Mobile Gaming to Reach US$18 Billion by 2014, Fueled by Subscriber Growth in Emerging Markets, Pyramid Research Finds

CAMBRIDGE, Massachusetts -

The global mobile gaming market will grow at a 16.6 percent CAGR to reach US$18 billion in 2014, driven by the explosive mobile subscriber growth in emerging markets, according to the latest report by Pyramid Research (www.pyr.com), the telecom research arm of the Light Reading Communications Network (www.lightreading.com).

In Mobile Gaming in Emerging Markets: Five Year Forecast and Impact Analysis, Pyramid Research analyzes mobile videogaming market dynamics in emerging economies. This is done by putting emerging markets in the context of the overall mobile videogaming industry, taking a close look at the trends and dynamics in gaming and mobile gaming, globally. This context analysis is followed by a top-level examination of emerging markets, including their mobile gaming-specific metrics, market enablers, adoption barriers, trends, and opportunities. Also included are in-depth country analyses of eight emerging markets: Brazil, China, India, Mexico, Nigeria, Poland, Russia, and South Africa. We also forecast market growth and look at interesting business models and initiatives. Download an excerpt of this report here: www.pyr.com/downloads.htm?id=1&sc=PR080509_MOBGAM

Evolving along with the increasing penetration of mobile service and handsets, mobile gaming is a promising industry, notes Jan ten Sythoff, analyst at Pyramid Research and coauthor of the report. “Global mobile gaming revenue reached US$6.9 billion in 2008, having grown strongly in recent years, with emerging markets contributing heavily,” says Sythoff. “Today, apart from technological improvement and business-level innovation, the global mobile gaming market is also evolving fast on account of mobile adoption, and is expected to grow at a 16.6 percent CAGR during 2009 to 2014, reaching US$18 billion in 2014,” he adds. This growth will be the result of both continued strength in emerging markets and increased usage in developed markets.

“Although most in emerging markets cannot afford sophisticated devices, they are eager to experiment and use mobile data services; this is true for both mobile communications and entertainment, of which mobile videogames are a major driving force,” explains Sythoff. “For many users, handsets are the first device they own that enables access to electronic forms of entertainment,” he adds. “Declining handset and data access prices have been central to the increased use of data services in emerging economies; also, because devices such as PCs and gaming consoles are less common, the mobile phone has become the primary device for accessing content such as Websites and games,” he says. “This, combined with improving economic conditions, is resulting in increased adoption of mobile content and data services.”

The increased usage in developed markets will be fueled by the changes the iPhone App Store has brought to these markets, where it is stimulating competition and interest in mobile games.

Mobile Gaming in Emerging Markets: Five Year Forecast and Impact Analysis is part of Pyramid’s research report series. A blend of primary research and qualitative analysis, Pyramid’s research reports offer comprehensive coverage of the fixed and mobile communications space and enable those in the communications industry to stay ahead of changing market dynamics.

– Download an excerpt of this report: www.pyr.com/downloads.htm?id=1&sc=PR080509_MOBGAM

– Purchase this report online: www.pyramidresearch.com/store/RPMOBILEGAMING0907.htm?sc=PR080509_MOBGAM or through Amalia Vega at avega@pyr.com.

For more information about Pyramid Research’s products and services, please visit www.pyr.com or contact us at info@pyr.com.

About Pyramid Research

Pyramid Research (www.pyr.com) offers practical solutions to the complex demands our clients face in the telecommunications, media and technology industries. Our analysis is uniquely positioned at the intersection of emerging markets, emerging technologies and emerging business models, powered by the bottom-up methodology of our market forecasts for over 100 countries — a distinction that has remained unmatched for more than 25 years. As the telecom research arm of the Light Reading Communications Network, Pyramid Research works with Heavy Reading, providing the communications industry’s most comprehensive market data, trusted research and insightful technology analysis.

About Light Reading

Founded in 2000, Light Reading (www.lightreading.com) is the leading online media, research, and focused event company serving the US$3 trillion worldwide communications market. Lightreading.com is the ultimate source for technology and financial analysis of the communications industry, leading the media sector in terms of traffic, content, and reputation. Light Reading’s research arms, Heavy Reading and Pyramid Research, provide the most comprehensive communications research, market data, and technology analysis in close to 100 markets around the world. Light Reading produces nearly 20 targeted communications events including TelcoTV, Ethernet Expo New York and Ethernet Expo London, The Tower Summit @ CTIA, and Optical Expo, as well as focused one-day events tailored for cable, mobile, and wireline executives. Light Reading was acquired by United Business Media in August 2005 and operates as a unit of TechWeb.

About TechWeb

TechWeb (techweb.com/aboutus), the global leader in business technology media, is an innovative business focused on serving the needs of technology decision-makers and marketers worldwide. TechWeb produces the most respected and consumed media brands in the business technology market. Today, more than 13.3 million* business technology professionals actively engage in our communities created around our global face-to-face events, Interop, Web 2.0, Black Hat, and VoiceCon; online resources such as the TechWeb Network, Light Reading, Intelligent Enterprise, InformationWeek.com, bMighty.com, and The Financial Technology Network; and the market leading, award-winning InformationWeek, TechNet Magazine, MSDN Magazine, and Wall Street & Technology magazines. TechWeb also provides end-to-end services including next-generation performance marketing, integrated media, research, and analyst services. TechWeb is a division of United Business Media, a global provider of news distribution and specialist information services with a market capitalization of more than US$2.5 billion.

*13.3 million business decision-makers: based on number of monthly connections

About United Business Media Limited

UBM (UBM.L) focuses on two principal activities: worldwide information distribution, targeting and monitoring; and, the development and monetization of B2B communities and markets. UBM’s businesses inform markets and serve professional commercial communities — from doctors to game developers, from journalists to jewelry traders, from farmers to pharmacists — with integrated events, online, print and business information products. Our 6,500 staff in more than 30 countries are organized into specialist teams that serve these communities, bringing buyers and sellers together, helping them to do business and their markets to work effectively and efficiently. For more information, go to www.unitedbusinessmedia.com.

Press contact: Jennifer Baker +1-617-871-1910 jbaker@pyr.com

Source: Pyramid Research

Jennifer Baker, +1-617-871-1910, jbaker at pyr.com