Smart move as video gamers shift to new mobile phones

Published on Sunday 15 August 2010 21:38

The revolution in video gaming as players increasingly shift to using mobile phones and social networking sites will take centre stage as Europe's biggest event for the industry gets under way in Germany tomorrow.

Speaking ahead of Gamescom, the chief operating officer of leading video game developer Electronic Arts, John Schappert, predicted: "The days when people were just putting a CD in a console are over. I can say that we will see very strong growth in digital gaming in the foreseeable future."

According to research firm iSuppli, shipments of game-capable mobile phones are expected to rise by a third to 1.53 billion by 2013, while sales of video game consoles are expected to fall by 7.5 per cent to 48.2 million units.

By next year iSuppli argues that dedicated gaming devices such as Nintendos and PlayStations will have reached market saturation.

Dr Richard Wilson, chief executive at games industry association TIGA, which represents many of the Scottish firms in the sector, said the growth of mobile and digital platforms was a positive development for the industry which is worth around 2bn to the UK.

"It gives developers and consumers more choice and publishing games for mobile platforms is generally much cheaper than it is for consoles which may need a team of as many as 200 people," he said.

"Developing a game for mobile phones or the iPad can be with done with perhaps ten or less people and bringing in contract staff as and when needed."

A recent survey carried out by TIGA among 78 companies, including a number in Scotland, highlighted the increasing importance of digital and online games to the sector.

It found that, on average, 62 per cent of games created by UK developers are online or digital products, as opposed to physical games for consoles.

Wilson said the report highlighted the trends which were shaping the future of the industry.

"The old work-for-hire model is still alive but is now accompanied by a range of other opportunities and routes to market that do not involve traditional games publishing."

More developers were choosing to publish games themselves and selling direct to consumers.

Although mobile and digital gaming are growing rapidly, Wilson said games consoles would remain an important part of the market for the foreseeable future.

"I don't think we are going to see them go away any time soon," he commented.

New motion-controlled gaming systems - Microsoft's Kinect and Sony Corp's Move - are also expected to provide a boost to sales of consoles and games over the coming months and provide competition for Nintendo's Wii console.

Sony's Move will hit stores in Europe on 15 September with the Kinect expected to launch towards the end of the year.More than 450 companies will be exhibiting at Gamescom in Cologne which is expected to attract around 250,000 visitors.

Despite Scotland's strong presence in the video gaming market, no Scottish firms are attending this year's event.

"It is expensive attending these shows and companies probably choose to limit the number they go to rather than attend them all," commented Wilson.