games typically spend around $29 a month -- about the same as the average console gamer is likely to spend.
The population shift has changed the way developers look at their revenue: with offline console titles, a developer's next chance to make money off a title is when it releases a sequel. With online titles, the opportunity for continuous content sales reward developers that strive to build communities around their titles.
“Instead of ending support of customers after they buy individual game titles, game companies now focus on building gamer communities and developing ongoing relationships with their customers,” Parks Associates research analyst and study author Pietro Macchiarella told Venturebeat. “The positive effect of this approach is that game monetization can be extended beyond the point of sale. Unlike traditional offline games, the online world allows the industry to earn revenue even when people play the same game repeatedly.”
With console blockbusters like Call of Duty already pushing the limits of what can be expected out of a traditional title, it seems like Facebook and Smartphones are the areas for biggest growth in the industry. The early days of Farmville may be over, but there's a lot of growth yet to be had.
follow me on twitter
