作者：Erica Swallow

移动游戏过去几年开始腾飞，其支撑平台的持续发展（游戏邦注：智能手机和平板电脑销量显著提高，移动网络订阅量和应用下载量也明显增加）表明该领域前途一片光明。

市场调查公司Mintel最近公布一份有关美国移动游戏市场的调查报告，下面我们就深入报告当中，了解移动游戏市场的消费状况和当前发展形势。

首先，其数量非常瞩目。2010年的美国手机和平板电脑游戏销售额高达8.98亿美元，比2005年高出一倍多。据Mintel预测，其营收2015年有望增至16亿美元。此预测同eMarketer报告如出一辙，eMarketer认为移动游戏领域收益2014年有望增至15亿美元。随着智能手机和平板电脑越来越普及，移动设备越来越先进，这片市场未来定会更加趣味横生。

以下是Mintel报告的5大主要内容。

1. 免费模式潜力无限

推广移动游戏的一大关键是弄清采用何种营收模式：免费（广告赞助）、免费模式（嵌入内置付费功能的免费模式）或者付费模式（一次性付费获得完整版应用）。

报告指出，免费应用的潜在营收通常超过付费应用。Mintel资深分析师Billy Hulkower表示：

“苹果2009年在其应用商店中植入内置付费功能，开发商因此能够充分运用免费模式，游戏玩家得以免费体验，游戏融入额外虚拟商品。内置付费商品包括附加角色、强化功能、能量以及游戏关卡。付费游戏通过游戏售价（游戏邦注：通常介于99美分到2.99美元或者更高）创收，免费游戏长远来看能够创造更多营收，这来自源源不断的微交易收入。Flurry 2010年6月调查了21家iPhone游戏开发商，其游戏平均收益是每年每用户14.66美元。据GigaOm 2010年11月估算，前100款顶级iPhone应用中，有34%采用免费模式。”

虽然免费模式理论上非常可行，但付费游戏目前仍旧主导游戏市场，据eMarketer表示，付费游戏占美国移动游戏市场总营收92.5%。此外，据eMarketer预测，免费和广告赞助模式游戏2014年的收入只占整个移动游戏市场的12.3%，没有显著发展。广告赞助游戏未来将备受关注，免费应用有望带给发行商更多营收，所以发行商自然会继续致力于免费游戏领域，获得更多营收。因此，未来免费应用和付费应用的营收水平将不相上下。

2. 平板电脑用户是移动游戏领域的主流玩家

iPad（from mashable)

Mintel发现，38%的平板电脑用户每周体验5小时或以上，而手机领域只有20%玩家体验同等时间。平板电脑玩家甚至下载更多付费和免费游戏。

虽然只有7%的受调查者表示其持有平板电脑，但调查结果还是非常可信。平板电脑屏幕尺寸更大，计算能力更强，而且能够随身携带，相对手机设备而言，会更适合搭载游戏内容。

据Forrester（游戏邦注：知名信息技术分析公司）预测，平板电脑销量将从2010年的1030万增加至2015年的4400万，设备的增长将会进一步推动游戏市场发展。

目前看来，掌机游戏依旧主导市场，其2011年营收占据整个游戏市场的75%，紧随其后的是在线、PC和移动游戏。

3. 玩家青睐多人模式和社交功能

Hulkower表示，“在游戏中融入社交网络元素并不新鲜，但玩家兴趣丝毫不减。他们也会出于竞争和社交元素选择多人游戏。除去数字媒介不说，‘社交性’和‘多人模式’指的是人类互动。尤其是年轻人，他们在电脑、互联网、即时通讯工具和Facebook的陪伴下成长，会希望在玩游戏的同时同他人保持联系。”

移动游戏行业取得些许发展，这意味着社交功能也将有所进步。苹果社交游戏平台Game Center 2010年9月问世，玩家因此能够相互竞争，相互比较排名。同样地，OpenFeint平台的出现让iOS和Android玩家能够享受跨平台体验。

多人模式的成功（游戏邦注：如《Words With Friends》）也说明玩家希望和他人共同体验移动游戏。

4. 口头传播是推动游戏下载量的关键

Apple App Store (from mashable)

Mintel报告分析系列有关玩家发现游戏渠道的数据。不论是现实世界还是数字世界，口头传播都是重要联系纽带。以下是玩家获悉新款手机游戏的主要方式：

* 从好友处：超过50%的移动游戏成年玩家都是从好友和家人处获悉新游戏。

* 应用商店：40%的成年人通过应用商店获悉新游戏，商店有呈现热门作品、应用排名和玩家评价内容。

* 社交网站：25%的成年人通过社交网络获悉新款移动游戏。

除上述方式外，还有许多热门移动游戏网站会介绍和评论游戏，更新游戏目录，公布作弊码和小窍门。

移动游戏公司和发行商应借助应用商店推广游戏，入驻社交媒介，覆盖移动游戏网络。

5. 热门作品无处不在

虽然EA Mobile、GameLoft和Glu Mobile在移动游戏领域成绩斐然，但许多独立游戏开发商也陆续推出轰动巨作。例如，Rovio的《愤怒的小鸟》是苹果App Store2010年最炙手可热的作品（游戏邦注：今年6月，游戏的日下载量高达100万次）。

虽然EA Mobile和GameLoft之类的大型发行商能够借助备受瞩目的授权协议和合作关系，但新兴企业（如Popcap Games和Zynga）也成功树立自己的声望，证明创新构思能够让小型公司更上一层楼。（本文为游戏邦/gamerboom.com编译，如需转载请联系：游戏邦）

5 Trends Shaping the Mobile Gaming Industry

by Erica Swallow

Mobile gaming has really taken off in the past few years, and the continued growth of the underlying forces — smartphone sales, tablet sales, mobile Internet subscribers and app downloads — all point to a bright future for the industry.

