• VentureBeat, Thursday, September 22, 2011 12:14 PM

Leaving more time for the Web, social game players are spending less time and money on traditional console games, according to a survey conducted by Information Solutions Group on behalf of social game firm Kabam. And when say social gamers, we're not just talking about middle-aged women. On the contrary, the online survey of 1,412 gamers found that one of the rapidly growing segments on social platforms is the "hardcore social gamer," who plays titles such as strategy, role-playing, or other hardcore games.

"The survey is very self-serving, but it points to little-known facts that show why Kabam, which focuses on hardcore gamers, has a real business on Facebook," VentureBeat points out. The research survey found that these hardcore social gamers are younger and mostly male -- "very much in line with traditional gamer demographics," according to VentureBeat.

"By contrast, many of Zynga's players on Facebook are casual female players with little playing experience." Still, about 82% of the hardcore social gamers also play console games. Yet, as VentureBeat, "As the games get better on Facebook, social games ... are disrupting play on the traditional consoles."

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