Forum Views ()
Forum Replies ()
Read more with google mobile :
Free games lure new players including women, elderly
|
Edition:
U.S.
Article
Comments (0)
Save
Email
Print
Reprints
Most Popular
Most Shared
Final Thai crackdown feared as guests evacuate
| Video
3:09am EDT
Volcanic ash grounds hundreds of European flights
| Video
3:05am EDT
Britain says to ease no-fly decree on Heathrow
12:58am EDT
Europe blocks U.S. emergency exit door
16 May 2010
BP says progress in effort to contain oil spill
| Video
3:15am EDT
Thailand toughens stand against spiraling protests
| Video
16 May 2010
Japan PM's dilemma over U.S. base deepens before poll
16 May 2010
UPDATE 1-WHO study has no clear answer on phones and cancer
16 May 2010
Iran, Brazil, Turkey sign nuclear swap deal
3:06am EDT
FOREX-Euro extends losses to hit 4-yr low on debt woes
1:21am EDT
Final Thai crackdown feared as guests evacuate
| Video
3:09am EDT
Heavy metal veteran Ronnie James Dio dies, aged 67
16 May 2010
Video of American drowned saving son shocks Italy
16 May 2010
Google says mistakenly got wireless data
16 May 2010
Africa's lake Tanganyika warming fast, life dying
16 May 2010
Iran, Brazil, Turkey sign nuclear swap deal
3:06am EDT
Britain says to ease no-fly decree on Heathrow
12:58am EDT
Volcanic ash grounds hundreds of European flights
| Video
3:05am EDT
UPDATE 1-WHO study has no clear answer on phones and cancer
16 May 2010
Gold rises toward peak, investors lift ETF to record
2:00am EDT
Free games lure new players including women, elderly
John Gaudiosi
RALEIGH, North Carolina
Mon May 17, 2010 1:50am EDT
Related News
Sony aims for 5-fold jump in profit but lags consensus
Thu, May 13 2010
Microsoft launches new Office, duels Google online
Thu, May 13 2010
Microsoft launches new Office, duels Google online
Wed, May 12 2010
UPDATE 2-Microsoft launches new Office, duels Google online
Wed, May 12 2010
Networks unlikely to profit from World Cup
Fri, May 7 2010
Gamers play ''Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2,'' at a pre-release event held in New York November 9, 2009.
Credit: Reuters/Lucas Jackson
RALEIGH, North Carolina (Reuters) - The video game industry has weathered the economic slowdown better than most industries, but there could be a reason -- free games with new figures showing up to a third of gamers don't pay to play.
Technology | Media
More people are getting into gaming through free titles like Zynga's "Treasure Isle" played online through social networking sites like Facebook, downloading free games like ngmoco's "Godfinger" on mobile devices like iPhone and iPad, or sitting on a friend's couch to play multiplayer maps with titles like Activision Blizzard's "Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2."
New research from video game tracking firm Newzoo found every existing video game platform from mobile to console has an audience of at least 30 percent of non-paying players.
"The shift toward online business models servicing a broader range of target groups started before the recession and has resulted in continued growth through the rough economic times in terms of revenues," said Peter Warman, managing director and founder of Newzoo.
"The platforms offering free-to play-gaming options like massively multiplayer online (MMO) games, mobile games and casual game portals lare successfully converting players to payers."
PopCap.com, a leading game maker in the $3 billion casual games industry, offers free versions of its games like "Bejeweled Blitz" on Facebook, as well as its own site.
"Our belief is that by allowing customers to experience our games for free it's a good way to guarantee customer satisfaction, as they have been able to play the game pre-purchase with the promise of lots more fun to come," said Paul Breslin, general manager, Popcap.com.
The "Newzoo Games Market Report" said one-third of the $25.3 billion that U.S. gamers spent on video games in 2009 came from online revenues (MMOs, game portals and mobile devices) and the digital distribution of console and PC games.
FREE GAMES SPREADS THE NET
The U.S. currently leads the world in online business revenues, but Warman believes the EU and other territories will continue to grow gaming revenue in this arena moving forward.
"These free options are definitely broadening the appeal of video games among older and female demographics, and a lot of these consumers don't actually consider themselves gamers at all," Michael Cai, vice president of video game research, Interpret.
"Without casual gaming portals like Pogo, Real Networks, and Big Fish Games, many older female gamers would have never paid for gaming content."
Interpret discovered that 21 percent of the U.S. population, or over 46.1 million Americans, play social network games. Over 11 million Americans only play social network games. The median age for social network gamers is 38.8, versus 30.9, which is the median age of console gamers.
Cai found that 12 percent of these social network gamers plan on buying a Wii, which would be their first game console.
