Gamers spent more than four times as much money on Google Play smartphone and tablet games in the fourth quarter of 2013 (4Q13) as they did in the final quarter of 2012.
This is found in a new report from International Data Corporation (IDC) and App Annie, Portable Gaming Spotlight: 2013 Review, which also found that worldwide spending on iOS App Store games more than doubled over the same period, while iOS game revenue continues to lead Google Play game revenue by a wide margin.
Packaged and full-game digital spending on gaming-optimised handheld platforms, typified by Nintendo’s 3DS and Sony’s PlayStation Vita, meanwhile, rose approximately 9% between 4Q12 and 4Q13. Quarterly gaming-optimised handheld game revenue narrowly exceeded that of Google Play in 4Q13. iOS App Store spending on games finished first overall for 4Q13 and for 2013 as a whole.
“Total portable game spending in Asia/Pacific outpaced that of any other major global region last year,” says Lewis Ward, research director: gaming at IDC. “The Google Play ecosystem in particular benefitted from a big regional upswing in the installed base of smartphones and tablets in 2013, but rising living standards in Asia/Pacific countries generally also buoyed game spending.”
The Portable Gaming Spotlight: 2013 Review additionally identified the top grossing portable games of 4Q13 and 2013 overall. In 4Q13, GungHo Online Entertainment’s Puzzle & Dragons franchise landed a top three grossing spot on the iOS, Google Play, and gaming-optimised handheld platform charts (in the latter case specifically, Puzzle & Dragons Z was released for Nintendo 3DS in Japan in December).
This appears to be the first time that one franchise has held such a strong position on the “big three” portable gaming platforms in the same quarter. The Puzzle & Dragons success is likely to lead other developers and publishers to examine similar cross-platform strategies.
The top three grossing games for 2013 overall, by platform, were:
* iOS App Store: Clash of Clans (Supercell), Puzzle & Dragons (GungHo Online Entertainment), and Candy Crush Saga (King);
* Google Play: Puzzle & Dragons (GungHo Online Entertainment), Candy Crush Saga (King), and Monster Taming for Kakao (CJ Group); and
* Gaming-optimised handhelds: Pokémon X/Y (Game Freak/Nintendo), Animal Crossing: New Leaf (Nintendo), and Luigi’s Mansion: Dark Moon (Nintendo).
“While consumers have traditionally spent more on games versus other types of apps, more than 75% of combined iOS & Google Play consumer app spending in 4Q13 came from games,” says Bertrand Schmitt, CEO of App Annie.
“This is a significant increase compared to 4Q12 and a testament to the ever-growing popularity of games.”
Gaming-optimised handheld software spending was more seasonal than smartphone or tablet game spending, the report showed. Almost 40% of combined Nintendo and Sony handheld software spending occurred in 4Q13, a higher share than that for either iOS or Google Play games.
