Author: Christy

Ziff Davis Media Game Group have finished their annual survey: ‘Digital Gaming in America’. The Group are producers of print and online brands such as Electronic Gaming Monthly, Computer Gaming World, Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine, 1UP.com, and specials including Pocket Games. They commissioned the Strategy Group to survey US households. 1,558 people were polled from random households between May and July 2005. Here are the stats from the media release (19th Aug): 

• the number of households engaged in cell phone gaming nearly doubled again, jumping from 16.3 million last year to 27.9 million this year;

 

• Mobile phone gamers in the study reported spending 19 minutes per gaming session;

 

• Mobile phone gamers had spent an average of $13 on mobile phone games in the last 60 days;

 

• Core gamers spent even more on mobile phone games – $19 in the last 60 days (“Core gamers” are defined as those who bought four or more games in the last six months and play ten or more hours per week.)

 

• 49% of respondents who do not play games on their phones cited small screen sizes as the primary deterrent, 46% cited lack of desirable games and 35% high costs;

 

• 86% already own a cell phone this year, and of these individuals, 48% play games on their mobile devices;

 

• More than 50% of gamers plan to purchase a new cell phone within the next 12 months;

 

• Four out of ten gamers are considering purchasing a dedicated portable gaming device such as the Sony PSP or Nintendo DS in the next twelve months;

 

• 63% of core gamers are considering a portable gaming device

 

• Only 3% of all gamers own a Sony PSP now, 14% plan to buy one in the next twelve months. By comparison, 6% of all gamers own a Nintendo DS, but only 6% plan to buy one in the next twelve months;

 

You’ve probably heard on books on mobiles being very popular in Japan, but now there are entire books available for download as a podcast. The difference between these and audio books? Evo Terra of PodioBooks.com coined the term podiobooks to describe ‘serialized audio books which are made available in podcast format’. This is another technology which makes it easier for authors who can’t get/don’t bother trying to get published through mainstream distributors to be read by audiences. Paul Story (yes, that is his surname) is one such example, writing a novel specifically for podcast. Apparently, he uses the expectations of the audience (awaiting the next chapter) to drive his output. There are also poetry podcasts available at Slam Idol Podcast.

Thanks Jeremy.