More console game makers are offering consumers free play, including downloadable game demos through Microsoft's Xbox Live Arcade and Sony's PlayStation Network Store. "Handing over free content to gamers can be tremendously beneficial to developers and publishers, even if it comes in the form of a short playable demo of a game that's not spectacular," said Patrick Shaw, features editor, GamePro Magazine.
"Often times a small taste of a game is all it takes to entice the player to purchase the full game."
(Editing by Belinda Goldsmith)
Technology
Media
Add a Comment
*We welcome comments that advance the story directly or with relevant tangential information. We try to block comments that use offensive language or appear to be spam and review comments frequently to ensure they meet our standards. If you see a comment that you believe is irrelevant or inappropriate, you can flag it to our editors by using the report abuse links. Views expressed in the comments do not represent those of Reuters.
© Copyright 2010 Thomson Reuters
Editorial Editions:
Africa
Arabic
Argentina
Brazil
Canada
China
France
Germany
India
Italy
Japan
Latin America
Mexico
Russia
Spain
United Kingdom
United States
Reuters
Contact Us
Advertise With Us
Help
Journalism Handbook
Archive
Site Index
Video Index
Analyst Research
Mobile
Newsletters
RSS
Podcasts
Widgets
Your View
Labs
Thomson Reuters
Copyright
Disclaimer
Privacy
Professional Products
Professional Products Support
Financial Products
About Thomson Reuters
Careers
Online Products
Acquisitions Monthly
Buyouts
Venture Capital Journal
International Financing Review
Project Finance International
PEhub.com
PE Week
Thomson Reuters is the world's largest international multimedia news agency, providing investing news, world news, business news, technology news, headline news, small business news, news alerts, personal finance, stock market, and mutual funds information available on Reuters.com, video, mobile, and interactive television platforms. Thomson Reuters journalists are subject to an Editorial Handbook which requires fair presentation and disclosure of relevant interests.
NYSE and AMEX quotes delayed by at least 20 minutes. Nasdaq delayed by at least 15 minutes. For a complete list of exchanges and delays, please click here.
Other News on Monday, 17 May 2010 Turkish PM to Tehran in bid to seal nuclear swap
Sudan arrests Islamist opposition leader
Israeli left flies flag to urge end to occupation
Iran, Turkey and Brazil agree on fuel swap deal: minister
|
BP Successful In Inserting Tube Into Damaged Riser
Three Chinese oil workers abducted in Yemen
|
United Airlines Flight Crew Locks Blind Woman On Empty Plane
Sudan arrests Islamist opposition leader
|
Israel bars academic Chomsky entry to West Bank
|
Suicide bomber strikes Afghan border police
Fear in Bangkok as bullets fly close to home
Maldives: Accepting Guantanamo detainees honorable
Thailand toughens stand against spiralling protests
Thai govt rejects plea for talks, pushes crackdown
Malaysia opposition beats gov't in Borneo ballot
Pakistani military kills 58 suspected militants
Bus plunges off bridge killing 11 in Bangladesh
NATO soldier killed in Afghan insurgent attack
US-ENTERTAINMENT Summary
Robin Hood hits bull's-eye at worldwide box office
Tavernier brings "16th century thriller" to Cannes
Robin Hood hits bull's-eye at worldwide box office
|
Iran, Brazil, Turkey sign nuclear swap deal
US-TECH Summary
Final Thai crackdown feared as guests evacuate
|
Ultra-Orthodox Jews lose grave battle in Israel
Free games lure new players including women, elderly
Volcanic ash grounds hundreds of European flights
|
LG Display banks on e-reader growth
China's Web "firewall" should be WTO issue: EU's Kroes
Iraq recount fails to overturn Allawi election win
|
Apple's iPhone replaces Blackberry for some bankers
Iran, Brazil, Turkey sign nuclear swap deal
|
"I do" goes high-tech with Japan robot priest
Israeli coalition wobbly on peace terms: minister
|
LG Display banks on e-reader growth
Ultra-Orthodox Jews lose grave battle in Israel
|
Kyrgyzstan Communist leader to be held 2 months
Cuba cedes to farmers right to purchase supplies
|
Wounded rogue Thai general dies as chaos continues
India test fires nuclear-capable missile
Indonesian president says terror threat remains
Reports: Hatoyama, Clinton to discuss US base
578 addicts escape from rehab center in Vietnam
Rogue "red shirt" military adviser dies
Weather forecast for the Asia-Pacific region
Red Shirt military strategist dies of wounds
