How mobile is creating a new kind of gamer
If Super Bowl XLIX was the first time you heard of Clash of Clans, you're already behind on the times.
Using just a handful of strategically placed ad spots, video game companies like Machine Zone and Supercell confirmed for consumers what the industry has known for years: mobile gaming is here, it's growing and it's a force to be reckoned with.
The fact is, mobile game revenue has steadily increased over the last few years. According to reports from Newzoo, the mobile game market will surpass the console market in revenue before the end of this year. Clash of Clans and Game of War: Fire Age in particular have consistently outperformed the mobile competition as two of the top-grossing mobile games in the US.
Even the traditional gamers are stepping out from behind their PCs and consoles to take their gaming on the road. As of this year, 35 percent of the most frequent gamers play games on their smartphones, and these numbers continue to grow. A report from the Entertainment Software Association estimated that on a global scale, 960 million gamers now play on a smartphone or mobile device.
This success extends beyond industry profits, because mobile gaming isn't just shifting the industry. It's also shifting how we think of ourselves as gamers.
Mobile gaming apps have provided the opportunity to build and publicize a more diverse community than ever before. Thanks to the accessibility and popularity of these games, the definition of a "gamer" has expanded. It's Liam Neeson and Kate Upton. It's the woman sitting next to you on the train playing Candy Crush. It's your neighbor. Its parents, grandparents, children, college-aged men AND women. Gamers are everywhere.
With a whole new slew of avid gamers from all walks of life joining our ranks, we have a better chance of putting an end to the stereotypes. It's up to us to show the world what being a gamer really means. Help us debunk the myths about gamers by inviting your friends and family to become a part of the VGVN army of supporters.