Mobile Game Industry Matures

Posted on June 27th, 2008 in Mobile Ubiquity by Muse

The Multimedia Research Consultancy revealed some interesting data on the number of mobile game developers (companies, not people). Tracking the number of new startups and existing businesses, we see that the peak of enthusiasm occurred in 2003 (when more new companies were formed than at any other year) while the total number of developers in existence has continued to rise, although slowing down.

mobile game industry trends

One suspects the trendline will turn and amalgamation and attrition will diminish the overall number of developers - and hence demonstrating the maturity of the marketplace. For example, last year 50 companies folded, 55 were acquired (35 losing brand identity, 20 retaining it), 41 start-ups joined the fray, and 37 companies diversified to enter the mobile marketplace.

Who plays mobile phone games?

Posted on June 24th, 2008 in Mobile Ubiquity by Muse

Contrary to console gamers, mobile gamers have long been understood to fall into different demographics.  Specifically, a lot of mobile game play has been attributed to “soccer moms” - women in their 30s and 40s playing casual games.  New research by Greystripe shows that, as mobile games have improved and more action-oriented games have become, in fact, entertaining, a new demographic mirroring the console gamer has grown.  Now 75% of users fall into the highly sot after 18-34 year old age bracket, and 60% of users are male.

Teenagers and Mobile Phone Games

Posted on April 9th, 2008 in Mobile Ubiquity by Muse

Teenagers love their mobile phones. They also love games, which seems a match made in heaven for games on mobiles. A new survey suggests 64% of teenagers do in fact play games on their mobile phones. This seems most welcome news, but I think this may require a closer look.

Get free applications for your mobile phone

Posted on April 8th, 2008 in Mobile Ubiquity by Muse

MobileRated has long been a source for free mobile phone games. Today they announced they are extending their domain to include free mobile phone applications. Basically, software of any kind is now available for free download from MobileRated.

Who Really Plays Mobile Phone Games?

Posted on March 5th, 2008 in Mobile Ubiquity by Muse

Statistically, few (some say 3%) people with mobile phones play mobile phone games regularly.  Some, like Michel Guillemot, the head of mobile game publisher Gameloft, predict that mobile games are improving five times faster than standard video games and will soon rival console game quality.  But view the comments in the same article and hard core gamers still laugh at mobile phone games - they just are not designed to appeal to those who demand the ultimate technology-driven rush received by console games.  But Gameloft is making hundreds of millions selling mobile phone games.  So, who really plays mobile phone games?

Popular Mobile Phones for Games

Posted on February 27th, 2008 in Mobile Ubiquity by Muse

MobileRated published a news item showing the 25 most popular mobile phones used for downloading free cellular games.  While some lament the uptake of cellular games, there is no denying that some people are playing mobile games - plenty of mobile games.  Over 1 million downloads a month at MobileRated.  It is interesting to see which phones are most popular with game players.

GetJar says 35% of Mobile Games Don’t Work

Posted on February 26th, 2008 in Mobile Ubiquity by Muse

GetJar announced this claim based upon results from an on-line survey of their customers in the UK.  Furthermore, they claim only 15% of users found that their downloaded games always worked.  This damning report is a serious blow to the mobile games industry and points out the dark secret that porting games to 1000s of hand-sets has left gapping holes in testing and verifications processes.

BlackBerry Blasts Off

Posted on February 21st, 2008 in Mobile Ubiquity by Muse

A few years back Research in Motion (RIM) was in patent trouble and the future seemed dim.  While dominant in the business market for PDA devices (particularly for mobile email), it was possible their entire business model was at risk.  Once those troubles were behind them, RIM pushed into the smart phone consumer market with the Pearl mobile phone.  Why oh why didn’t I buy their stock back then?

BC Carbon Tax

Posted on February 20th, 2008 in Politics by Muse

The ruling British Columbia liberal party is not known for being green.  The idiomatic party is conservative-minded and tends to favor business interests.  But, like any political party interested in re-election, it must present itself as embracing current political sentiment. Thus finance minister Carole Taylor presented her 2008 budget dressed head to toe in green and introduced B.C.’s first Carbon Tax.  The right message at the right time, perhaps.  But, as is usual in politics, all is not exactly what it seems.

Cost of Advertising versus Purchasing Mobile Phone Games

Posted on February 19th, 2008 in Mobile Ubiquity by Muse

Advertising is touted as a natural fit for the internet culture - nobody wishes to pay for anything but most people are willing to exchange viewing advertising for that privilege. The internet is not free, of course, in that there is cost for access, usually a fixed rate per month. On the mobile internet, this cost is often not fixed and can be outrageously expensive, with per kilobyte charges. While far from prohibitive, this cost is a factor when advertising is dynamically inserted. Over sufficient time, it is possible to spend more on network costs for the advertising than for outright purchase of the merchandise.

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