Parks Associates reports U.S. gaming population increased from 56 to 135 million from 2008-2011

More U.S. consumers are playing videogames now than ever before, even as game consoles are losing their market dominance to online and mobile gaming solutions, according to international research firm Parks Associates.

The firm’s consumer data, featured in the new consumer research project Online Gaming and Digital Distribution, show the number of U.S. consumers who play at least one hour of videogames per month increased from 56 million in 2008 to 135 million in 2011. The majority of these new gamers are "casual gamers," in particular people who play games like FarmVille and Angry Birds on social networks and mobile devices.

This formidable growth comes thanks to increasing penetration of devices such as tablets and, to a lesser extent, smartphones. Three-fourths of U.S. tablet owners play games on the device, including 79% of teen tablet owners, and 57% of smartphone owners play games on it.

"The increase in the number of gamers is impressive because it crosses almost all demographics," said Pietro Macchiarella, Research Analyst, Parks Associates. "Most of this growth is due to increases in the casual gamer segments, with tablets and smartphones usurping PlayStation, Wii, and XBOX as popular gaming devices.”

Growth in traditionally "hardcore" gaming segments, such as MMORPG gamers, has stagnated for several years. Gaming is a social activity for casual gamers; however, most players prefer asynchronous multiplayer games as opposed to multiplayer games “where everyone plays at the same time.”

"These changes have significant implications for the gaming industry," Macchiarella said. "This new majority of casual gamers is looking for games with low entry barriers, with limited investments required in terms of dollars and time necessary to learn the game. In addition, the ubiquity of portable devices and Internet access allows more people to play on-the-go, putting pressure on the gaming industry to design games that can deliver a satisfactory experience within these specific conditions."

Macchiarella adds that the continuing adoption of tablets will attract even more gamers and also increase the average time gamers, and the U.S. population in general, spend gaming. Parks Associates will present consumer data and analysis on digital media and consumer use of tablets, smartphones, and connected CE at CONNECTIONS™ Summit at CES, January 10, 2012, at Las Vegas.

Online Gaming and Digital Distribution analyzes online gamers to provide consumer segmentation, discover how current gamers spend their time and money, and identify gaming solutions and services that will capture future spending. For more information, visit www.parksassociates.com or contact [email protected], 972-490-1113.

About Parks Associates: Parks Associates, a woman-founded and certified business, is an internationally recognized market research and consulting company specializing in emerging consumer technology products and services. Founded in 1986, Parks Associates provides business intelligence and research services through its proprietary methodologies developed over decades, including quarterly surveys of 10,000 internet households.

The company's expertise crosses many industries: home security and smart home, streaming video, broadband and pay-TV services, digital media and platforms, gaming, Wi-Fi and home networks, connected health, support, consumer electronics, home control systems, energy management, and tech solutions for the multi-dwelling (MDU), small-to-medium business (SMB), and commercial building markets.

Each year, Parks Associates brings thousands of leaders together for its webinars and annual events. The firm hosts the annual executive research and strategy conferences CONNECTIONS™, Connected Health Summit, Smart Energy Summit, Smart Spaces, and Future of Video. https://www.parksassociates.com
 

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