Each week MobileCrunchArcade compiles the biggest news from the world of mobile gaming.
Research from Frank N. Magid associates has found that a majority of cell phone users don’t play mobile games. I know how ridiculous that sounds but the evidence is in. Over 80% of 
Internet users, ages 12 to 64, own a cell phone or PDA but only a little over 10% of this population played a mobile game at least once a week — even free games! People aged 12 to 24 are the most likely to play mobile games. This means there is great growth potential in mobile games if we can just get the word out how great this pastime can be. Tell Grandma and Grandpa to pickup the handset and thumb thump those keys.
In the near future you may be playing mobile games with Vollee, a new technology that streams PC games to mobile phones. Vollee’s Head of Business Development, Julian Corbett, explains how Vollee’s service works: “Vollee streams console and PC games directly to a mobile handset 
using 3G networks. We host the games on our servers, and users download a player or thin-client to their handset which gives them access to the titles we have licensed and adapted for mobile.”
If you have an iPhone and hanker for an old PlayStation game, now you can revisit past glories. ZodTDD has revealed its PlayStation/iPhone emulation software. The psx4iphone application is open to anyone with an iPhone and doesn’t require any registration. The emulator divides the 
iPhone screen in two, with game play on one half and the game’s standard face button controls and directional movement pad placed on the other. The onscreen control works much like a regular PlayStation controller.
India is seeing a video game war. Console and computer games are fighting mobile gaming in India’s growing gaming market. In India mobile phone games are king, constituting around 50% of the gaming industry. “Mobile gaming is for the more casual gamer. For the high-end gamer, the console or online is the answer,” says Smita Jha, principal consultant (Entertainment & Media Practice), PwC. She adds that even five years from now, the mobile base will be much 
larger, considering the numbers that are swelling by the month. Gandhi may have preached non-violence, but if he were around today he would secretly be pulling for the mobile gamers to win this war.
That is this week’s mobile gaming new roundup. Remember to exercise those thumbs, recharge the battery and never take you eyes off the screen.
I am in the Mobile Game Industry since 2002 and I can tell you that there is no “potential” growth - perhaps a little growth. 10% play mobile games - this is the same number that we had in 2004 - so where is the growth? Most of the people don’t play games on their mobile becaue of a small screen - lack of sound in public. Yes, the iPhone will probably change this - but there can’t be a bigger screen - only a higher resolution - but this will not enhance the viewing experience in gaming - your pixel hero gets smaller and smaller.
Comment by Andy — December 28, 2007 @ 9:36 am
Thhis is really cool!
http://www.spymac.com/details/?2321924
Comment by Patricio Albasete — December 29, 2007 @ 6:51 am
Andy is short sighted. The mobile game market may be small in the US, but what about China, India and Africa? In Africa and China the mobile phone will allow people who NEVER see a PlayStation3 (let alone a PS2 or PS1) to play games. There WILL be growth in mobile phones for gaming because of these markets.
Comment by Mobile Game Guy — December 31, 2007 @ 7:54 am
Mobile Game Guy is funny.Who told you ppl in china and india never see a playstation 3.
Comment by mobilegame — January 1, 2008 @ 5:11 pm
I believe I said, “people who never see a PS3.” And I said Africa and China, but in any case I didn’t imply that everyone in Africa and China would never see a PS3, but even those who never see a PS3 will see games on their phones.
The point is that there will be more mobile phone users in these markets than PS3 owners. Of course there are already more mobile phone users in America than PS3 owners, and probably MOST PS3 owners are mobile phone users.
But the point remains that while some people will never own a PS3, Wii, Xbox, PC, Atari, whatever, they can still play games on their mobile phones. For that reason mobile phone gaming will grow.
Comment by Mobile Game Guy — January 2, 2008 @ 4:00 pm