Apple's iPhone replaces Blackberry for some bankers
|
China's Web firewall should be WTO issue: EU's Kroes
|
LG Display banks on e-reader growth
|
I do goes high-tech with Japan robot priest
|
Seoul shares down; Europe fears fan foreign selling
Japan's Astellas to buy US drug maker OSI for $4B
"Dark Stranger" a serviceable Woody Allen comedy
Qatar, Shell, China's CNPC in gas agreement
Free games lure new players including women, elderly
|
Heavy metal veteran Ronnie James Dio dies, aged 67
PAKISTAN
Underground Cuban rappers live on the edge
Euro debt fears hit S.Korea banks, tech shares
S.Korea president upbeat on economy as c.bank eyed
US, Europe look to China for clean energy sales
Japan machinery orders rise 5.4 percent in March
Seoul shares off; Europe fears fan foreign selling
Japan machinery orders rise in March
Heavy metal veteran Ronnie James Dio dies, aged 67
|
Underground Cuban rappers live on the edge
|
Two 20,000 Leagues films in the works
|
Christopher Walken to sow Wild Oats
|
Dark Stranger a serviceable Woody Allen comedy
|
Plane crashes in Afghanistan with 43 on board
Russian president in Ukraine to tighten relations
Microsoft settles with VirnetX, to pay $200 million
France to deport Iranian assassin after woman freed
Volcanic ash grounds 1,000 European flights
|
Astronauts begin first space walk from Atlantis
Prudential eyes record takeover of Asian insurer
Iran agrees controversial nuclear fuel swap deal
Airplane with 43 on board crashes in Afghanistan
|
Euro hits four-year dollar low, stocks mixed
Iran agrees to send low enriched uranium to Turkey
Four dead, many evacuated as floods sweep central Europe
|
UK coalition to announce 2010 cuts next week: Osborne
|
Israel plays wargame assuming Iran has nuclear bomb
Pakistan's President Zardari faces legal challenge
|
Maoist bus attack kills about 35 in India, government
says
|
NATO emphasizes defense spending despite crisis
|
Evacuations start amid fears of Pakistan lake burst
|
Ultimatum passes as battles rage on in Bangkok
India scrapyard radioactive but no risk, govt says
BP mulls options as tube captures 'some' oil
Report: Rebels blow up bus in India, killing 40
Philippine chopper crash kills governor, 4 others
Afghan passenger plane crashes with 44 on board
Report: Lightning kills 5 in Bangladesh
Top U.S. carriers plot faster gadgets, services
|
Indian company trains small army to meet 3D surge
|
Thousands of Thai protesters defy deadline to leave
Pakistani stocks near 2-mth low; rupee weakens
Nestle eyes resuming ties with Indonesia palm oil firm
Euro plunges to four-year low as debt fears weigh
Governor dies in Philippine helicopter crash
Microsoft settles with VirnetX, to pay $200 million
|
Samsung to triple capital, R&D spending this year
AU sees LCD shortage, eyes China deals
|
China stands firm on currency ahead of talks with US
Taiwan new regulator to stay course on AIG deal
Korean Air turns 1Q net profit amid stronger won
Shanghai court rejects ex-Rio Tinto execs' appeals
Japan's Astellas to buy US drug co. OSI for $4 bln
Sharp banking on 3-D for mobile devices, TVs
Euro, shares and oil slump over Europe debt fears
Godard blames Greeks for Cannes no-show
Indonesian filmmaker documents Obama's childhood
Bjork, Italian composer Morricone win music prize
Cannes film festival hits halfway short on buzz
Scorsese eyes 2011 bow for George Harrison film
Two "20,000 Leagues" films in the works
Christopher Walken to sow "Wild Oats"
Javier Bardem moves Cannes crowd in Biutiful
|
Robin Hood hits bull's-eye at worldwide box office
|
Indian company trains small army to meet 3D surge
|
Cannes film festival hits halfway short on buzz
|
Scorsese eyes 2011 bow for George Harrison film
|
Greece at new risk of being pushed off euro
Bodies of missing Tenn. mom, Jo Ann Bain, and daughter found
Female Breasts Are Bigger Than Ever
AMD Trinity Accelerated Processing Units Now in Volume Production
The Avengers (2012 film), made the second biggest opening- and single-day gross of all-time
AMD to Start Production of piledriver
Ivy Bridge Quad-Core, Four-Thread Desktop CPUs
Islamists Protest Lady Gaga's Concert in Indonesia
Japan Successfully Broadcasts an 8K Signal Over the Air
ECB boosts loans to 1 trillion Euro to stop credit crunch
Egypt : Mohammed Morsi won with 52 percent
What do you call 100,000 Frenchmen with their hands up
AMD Launches AMD Embedded R-Series APU Platform
Fed Should not Ignore Emerging Market Crisis
Fed casts shadow over India, emerging markets
Why are Chinese tourists so rude? A few insights