NPD group's latest report revealed that "digital gamers" are more inclined to buy new games than "core gamers".
The report defines "digital gamers" as those who play games on a variety of devices primarily via digital distribution, while core gamers are defined as those who buy their console games on physical media.
According to the report, digital gamers buy 5.9 games on average every three months, compared to core gamers who buy 5.4 games on average over the same period. However, core gamers still take the lead in the number of hours played per week as they clock an average of 18 hours per week, compared to digital gamers' 16 hours.
"The name of the game in 2011 seems to be choice," said NPD analyst Anita Frazier. "Gamers are increasingly branching out to methods of play other than those that the industry has traditionally expected them to use. Fueled by the growth of smartphones and new tablet devices, mobile gaming continues to accelerate, and what a game is and what it means to be a gamer is evolving, reflecting the rapid nature of change within the industry."
