UK spending more on games than ringtones
Consumers cough up GBP 83 million
New data from mobile content trackers GfK M2 has revealed that for the first time. UK consumers are spending more on mobile games than on ringtones.
In the 12 months ending March 2007, around GBP 83 million was spent on games - compared to GBP 76 million on ringtones. The mobile gaming market is worth four times the downloadable music market (GBP 23 million) and eight times the video download market (GBP 11 million). Wallpapers were bottom of the chart with GBP 10 million.
Nearly 90 per cent of games sold were bought through mobile network operators. A third of mobile gaming revenues were created by the top ten best-selling titles, and three games accounted for 60 per cent of total sales.
"A year ago there was less activity in the mobile gaming market as well as poor phone functionality, limited game offerings and perceived high prices," said GfK M2 business group director Aaron Rattue.
"In the last year mobile gaming has really taken off and now leads the mobile content market in terms of the amount of money consumers are spending. Clearly, gamers are happy to pay to download, with half of all the games downloaded to a mobile phone in the last year costing GBP 5 or more."