Angry Birds are heading to space. iPad sales are going through the roof and more people are buying smartphones, particularly kids who are addicted to games. Have you seen how many kids under the age of ten now have these phones, or maybe an iPod Touch, where they can download tons of free games or games that cost just a couple of dollars? The entire gaming industry is being affected by the mobile explosion as addictive games are now at our fingertips 24/7.
Of course, console games and multiplayer interactive games will still command big numbers of fans. People still spend a ton of time on these systems, purchase games and also go on the web for all sorts of games in order to play chess or play free bingo online. There’s also stuff like fantasy football that people play on a daily basis. But something as simple as birds on a slingshot can captivate millions of people! The entire gaming pie is getting bigger and that’s having a ripple effect across other businesses and around the world.
For example, this exponential growth is now moving to China. The creator of Angry Birds, Rovio Entertainment, has recorded more than 100 million downloads for the game in China, helped by demand from users of Android phones, iPhones and iPads. Now Rovio says it’s in talks with Chinese companies including Baidu Inc. and Sohu.com Inc. to drive even more downloads in the world’s biggest Web market.
The possibilities are endless, as the company turned down an acquisition offer recently in the $2 billion range. Who can blame them if they’re just scratching the surface in the largest country on the planet. Merchandising is a big part of the overall strategy as well, with plans for stores in China to move millions of stuffed toys and other themed products. Games have the potential to be one of the great unifying cultural trends across the world. It will be fascinating to see how this plays out.
