Gametech 2011: Aussie mobile gamers on the grow

Who was there: Andrew Braun, industry director, mobile Internet and technology, Roy Morgan Research.

What they said: There's been a lot of buzz about the growth of mobile gaming in recent years, and this year's Gametech fuelled the hype even further, with details on just how big the mobile space in Australia has grown. Andrew Braun, industry director, mobile Internet and technology, for Roy Morgan Research, presented findings from surveys taken over the last five years in Australia focusing on gaming behavior, and it found that mobile was indeed the growth area for gaming.

While growth in console and PC gaming has been steady to flat (particularly in the past 12 months), the mobile gaming sector has steadily increased in line with the growth of smartphones in Australia. According to Roy Morgan Research, 20 percent of Australians aged 14 and over play games on mobile platforms, with 57 percent of those aged between 25 and 49 years old. The bulk of mobile gamers are on iOS platforms, with 32 percent owning an iPhone. These mobile gamers are four times more likely than the average Australian to be heavy users of phone entertainment, and they are four times more likely to download and play games.

And it's not just the mobile space that is growing. According to Roy Morgan, young mothers aged 25-34 have also become boom gamers, with 32 percent of all young mums now identifying themselves as gamers.

Takeaway: While other sectors of gaming may be flat, mobile continues to be a growth area, and it is an area of opportunity for the industry moving into the future.