According to a new study done by the Entertainment Software Association or ESA for short, sixty percent of all adult gamers in the United States choose to play video games on their smartphones.
A few years back this might have seemeed a bit surprising. But phone graphics have gotten much better and in turn, gameplay overall has improved. Sure, it pales in comparison to what you can do currently on a console or PC in most cases, but it isn’t out of the realm of possibility that we will see an increased number of people choosing to use their smartphones as a gaming platform.
This new information only serves to reaffirm that the money that companies like Razor and Asus Rog have spent to create the next generation of gaming-centered smartphones is paying off. It not only gives developers the confidence to pitch new ideas, but it also means that an increased number of companies will start to bring their own gaming phones to the market.
According to reuters, the study reveals that the average age of gamers in the United States is around 33 years old and that those same individuals spend 85 percent more on mobile gaming content than in 2015. The study goes on to state that 164 million adults in the United States play video games, with 60 percent choosing to play on their mobile device. It's important to note that within that 60 percent, half of those same users also play on their personal computer. As it relates to game choice, the study showed that while females make up 46 percent, those between the ages of 18 and 34 preferred to play games like Candy Crush, Tomb Raider and Assassins Creed, whereas their male counterparts preferred games like God of War, Fortnite and Madden NFL. Gamers who were between the ages of 40 and 54 seemed to play similar games however, regardless of gender.
While this might not be a comprehensive enough study to get a true understanding of how gender, age and demographics play a part in game choice, it's a start. It shows that the emergence of smartphones has allowed for more adults than ever to get into the world of gaming and in turn, it will only help to improve the experience for everyone involved. Rather than getting input from a set demographic, mobile game developers have the distinct advantage of getting feedback from a wider range of individuals from exceedingly varied backgrounds.
Having more individuals become a part of the gaming community is always a good thing, but there is some concern that too much focus on the mobile side of things will hinder companies from making better games on other platforms. Only time will tell if this will indeed occur, but game companies would be best served to continue to engage on the same level with all their consumers.