December 13, 2011

Having challenged for many years, Gameloft finally overhauled EA Mobile as the top Western mobile games publisher by revenues in Q3 2011. Gameloft reported an impressive 28 per cent year-on-year growth in Q3, with revenues of $57.3m compared with $55m from EA (with more modest 12 per cent growth). Glu Mobile continued to see growth from its smartphone games, despite a weaker release schedule. Glu's Q3 revenues grew 9 per cent year-on-year to $16.9m, with games for smartphones and tablets contributing 57 per cent of Q3 revenues. No Western publishers, however, could match the success found by Japanese publisher Konami from its mobile social network games in its domestic market. Konami's $116.9m mobile social games revenues, up 272 per cent from Q3 2010, comfortably make it the top global mobile games publisher by revenues.

Games for smartphones and tablets continued to drive growth in the Western mobile games market with EA Mobile (12 per cent), Gameloft (28 per cent) and Glu (9 per cent) all reporting year-on-year growth in Q3. Gameloft finally edged out EA Mobile to take a lead in the Western market with $57.3m mobile revenues to EA's $55m.

In terms of revenues, Japanese mobile social games operators continued to lead. DeNA and GREE, operators of Japan's leading games focused mobile social networks, achieved mobile games related revenues of $303m and $390m respectively (according to IHS Screen Digest estimations). The success of Japanese mobile social network games saw video games veteran Konami report huge growth in revenues from its (largely mobile) social network games. Konami's social games revenues grew from 272 per cent $31.4m in Q2 2010 to $116.9m in Q3 2011, comfortably giving it a global lead.

M&A and funding activity in the mobile games business continued to grow year-on-year throughout into Q3. IHS Screen Digest tracked nine funding deals worth $57m and six M&A deals with publishers such as EA, Glu Mobile and Zynga and Digital Chocolate all making acquisitions.

Highlights:

• EA Mobile grew Q3 revenues 12 per cent to $55m
• Gameloft took top spot in West with $57.3m up 28 per cent
• Glu grew 9 per cent to $16.9m revenues
• Social and freemium games give Konami global lead
• GREE holds mobile social network lead in Japan
• Android leads new releases for first time
• Games funding and M&A activity holds up

In this report:

• Top publishers' Q3 2011 mobile games revenues
• EA Mobile grows 12 per cent
• All platforms grow for Gameloft
• Smartphones drive growth for Glu
• Capcom and Konami see social boost
• GREE leads mobile social games in Japan
• Zynga sees mobile growth
• Android leads new title releases
• Q3 mobile games funding and M&A roundup
• Q3 and Q4 mobile games hardware news and outlook

Tables and charts included:

• Selected publishers' quarterly mobile games revenues
• Capcom and Konami - mobile/social games revenues
• EA Mobile selected releases
• Gameloft smartphone and other revenues
• Gameloft Android and iPhone releases
• Gameloft revenues by region
• Glu Mobile smartphone and other revenues
• Glu Mobile revenues by IP
• DeNA and GREE - games revenues and users
• Japan social games spend 2009-2010
• Zynga mobile and PC DAUs
• USA top grossing iPhone apps
• UK top grossing iPhone apps
• Europe top grossing iPhone apps
• Q3 2011: major publishers' new releases by platform
• Q3 2011: selected publishers' new releases
• 2010-2011: mobile games related funding activity
• Q3 2011: selected mobile games related M&A deals

Pages: 14

Tables & charts: 18

Tags: