Research from Frank N. Magid Associates sponsored by PlaySpan says that more game consumers view the smartphone as their platform of choice. The survey says that 80 percent of all consumers in the U.S. are now playing games, something attributed in part to the increase in smartphone ownership.
While the survey found that 35 percent of respondents pointed to consoles as their top gaming platform, smartphones were very close, as 34 percent said that mobile was their preferred gaming platform. This was followed by tablets at 11 percent and computers at 6 percent, while dedicated handhelds like the 3DS or PS Vita were at only 3 percent.
There is a huge gender discrepancy in preference for smartphones vs. consoles. While 49 percent of men said they prefer consoles compared to 18 percent of women, 45 percent of women contrastingly prefer smartphones compared to 25 percent of men.
Free-to-play is hugely beneficial for mobile, and the study found that 110 million Americans prefer free-to-play than pay-to-play and 77 percent of gamers are spending more time with free-to-play than the alternative. Men are three times more likely than women to make in-game purchases in free-to-play games, spending $13.38 per month compared to $4.84 for women.
Given typical pay habits, men were unsurprisingly almost three times more likely than women to say pay-to-play or subscription based games are their favorite. The most lucrative demographic was the 18-24 age group where men were paying an average of $30.59 a month on in-game purchases.
“The shift in free-to-play games is becoming the norm in the gaming industry and this survey reinforces that trend,” said Robert Crawford, vice president of Frank N. Magid Associates. “We’re seeing free-to-play game revenue outpacing pay-to-play games when looking at the long-term average spend per year. It’s important that game developers recognize this change and be able to monetize it through new free-to-play gaming platforms.”
