Summary

This study takes a look at the state of gaming on mobile platforms – i.e. smartphones, tablets and handheld consoles – in terms of technology and device shipments, and in terms of usage which has been heavily influenced by innovations in interactivity and gameplay. It also explores the market from an industrial standpoint, against a backdrop of OS and app store wars, and takes a look at its economics, detailing the latest trends, success stories and winning business models. Lastly, the report provides market figures and forecasts up to 2018.

Table of contents

1. Executive Summary

2. Methodology & definitions

3. Mobile gaming devices: smartphones and tablets top the list
3.1. Apple, the market booster
3.2. Device wars: Samsung, Apple and the rest
3.3. Handheld consoles vs. mobile devices
3.4. The devices’ technical capabilities: smartphones have surpassed handheld consoles

4. Target audience: everybody!
4.1. Close to half of smartphone and tablet owners are mobile gamers
4.2. The mobile gamer population is increasingly female and older
4.3. Growing popularity of the tablet
4.4. Mobile games: to relax and pass the time, sometimes multitasking
4.5. Gamers spent an average 26.10 USD in 2013
4.6. Is mobile gaming cannibalising games on other platforms?

5. OS and app store wars
5.1. Android: the OS that powers most mobile devices
5.2. Android vs. Apple: twice the number of app downloads but half the revenue
5.3. iOS applications much more lucrative
5.4. Android: app downloads and revenue both on the rise

6. The economics of mobile gaming
6.1. Incomparable catalogues: a plethora of titles
6.2. Mobile devices: the platform of choice for casual and social games
6.3. Evolution of distribution models: swift and massive
6.4. Business models
6.4.1. Ubiquity of Free2Play
6.4.2. In-game ads provide brands with an interesting opportunity to reach new customers
6.5. Mobile games generate the bulk of app stores’ revenue
6.6. An industry populated by disparate players
6.7. Market expected to continue to flourish
6.7.1. Number of gamers
6.7.2. ARPU
6.7.3. Market

7. Conclusion: how are mobile games impacting the gaming industry as a whole?

List of tables and figures

List of tables and figures

Tables
Table 1: Tablet sales, by geographical area, 2014-2018
Table 2: Smartphone sales, by geographical area, 2014-2018
Table 3: Technical specifications for handheld consoles
Table 4: Technical specifications for smartphones and tablets
Table 5: Comparison of gamer profiles in Europe and in the United States
Table 6: How much do apps make on average on the different app stores? (2013)
Table 7: Number of games available on digital distribution platforms, in November 2014
Table 8: Top 20 iOS games, in terms of revenue generated
Table 9: Average price of games available on Google Play, by genre
Table 10: Top 10 advertisers for mobile game apps by amount spent, Q3 2012
Table 11: Top 20 publishers of iOS mobile games in the United States in April 2014
Table 12: Top 20 publishers of Android mobile games in April 2014
Table 13: Number of smartphone gamers, by geographical area, 2014-2018
Table 14: Number of tablet gamers, by geographical area, 2014-2018 30
Table 15: Percentage of the population that are smartphone gamers, by geographical area, 2014-2018
Table 16: Percentage of the population that are tablet gamers, by geographical area, 2014-2018
Table 17: Annual ARPU for gaming on smartphones, 2014-2018
Table 18: Annual ARPU for gaming on tablets, 2014-2018
Table 19: Global mobile gaming market, by geographical area
Table 20: Global market for gaming on smartphones, by geographical area
Table 21: Global market for gaming on tablets, by geographical area
Table 22: Top 20 iOS games, by daily revenue in the United States

