Mobile spending driven by 35-44-year-olds

A new study from Unity-owned mobile gaming firm Everyplay released today is shedding some light on just who is spending what in the mobile game market. According to the company's survey of 3,055 people, the most lucrative audiences for mobile games are older, male, and deeply invested in the games they play.

The study found that the average money spent per month on mobile games peaks at $6.07 in the 35-44-year-old demographic, with the next most lucrative group being the 45+ crowd, at an average monthly spend of $4.79. The 18-24-year-old set was the least lucrative group of gamers surveyed, with its members bringing in just $3.73 on average per month.

Everyplay also found that men were more invested in mobile games, spending an average of $5.63 compared to a $3.49 monthly spend for women. Among all mobile gamers, the average monthly expenditure was $4.58. As might be expected, those who played the most also paid the most; those who played less than an hour a week averaged just $0.66 on a monthly basis, while those averaging 10 or more hours per week went through an average of $15.15 on mobile games each month.

However, 59 percent of all mobile gamers reported not spending a dime on the hobby, so those averages are raised significantly by a top-heavy group of "whales," or people who spend $50 or more a month, by the study's definition. They make up less than 1 percent of the total gamer population, but account for 29 percent of mobile gaming revenues.

Everyplay said the highest spending gamers were motivated by competitive play, and most often could be found in genres that lend themselves to it. They also embrace many of the social trends in mobile gaming, with Everyplay specifically noting the replay video sharing functionality it offers its customers.