The Multimedia Research Consultancy (TMRC) has issued its latest report on the mobile games industry. The report is based on an online survey of its global panel of mobile games industry experts. The survey was carried out in April and May 2009 among 128 mostly senior-level executives from 118 mobile games enterprises in 40 countries. 74% were involved in development, 38% in publishing, 20% in content aggregation, 26% in distribution and 22% in running portals
The report covers a range of subjects, including the anticipated impact of app stores and social networking on the mobile games distribution landscape over the next two – five years.
Our research suggests that we are clearly at a tipping point in mobile games distribution, with over half of mobile games enterprises agreeing (with the statement): Todays distribution landscape will be unrecognisable in five years time, says TMRC Managing Director, Vic Whiting. In fact, they expect that within a couple of years, consumers will overwhelmingly prefer to buy their mobile games from handset manufacturers app stores.
Not surprisingly, we found that the Apple App Stores meteoric rise is expected to continue mobile games distribution via this channel is expected to nearly double over the next two years. Nevertheless, competition in the app store space is expected to intensify and we have identified the names of which app stores are likely to succeed and perhaps, more importantly, which ones are likely to struggle going forward.
Another area examined by the survey is the potential offered by social networking sites to sell and promote mobile games. The results reveal that the industry is currently in two minds about social networking sites – perceiving them as part mystery, part opportunity. Nevertheless, says TMRC, in spite of reservations, mobile games enterprises are planning to embrace social networking in their future marketing and distribution strategies, so much so that only a minority will not be using social networking sites in two years time. The report identifies those social networking sites which will feature strongly in their plans.
Overall, the research points to the mobile games industry increasingly favouring a more direct route to market, taking out, where possible, the middlemen. However, as the success of app stores continues, the biggest challenge for games suppliers will be how to secure visibility for their products, as the number of games on each online store grows rapidly.
In fact, we believe the industry faces a re-run of an earlier conundrum namely how to attain visibility and prominence on operator decks, says Whiting.
The report costs $750 (460). Theres more information here.