Close to one quarter of App gamers only play on mobile devices

According to Mobile Gaming 2012, the latest report from leading market research company, The NPD Group, among all app gamers, 59 percent of total game play is done on a mobile device. The growing importance of app gamers, defined as mobile gamers who play most often on a smartphone or tablet, is demonstrated by the fact that 23 percent of these app gamers only play on mobile devices.

When comparing the gaming behavior of gamers in 2012 vs. 2011, almost half of gamers said they are playing mobile games more this year than last year, with the main reasons for this increase being free apps (37 percent), followed closely by portability and convenience (34 percent).

App Acquisition

Close to 30 percent of app gamers have made either an in-app game purchase or have upgraded from a free app to a paid version. 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 when compared to tablet gamers who are more likely to have done both behaviors. Not surprisingly, as gaming frequency increases, so does the likelihood of having made a purchase or upgrade.

"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. "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. 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."

Methodology

An online survey was fielded from August 7, 2012 to August 16, 2012 to members of NPD's online panel. The survey was completed by 5,923 individuals ages 2 and older. For children under the age of 16, respondents were contacted using a parental surrogate, with the parent sitting with the child and helping younger children complete the survey if necessary.