Figures
Figure 1: Growth of mobile gaming revenue worldwide, 2000-2014
Figure 2: Global mobile gaming market
Figure 3: Growth of Apple’s sales revenue, 2001-2013
Figure 4: Breakdown of Apple’s revenue, 2003-2013
Figure 5: Revenue growth for the mobile gaming segment worldwide, 2000-2014
Figure 6: Market share for the top five smartphone suppliers in 2013 (unit sales)
Figure 7: Global smartphone sales for the top five suppliers, 2012-2013
Figure 8: Tablet, smartphone and handheld console sales, 2014-2018
Figure 9: Breakdown of sales volume for smartphones and handheld consoles, 2014-2018
Figure 10: Percentage of smartphone and tablet owners in the United States who are mobile gamers, 2011-2013
Figure 11: Gender breakdown of mobile gamers in the United States, 2011-2013
Figure 12: How mobile gamers use their tablet and smartphone, in the United States, 2011-2013
Figure 14: Where do gamers play? (US gamers in 2011)
Figure 16: Gaming: mobile devices vs. other platforms, in the United States, in 2013
Figure 17: Some of the top mobile games in 2013, according to mashable.com
Figure 18: Market share for the different tablet, smartphone and handheld console OS, in 2013
Figure 19: Number of applications available on the main app stores, in July 2014
Figure 20: Comparison of app downloads and revenue on the iOS App Store and Google Play, in Q3 2014
Figure 21: Growth of app downloads on Google Play, Q1 2013 vs. Q1 2014
Figure 22: Growth of app revenue on Google Play, Q1 2013 vs. Q1 2014
Figure 23: Growth of the number of games available on the iTunes Store, 2008-2013
Figure 24: Breakdown of mobile games by genre, Q3 2012
Figure 25: Frequency of play and gamer retention by type of game
Figure 26: Segmentation of iOS games by business model, in February 2014
Figure 27: Average price of video games on Android and iOS, April 2013
Figure 28: Video games’ share of total downloads and revenue generated on the Apple App Store and on Google Play
Figure 29: Number of mobile gamers worldwide, 2014-2018
Figure 30: Where do mobile gamers live? (2014)
Figure 31: Growth of annual mobile gamer ARPU, 2014-2018
Figure 32: Global mobile gaming market, 2014-2018
Figure 33: Global mobile gaming market, by geographical area
Figure 34: Mobile gaming market in 2014, by geographical area
Figure 35: Handheld console market, in value, 2005-2018

Geographic area

World

Players

  • Activision Blizzard
  • Amazon
  • Apple
  • Big Fish Games
  • Blizzard
  • Buffalo Studios
  • COLOPL
  • Disney
  • Double Down Interactive
  • Electronic Arts
  • Facebook
  • Gameloft
  • GAMEVIL
  • Glu Games
  • Google
  • GREE
  • GungHo
  • IGG.COM
  • Information Solutions Group
  • Kabam
  • King.com
  • Konami
  • LINE Corporation
  • Machine Zone
  • Microsoft
  • mixi
  • mobage
  • NamcoBandai Games
  • Nintendo
  • PlayStudios
  • Playtika
  • PopCap
  • Samsung
  • SEGA
  • SGN
  • Sony
  • Square Enix
  • Steam
  • Sumzap
  • SUNDAYTOZ
  • Supercell
  • TeamLava
  • TinyCo
  • Uplay
  • Zynga

Slideshow

1. Mobile gaming devices: smartphones and tablets leading the way
1.1. Device wars: Samsung, Apple and the rest
1.2. Handheld consoles vs. mobile devices

2. Target audience: everybody!
2.1. Mobile gamer population more female and older than total gamer population

3. The OS and app store wars
3.1. Android is the number one operating system in terms of tablet, smartphone and handheld console sales.
3.2. Android: more downloads but less revenue

4. The economics of mobile gaming
4.1. Incomparable catalogues: a plethora of titles
4.2. Evolution of distribution models: swift and massive + FTP

5. A market that will continue to flourish
5.1. A gamer population that keeps on growing
5.2. A market (re)invigorated by tablets
5.3. Asia dominates the global market

Other details

  • Reference: M14225IN3A
  • Delivery: on the DigiWorld Interactive platform
  • Languages available: French, English
  • Tags: Android, app store, app stores' revenue, casual games, computer games, Free2Play, Free-to-Play, game companies, gamers, games, gaming industry, handheld consoles, in-game ads, iPad, iPhone, iTunes, mobile devices, mobile gamers, mobile gaming, mobile gaming devices, mobile gaming market, mobile phones, mobile platforms, pay-per-play, phaplets, smartphones, social games, tablets, ubiquitous games, video game industry

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