Survey: 'Hardcore Social Gamers' Moving Away From Console Platforms

Market research firm Information Solutions Group has released the results of a social gaming survey commissioned by social game studio Kabam, noting that social games are gradually attracting more hardcore gamers over from traditional game platforms. The Social Gamer Study, which surveyed just over 1,400 gamers in the U.S., found that around 82 percent of "hardcore social gamers" (someone who has played a "core" genre on a social network) also play console games, and that social game playing is "disrupting" their traditional gaming habits. Overall, 41 percent of U.S. internet users have played social games, although the study noted that hardcore social players will stick with a game for longer periods of time than more casual social gamers. On average, more than 68 percent of hardcore social players play for three hours or more each day, compared to 43 percent for casual social gamers. These hardcore social gamers noted that they were playing on their games consoles less, with an average 50 percent decline in spending on console titles. Twenty-seven percent of social gamers who played games on other platforms said they're spending less time playing games on those other platforms. While the study [PDF] was conducted by Information Solutions Group, it was commissioned by social game startup Kabam, developer of games designed to attract core gamers to social gaming. Most recently, the company announced a new game based on The Godfather franchise. Carll Frye, director at Information Solutions Group, explained of the study, "This research goes further in segmenting and identifying the gameplay habits of hardcore and casual social gamers than any previous study." "While casual social gamers skew female and older, hardcore social gamers skew male and younger, in line with typical core gamer demos. Based on these survey results, hardcore social games are increasingly stealing play time from core games."