Survey Shows Mobile Gaming Nearly Doubling

Survey Shows Mobile Gaming Nearly Doubling
NEW YORK

Ronald Roach

The annual “Digital Gaming in America” survey by Ziff Davis Media Game Group reveals that cell phone gaming has gained usage at a skyrocketing pace from 2004 to 2005. The number of households engaged in cell phone gaming almost doubled, jumping from 16.3 million last year to 27.9 million this year.  

The 2005 Digital Gaming in America study reported a number of unexpected shifts in mobile and portable gaming habits and consumer preferences. Mobile phone gamers in the study reported spending 19 minutes per gaming session. They spent an average of $13 on mobile phone games in a 60-day period, and core gamers spent even more on mobile phone games — $19 in the 60-day period. (“Core gamers” are said to be  those who bought four or more games in the last six months and play 10 or more hours per week.)

Forty-nine percent of survey respondents who do not play games on their phones cited small screen sizes as the primary deterrent. Respondents also cited a lack of desirable games (46 percent) and high costs (35 percent) as reasons they don’t yet play cell phone games.

The Digital Gaming in America study is conducted by Ziff Davis Media Game Group, producers of Electronic Gaming Monthly, Computer Gaming World and Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine.

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