A new report shows that while many cell phone users try mobile games, most don't play regularly--in fact, many who try it once never do so again. The M:Metrics report finds that prices, choice and
lack of interest are the biggest factors keeping cell phone game sales from growing in the U.S. Less than 3 percent of cell phone users are buying games on their phones--a number that's been stalled
now for the last few months. "It's just not growing," said the M:Metrics analyst who conducted the report. One of the problems, the analyst said, is the phone interface consumers access when
downloading gamesit's just a list of titles. He said that's why consumers are only buying titles with familiar names like Pac-Man and Tetris. I think it goes further than that. While a new interface
might help, I don't think the general population would want to play a complicated game like Madden Football or a role-playing quest on a tiny screen. It's just not worth it. Often, those who play
games are only doing so to kill time--at a doctor's office, on the subway, etc. If people want to play games during leisure time, they'll go home and play XBox on their big screen or World of Warcraft
on their PC. To me, that's why casual games are the only ones that will ever sell on mobile phones.
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