Market research firm Mintel recently published a report on the U.S. mobile gaming industry — we took a look to glean insight into the consumption of and current attitudes toward mobile gaming.

First off, the numbers are impressive. Mobile phone and tablet gaming sales in the U.S. reached $898 million in 2010, more than doubling since 2005, and Mintel forecasts that revenues will reach $1.6 billion by 2015. This prediction is in line with eMarketer’s report that mobile gaming revenues are expected to reach $1.5 billion by 2014. With increasing smartphone sales, a growing tablet market and increasing advances in mobile device and game development, this industry is sure to get more interesting in the coming years.

Here are five key takeaways from Mintel’s report. Let us know your thoughts on the future of the mobile gaming industry in the comments below.

1. The Freemium Model Has Potential

One of the biggest tasks in marketing a mobile game is to figure out which revenue model to use: free (ad-supported), freemium (free download with in-app purchase options) or paid (one-time fee for a full-featured app).

The report points out that, on average, potential revenue for freemium apps outweighs paid apps. Mintel Senior Analyst Billy Hulkower writes:

“Apple enabled in-app purchases from its app store in the fall of 2009, allowing many developers to utilize the “freemium” model, in which the app is free to the user and the game can be enjoyed as is, or enhanced with additional virtual goods. In-app purchases include additional characters, enhancements, powers, and game play levels. Where a paid game may generate revenue from the sale price of the game from $0.99 to about $2.99 or more, a freemium game can actually earn greater revenues in the long run due to its potential ongoing stream of revenue from in-app purchases. Games tracked across 21 iPhone game makers in June 2010 by market research firm Flurry earned on average $14.66 per user per year. GigaOm estimated in November 2010 that 34% of the top 100 grossing apps (all types) on the iPhone used the freemium model.”

While the freemium model seems great in theory, paid games currently rule the industry, having brought in a whopping 92.5% of U.S. mobile gaming revenue in 2010, according to eMarketer. On the other hand, eMarketer predicts that revenue from free, ad-supported games will only amount to a measly 12.3% by 2014, not a significant growth. With ad-supported games lacking umph in coming years and freemium apps providing a higher potential revenue for publishers, it seems natural that publishers will continue to innovate into the freemium space in hopes of increasing profits. As a result, we may see a balancing out of revenue between paid and freemium apps in coming years.

2. Tablet Gamers Download & Play More

Mintel found that 38% of tablet gamers play five or more hours per week, while only 20% of mobile phone gamers play that much. Tablet gamers even download more paid and free games.

Only 7% of those surveyed reported owning a tablet, but the findings make sense. Tablet devices have larger screen sizes and more computing power, while still being portable, potentially making them a better fit for gaming than mobile devices.

Forrester expects tablet sales will grow from 10.3 million units in 2010 to 44 million units in 2015 — growth that should further drive the mobile gaming market.

For now, console gaming still rules, having captured 75% of gaming revenue in 2011, followed by online, PC and mobile gaming.

3. Users Crave Multiplayer & Social Features

“It is almost a cliché to discuss the importance of integrating social networking components into gaming, but consumers have not lost interest,” writes Hulkower. “They also enjoy multiplayer games for their competitive and social aspects. Despite their digital medium, ‘social’ and ‘multiplayer’ signify human interaction. Young adults, in particular, have grown up with computers, Internet, instant messaging/texting, and Facebook, and want to connect while gaming.”

There have been a few developments in the industry that foretell advances in social features. Apple’s social network gaming platform Game Center, launched in September 2010, enables gamers compete with each other and follow leader boards. Likewise, another platform, OpenFeint, enables iOS and Android gamers to play across platforms.

The success of multiplayer-only games, such as Words With Friends, also points towards consumer interest in mobile gaming with others.

4. Word of Mouth Is the Key Driver for Game Downloads

Mintel’s report highlights a number of stats that tell the story of how users hear about new mobile games. Whether in the physical or digital worlds, word of mouth is the glue that holds it all together. Here are the top ways that gamers hear about new mobile games:

* From Friends: More than 50% of mobile game-playing adults learn about new mobile games from friends and family.

* In App Stores: About 40% of adults learn about new games within app stores, where hot lists, rankings and user reviews are highlighted.

* On Social Sites: 25% of adults hear about new mobile games via social media sites.

Besides these methods, there are also a number of well-trafficked mobile gaming sites that highlight and review games, chronicle new releases and publish cheat codes and tips.

Mobile game firms and publishers should take note and focus on obtaining visible app store distribution, having a social media presence and gaining coverage on mobile gaming sites.

5. Hit Games Can Come From Anywhere

While EA Mobile, GameLoft and Glu Mobile rank highest in mobile game publisher revenue, hundreds of independent game developers have released smash hits. For example, Rovio’s Angry Birds was the most downloaded game in Apple’s App Store in 2010 — in June, the game hit 1 million downloads per day.

While larger publishers, like EA Mobile and GameLoft, leverage high-profile licensing deals and partnerships, upstart developers — such as Popcap Games and Zynga — have built a name for themselves from the ground up, proving that innovative ideas can take smaller development firms far.（Source：mashable）