Mobile, Not Console, Holds Key to the Future of Gaming
Casual Games Association, Amsterdam - 8 February 2007: Speaking at the Casual Games Association's Casual Connect Conference in Amsterdam yesterday, David Gosen, CEO of I-play, shared his vision that mobile phone will be the ultimate mass market gaming device, rendering console as the platform for a niche audience. Mobile not only holds the key to the future of gaming, but convergence of casual gaming content between online and mobile will continue to drive the success of both platforms.
According to data from Informa Telecoms & Media and Montgomery, mobile has five times the installed base compared to console, with the number of mobile subscribers forecast to reach 2.8 billion next year. "Its reach and multi-functionality positions mobile as the number one mass market entertainment device of the future," Gosen said.
The number of mobile games sold was forecast to outstrip the number of console/portable games sold in 2006, according to data from IDC and Montgomery, with mobile games unit sales set to continue on a strong growth trajectory until they are projected to double console games sales by 2009.
Gosen pointed to the fact that it will be casual gaming genres that will drive both online and mobile gaming markets, because of their mainstream appeal.
The state of the mobile industry today is one of "balancing the demands of the present, with the promise of the future." More and more consumers are beginning to understand that they can use their mobile phones for more than just making and receiving calls. Improved technology and increasing 3G penetration has and will continue to have a growing impact on the consumption of mobile entertainment, driving this industry to reach Informa's forecasts of $11.2 billion by 2011.
About I-play
I-play brings the best in mobile entertainment to an audience of over one billion people via a network of over 120 carriers worldwide, including Sprint (NYSE:S), Verizon Wireless (NYSE:VZ), Cingular, Vodafone (LSE: VOD.L) and Telefonica Moviles (NYSE: TEM), amongst others and online portals including http://www.iplay.com/. I-play has been creating mobile games since 1998 and continues to spearhead the creation of mobile entertainment for the next generation. As one of the world's longest established and respected creators of mobile entertainment, the I-play brand stands for quality and the best in mobile development. A move into mobile video content via a license agreement with Universal Mobile Entertainment sees I-play offering the best clips from Universal Studios' most popular blockbuster movies.
I-play's investors are Apax Partners and Argo Global Capital. I-play is headquartered in London, with North American Regional HQ in San Mateo, California and European Regional HQ in Dunfermline, Scotland; a publishing studio in Macclesfield as well as sales offices in Paris, Hamburg, Madrid, New York and Singapore.
For more information, please call +44 (0) 20 7901 1760 or visit us at http://www.iplay.com/ I-play is a trademark and trading name of Digital Bridges Limited.
About Casual Games Association's Europe: West 2007
Casual Games Association's Europe: West 2007 is designed for industry professionals, industry executives, and professionals interested in creating, marketing and distributing games for players worldwide. CGA Europe: West is a part of the Casual Connect series of services for casual games industry professionals including conferences, matchmaking, social networking, and a magazine periodical. For more information on Casual Games Association's Europe: West 2007 please visit: http://amsterdam.casualconnect.org/