Number of Mobile Gamers Increased 5% in U.S., Canada in 2018 (Analyst)

By Stefanie Fogel

LOS ANGELES (Variety.com) – The number of people playing mobile games in the U.S. and Canada increased 5% in 2018 compared to the previous year, according to a new report from video game metadata company EEDAR and market intelligence company Sensor Tower.

Of the 283.1 million mobile users in the U.S. and Canada, 210.9 million are gamers, according to the report “Deconstructing Mobile & Tablet Gaming 2019.”

“Mobile gaming revenues have continued to grow in the U.S. and Canada, and it now represents the largest segment within the gaming marketplace,” said Mat Piscatella, games industry analyst at The NPD Group. “Sixty percent of Americans and Canadians play because of the rich library of content available. Mobile games such as ‘Candy Crush Saga,’ ‘Clash of Clans,’ ‘Pokémon Go,’ ‘Roblox,’ ‘Fortnite,’ and ‘Slotomania,’ among many others, are examples of the breadth and depth of engaging experiences available on mobile platforms.”

Mobile gaming’s accessibility makes it broadly appealing across demographic audiences, the report said. Smartphone gamers typically play on a daily basis, while tablet gamers play less consistently, only firing up a game a few times a week. This fits with the overall trend of tablet usage, the report said, since they’re not as readily available over the course of a day as a smartphone.

Children in the U.S. and Canada are among the most likely mobile gamers to play on a tablet (83% play on a tablet, compared to 54% of teens /adults). Teens and adults are most likely to play on a smartphone (92% compared to 63% of children).

While iPhones are certainly popular, Android phones remain the most popular gaming option thanks, in part, to their wider range of price points, the report said. But, dual device usage is most common with Apple products, with 44% of iOS users playing on both iPhone and iPad. Only 33% of Android users use dual devices.