Mobile gaming to earn USD 4.5 bn in 2008: Gartner

Mumbai, Jun 27 (UNI) Worldwide mobile gaming revenue is on pace to total USD 4.5 billion in 2008, a 16.1 per cent increase from 2007 revenue of USD 3.9 billion, according to Gartner, Inc.

While mobile gaming revenue would continue to lag behind other value-added entertainment services such as music and adult content, the market still has much potential, it said in a report released here today.

Gartner predicts that mobile gaming revenue will experience a compound annual growth rate of 10.2 per cent between 2007 and 2011 with worldwide end-user spending reaching USD 6.3 billion in 2011.

Analysts said mobile operators and other game providers should build usage by offering game demos or advertising-funded games.

''Although current consumer interest in, and usage of, mobile gaming is generally low, the potential for growth remains lucrative, with the market skewed toward lower-income segments, mobile workers and smartphone and personal digital assistant (PDA) users,'' said Tuong Huy Nguyen, principal analyst at Gartner.

''The fact that mobile gaming provides good value for the money is one reason for the healthy growth rate,'' he said.

''For a relatively small sum, consumers can enjoy a game over and over again, which is particularly relevant in emerging economies, where penetration of consoles and PCs is lower. Video games in their original versions (on PCs or consoles) represent a form of entertainment recognized across a wide population, while portable consoles have also taken the market a step towards gaming on a mobile device. Finally, game publishers and mobile operators are getting better at working together and becoming more active in the mobile gaming space,'' Mr Nguyen added.

The Asia/Pacific region (including Japan) represents by far the largest market for mobile gaming, with end-user spending forecast to total USD 2.3 billion in 2008 and reach USD 3.4 billion by 2011. The mobile-game market has outshone the PC and console game market in the emerging territories of Asia largely because of the low penetration of PCs compared with that of mobile devices. India is expected to lead among Asian countries in terms of total mobile gaming revenue generated, with the 2007 figure at approximately USD 80 million. This is forecast to reach USD 450 million by 2012.

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