New numbers suggest Mobile is cutting into handheld gaming.
The latest gaming trends from Neilsen lend fresh support to the theory that mobile gaming is cutting into territory once dominated by handheld systems.
"66% of households with kids that own a DS, PSP, or 3DS also have an iOS device in the home," Neilsen said via twitter.
But another tweet pointed to clearer skies, saying: "Increased gaming time suggests cross-platform play can be additive to, not just cannibalistic of, existing gameplay hours."
In addition, nearly half of all kids aged 6-12 game on a Nintendo DS, "an astonishing reach".
Android is more popular among adults aged 25-34, while iOS is more evenly distributed across all age groups.
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We must not forget the FACT that mobile phones have always sold much much more than handheld gaming devices. It's far too easy to confuse the numbers to mean more than it really means.
What was the purchasing motivation, was it strictly gaming or was it simply the intention to buy a mobile phone with the iPhone being their phone of choice? And for the iPod touches, were they purchased strictly for gaming or also because they are iPods?
I always remember my business teacher in 2002 telling me how many millions mobile phones sell every year and that a mobile phone with gaming capabilities could threaten the GameBoy. Then the N-Gage came out with PS1 graphics and flopped - and people misread that as meaning mobile gaming on a phone could not work.
What this certainly means is that there is a more direct threat from iOS alternatives of your DS or 3DS game. But it does not suggest mobile gaming (and it's impulse buys) is cutting into handheld gaming, what would suggest that would be a change in buying behavior for handheld games and handheld devices, would it not?
