Western European Mobile Games Forecast, 2010 To 2015

The Western European mobile gaming market is set to grow from €764 million at the end of 2010 to €1.46 billion by the end of 2015. Growth will come from a combination of a rise in the number of paying mobile gamers — from 31 million to 45 million between 2010 and 2015 — and higher usage of new smartphone platforms, such as the iPhone. Several trends will shape the mobile gaming market in the next five years, including the shift from on-portal operator distribution to third-party application stores, the rise of social gaming, and the ability to charge for virtual goods via in-application billing. Beyond paid-for games, many brands will tap into the significant mobile gamer audience to engage with their customers via advergaming and mobile-branded content. Consumer product strategists should examine this innovative, revenue-generating market to anticipate future trends.