Market researcher Parks Associates says 135 million people play digital games across mobile, free-to-play (F2P) and social platforms for at least one hour per month, which is up from 56 million in 2008.

17 per cent of gamers have downloaded a game to their smartphones, rising from seven per cent in 2008. Additionally, around 80 per cent play F2P games on the PC or via Facebook on games such as Farmville, according to the report.

Pietro Macchiarella, Parks Associates research analyst and study author, said: "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.

"The positive effect of this approach is that game monetisation 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."

From the article, "Almost one-fifth of gamers download to smartphones" by Zen Terrelonge

Be the first to leave a comment.

Have a comment? Login or create an account to start a discussion.