Nick Earl, the Senior Vice President of EA’s Global Mobile and Social Studios said: “The iPhone 5 is going to be a big accelerant for us. Having been in the console business for two decades, we’ve seen that when [new] consoles come out, we see a huge improvement in powers that brings in new gamers and fuels growth. I don’t see any difference here.”

The rise in mobile gaming has already had a major impact on the sales of handheld consoles. According to a recent report by App Annie and IDC, during the second quarter of this year mobile game content from the App Store and Google Play generated four times the revenue compared to gaming-optimised handhelds.

The iPhone 5s boasts a number of features that makes the device competitive with dedicated hand-held consoles. The A6 processor makes it twice as fast as previous devices and delivers high quality graphics. In addition, the screen has now increased in size from 3.5-inches to 4-inchs with 16:9 screen ratio.

It is therefore no surprise that consumers are opting for the iPhone over hand held consoles. Not only do these features match, if not rival, those offered by devices such as the PlayStation Vita or Nintendo DS, but users can also access a larger range of apps and games. The iPhone 5 not only allows gamers to access exclusive app titles and mobile compatible websites such as Royal Vegas Casino, but also all the other amenities you would expect of a smartphone, e.g. call, text, camera and social networking apps.

However, this may not necessarily spell the end of the portable game console industry. Core gamers still generate the majority of revenue in the gaming market, and many mainstream game franchises still remain unavailable on the mobile platform.

The release of Nintendo’s 2DS console also signals a move in a new direction, targeting younger players. Although there are many apps designed for children, the age group that will be attracted to the 2DS are clearly not considered as part of Apple’s demographic.

With careful market planning and an understanding of their consumers, the major manufacturers of handheld consoles can still remain afloat in a mobile focused world. Both serious and younger players may not feel satisfied by the gaming content currently available on the mobile platform and, although new app titles are constantly being released, their interest could be enough to keep hand held game consoles alive for another generation.

A report in 2012 revealed interesting statistics about the modern gamer and the increase in adults and women playing computer games. Over half of gamers, the report stated, are over 18 years of age with the average gamer aged 30. The industry’s fastest demographic of gamers are women over the age of 18. This group represents a larger proportion of gamers than the stereotypical game-playing group – boys aged 18 or younger. Even more surprising is the fact that almost half of all gamers – 47% – are women.

This increase in older gamers and women in particular may be down to the changing attitudes of parents towards their children playing computer games. More positive attitudes towards games consoles and games may have persuaded more parents – and mums in particular – to join in gaming themselves. The same report stated that 66% of adults believed that computer games provide mental stimulation or education. Parents may also be joining in with gaming and becoming players themselves as a result of changing attitudes towards the part played in family life – 61% believe that games encourage their family to spend time together.

Another factor contributing to the rise in older gamers may be the recent research reporting the benefits of games for older audiences. A 2008 study concluded that playing computer games exercised the mind and helped to improve memory and alertness. This report differed from earlier studies, as it stated that the benefits of playing computer games were not only immediate, but lasted after game-play had stopped, and transferred to everyday tasks for weeks afterwards.

Strategy games are a great way of keeping the brain active as they involve completing numerous tasks which test brain power, such as mathematic, logic and visual tests, many of which have to be completed simultaneously. It should come as no surprise that more older people are playing video games, and perhaps choosing this form of media over others in an attempt to ‘exercise’ their brains. Statistics from 2011 showed that playing games was more than twice as engaging, compared with other forms of media.

In general, older gamers will have more disposable income to splash out on consoles and accessories than teens, and gaming companies have used this to their advantage. Products are increasingly being aimed at older generations: television adverts for the Nintendo DS for example, featured mature actors Julie Walters and Patrick Stewart to appeal to audiences of a similar age.

The audience for computer games has broadened hugely and now game-play is not solely associated with teenage boys. More women and older generations are enjoying the benefits of playing computer games and the industry is benefitting financially as a result.

– William Cecil