Those playing games on mobile devices are invariably referred to as "casual gamers", despite the quality of gameplay and graphics knocking on the door of the hardcore titles we know and love from the consoles. If research gathered by mobile game developer MocoSpace is anything to go by, casual is certainly an apt description of today’s mobile gamers, with a third playing titles while they ought to be working hard in class!
We’ve all been there – a mammoth pile of work sits there staring at us, or a teacher begins reading the unabridged version of the Magna Carta, and our hands almost spontaneously edge towards our pockets. With smartphone games often costing less than a dollar, most of our smartphones’ home screens are littered with icons of the likes of Bejeweled, Cut The Rope, and Angry Birds, so whether we’re up for a tricky puzzler or something a little more mellow, it’s only a couple of scrolls away.
Having polled 10,000 players for its self-explanatory "Y U Play?" research, MocoSpace found 31% of those whom responded admitted to playing games in the middle of class. Meanwhile, the reasons behind picking up a smartphone to begin gaming were mixed, and while a third noted they played out of sheer boredom, the same number said they gamed for kicks and enjoyment.
10% played to satisfy the urge to compete, while 9% were merely looking to meet new people. 6% were trying something new, while around 3% were gaming in order to flirt with others. Surprisingly, only 3% said they played mobile games because they were always on-the-fly, while the same proportion played to stay connected with friends (2%) and family (1%).
Not sure about you guys, but I play games on my smartphone device mainly because they’re fun. I don’t think it can be denied there needs to be an element of boredom sometimes in order to begin playing in the first place, but usually, when I decide I’m going to game on my iPhone, I already have a title in mind, rather than mindlessly browsing through looking for some inspiration.
I can’t imagine ever using a smartphone game to flirt with somebody, although titles such as Draw Something do strike me as ideal apps for people to make new friends and network in general. I feel like it should be a little concerning to see people would rather flirt than connect with family friends or relatives, but as the saying goes: "each to their own."
Do you, like me, play games for the love of gaming, or are your hands tied due to the fact you’re always on-the-go? Leave your thoughts via the usual mediums below!
(via CultOfMac)
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