Over 70 Million Wireless Gamers in the US by 2007 - Report

According to a new study from IDC, the number of total American unique wireless gamers will climb from nearly 7 million in 2002 to 71.2 million in 2007.

The development of the U.S. wireless gaming market requires the successful triangulation of mutually dependent players, including handset providers, wireless carriers, and game developers and publishers. "Wireless gaming represents tremendous opportunity, but in order to reach its full potential, there must be cooperation among the three benefactors to work out key issues such as business models, the handset, and designating the appropriate content for the target demographics," says IDC's Schelley Olhava, program manager, Interactive Gaming.

Currently, domestic wireless carriers are pursuing 2.5G and 3G network upgrades to deploy next-generation wireless services that include wireless data applications. "Wireless games are a perfect example of the type of content that carriers are looking to offer," says IDC's Dana Thorat, senior research analyst, Wireless and Mobile Communication. "Gaming is ready to transition beyond the confines of the home to a truly mobile platform, and the emergence of next-generation networks and improved handsets make wireless gaming a reality."

Posted to the site on 18th November 2002