14 DAY TRIAL // Smartphones have registered a great amount of success lately, and their wider usage is also seen as a great way for mobile gaming to propel. According to comScore, more and more users are downloading mobile games in the US. In November last year, their number reached 8.5 million, 17 percent higher than a year before. At the same time, the number of downloads on smartphones was about three times higher, while that of downloads on feature phones went down by 14 percent.
"The rapid growth in smartphone adoption in the United States has provided a boost for mobile gaming, as 34% of those downloading a game in November did so using a smartphone," said Mark Donovan, senior analyst, comScore, in a statement on Friday. He noted that six out of the top 10 devices used for mobile downloads are now smartphones, compared to none last year.
Razr and low-end flip phones have been replaced by smartphones like iPhone and BlackBerry Curve as users' choice for a gaming device. In addition, the growth of gaming on mobile phones has been helped a lot by teens, who put aside gaming-specific devices in favor of smartphones. Around 3.8 percent of users downloaded a game in November. At the same time, 8.9 percent of them, or about 20.5 million, played a game that was downloaded.
“As the mobile phone has evolved into a better platform for both playing and merchandising games, the games being offered have also been improved, drawing in a broader user base,” observed Donovan. “Over the past year, we have seen mobile gaming expand into a broadening demographic, with strongest growth among teens, who previously eschewed their mobile device in favor of handheld gaming devices, and those 35 and older.”
comScore also stated that all mobile content categories grew in November last year, except for ringtone purchases, which went down 1.1 percent. The downloaded application usage and access to social networking are stated to have seen the highest rise rate.