The NPD Group is reporting that 59 percent of total game play is done on a mobile device. Part of their Mobile Gaming 2012 report, they say that app gamers who play most often on mobile phones are important because 23 percent of these app gamers only play on mobile devices.
Almost half of all gamers say they are playing more mobile games than last year, with 37 percent saying the reason is free apps and 34 percent arguing for portability and convenience. “Many mobile gaming consumers have grown accustomed to gaming for free, making it essential to find the sweet spot for pricing that encourages purchasing by as many consumers as possible,” said Liam Callahan, industry analyst, The NPD Group.
Right now, 30 percent of app games have an upgrade option or in-app purchases. The average price at which app gamers feel they would have received a good value is for an app game purchase or a free-to-paid app upgrade is approximately $3.
Gamers who choose to game most often on a smartphone are not as likely to have made an in-app game purchase or to have upgraded to a paid app compared to tablet gamers. There is a direct corespondance between gaming frequency increases and the likelihood of having made a purchase or upgrade.
“Mobile game developers and publishers need to be able to maximize their opportunities by identifying ways to increase the number of gamers willing to upgrade their free apps or pay for in-app purchases, which currently stand at close to 30 percent,” added Callahan. “Another opportunity for the industry as a whole is to convert mobile-only gamers to engage in other gaming activities across portables, consoles and PC’s where we see more money being spent per user.”
