Do you love Nintendo Switch? Of course you do, you're on Nintendo Life, after all. But do you love a bit of gaming on your smartphone or tablet? An ongoing poll by game market research firm EEDAR (Electronic Entertainment Design and Research) suggests Switch owners in North America are far more invested in both forms of portable gaming their those that own PS4 or Xbox One.
In a post on GamesIndustry.biz, senior analyst Matt Diener says Switch owners are happily finding a duality between the two. "They're also more strongly engaged with mobile games than the average North American mobile gamer," he reveals. "In other words, Switch owners are still heavily engaged with games on their phones and tablets despite owning the most portable HD console currently available."
The data is taken from EEDAR's own PlayerPulse tracker - an ongoing survey that polls 1,500 active North American gamers per month about their habits - and shows only 38% of Switch owners avoid mobile gaming altogether (compared to 44% that do the same on other consoles). Switch owners also spend more than their console-owning counterparts. Flashing that cash, eh?
What do you make of this poll data? Do you still invest in mobile gaming for more casual titles while using Switch for bigger time sinks? Let us know below...
[source gamesindustry.biz]
Comments 63
Thats not true in my friend circle.
My PS4 owning friends play more frequently mobile games than me and my Switch owning friends.
But maybe thats just an European thing.
I don't even use my smartphone for games...just a phone.
I wonder what the percentage would be if you took Nintendo’s moble offerings out of the equation.
Could it be influenced by Nintendo's presence on phones? I mean, the Switch is not just owned by Nintendo fans, like the Wii U before, but we're there. I actually still play Mario Run from time to time when there are events. Same for Pokémon GO (not a Nintendo published game, but you get the picture).
We all have mobile in the blood. Bring us more mobile games to switch, devs.
And don't forget the microtransactions.
@faint Good point. There arent any Microsoft or Sony published mobile games that are as big as the Nintendo ones.
I don't like that at all!
This will be used as justification for a tidal wave of mobile ports on Switch. There are a couple good ones already but the vast majority are a waste of time and money and are a waste of eShop space.
Phone "games" are a shame, even Mario Run and Fire Emblem Heroes. If I want to game on the go, I have my 3DS.
My phone is mainly used as a clock and as an emergency device in case my car topples over and bursts into flames and I need to beseech medical assistance to extinguish and subsequently repair my searing flesh.
I would never game on any other device so long as I have either my 3DS or Switch in my possession.
I very rarely play any form of game on my mobile phone, it mainly gets used for browsing the web and watching porn.
Same here.
I NEVER Consider my smartphone as a gaming device, even though i have Miitome inside (Just want to get Muscular & Boxing costumes).
Nintendo machines are my gaming devices.
The last time I did any type of gaming on my phone, was when the iphone first gen was first jailbroken, and I was doing emulation, even that was short lived. EDIT: oh and on my N-GAGE haha, that was a cool playing elder scrolls.
Its sad, but any time I hear a mobile port is ported to the switch I avoid it. I get some devs work hard on the games but I can't get past it.
On my phone I only play Hearthstone and Minecraft so this is not true!
i play mobile games time to time. but it doesnt take over mainly my consoles/pc.
Eh. All I play is 80 Days, Civ Rev2, Chroma Squad and Galaxy of Pen and Paper. Great games, all also on steam. Would delete them in a heartbeat if they got Switch ports though. Just not many mobile gems really. 1 good game per thousand it seems, but they do exist.
I like mobile games time to time. There fast short games to enjoy especially the short puzzlers
@Anti-Matter miitomo is not a game
PC/Nintendo gamer here. Can't find anything appealing to Smartphone games, outside the occasional puzzle game, which blends well with touch controls.
eww phone games are awful. No thanks
@StephenYap3
Yep same here. Only use my phone to call someone and to send an occasional text.
I used to play a lot of games on it and lost a ton of games in the move to 64bit, so I never bought another game on the Appstore again. Stopped playing them as well.
The only game I have really touch is Pokemon Go.
It's not about if you own a switch your more likely to play phone games. It's your more likely to buy a Switch (than a PS4 or xb1) if you play mobile games. I doubt many candy crush players want to play cod or fifa on a Playstation. Plus I think I read Nintendo's customer base is 40% female, opposed to 25% on the PS4.
I will say this.
Noodlecake should bring the Super Stickman Golf / Flappy Golf games over to the Switch. They are so frickin' great!
I absolutely hate playing games on my phone. It's the reason why I own game consoles to begin with.
Here is how I see gaming. Ps/Xbox are there for the next gen, pop culture gaming. Whatever is “cool”. They play 1 or 2 games a year, and only buy 10 games during console lifetime. This describes most of my friends. Not talking about free games each month, just actual full price releases.
Pc/Nintendo gamers are playing more then just the pop culture cool games. They actually enjoy different types of expierences and different games. True gamers own multiple systems, so they don’t miss out on lots of different games. Pop culture gamers own just next gen consoles and play nothing but the next AAA releases.
All of us are gamers, it’s just that pop culture ones think they are better then everyone else and feel the need to complain about something like bayonetta 2 being Nintendo, but they are too good to play it because Nintendo is for kids.
These numbers are no surprise to me, I own 47 switch games in a year with 3 stitches, but my PS3-4 combined, not counting free games each months, I might own 25 total.
My pc steam library is ridiculously long too.
I am stereotyping, just stating my opinion. I understand there are some Ps/Xbox gamers who don’t fit this, just not the majority. Just look at numbers...
Huh. Sounds like Nintendo's plan worked - use their mobile games to get people on their hardware.
I think it's because the "hardcore" gamers normally found on console games hate mobile games like it's Skynet ready to Terminate traditional gaming. Casual gamers plays whatever.
It's kind of funny since I do spend a lot of time playing smartphone games, but the ones I play the most is licensed by Nintendo. I wonder if that also contribute to brand interest with mobile gamers.
I find this incredibly hard to believe.
I don’t mobile game at all - the attraction of the switch is that’s is a proper gaming experience - offering full blown epic games on the move Zelda and MO - as good as anything on PS4 and xb1 but playable anywhere - why would I be playing candy crush???
I'm an all portable gamer; play on my phone (mainly GPS games), play on gaming laptop (for high-end graphics games) and play my Switch (99% as a handheld).
i am against this poll. of course then i was never asked to participate in it. has anyone in the nintendolife forums participated in this poll?
it would be nice to know what group of users participated in this poll so that we can do our best to determine the accuracy of the poll.
and yes, i am being biased in my response. the Nintendo switch is one of the best gaming systems ever...
Haha. It's because we're a bunch of casuals.
Yes, I like the portability of the console that is a huge factor for a lot of people. To get a WHOLE game on the go. But I'm sorry mobile games are crap and even the ones Nintendo develop for smartphones.
Just sounds to me like the Switch is attracting more of the "blue ocean" crowd that plays mobile games than other platforms. The Switch is a huge success, Nintendo has made a pretty good footprint in the mobile space and in general, is more casual friendly so this really isn't surprising.
I normally only play Pokemon Go on my phone, but I had Miitomo, Pacman, Tetris, Animal Crossing, and I beat the story missions of Fire Emblem. Not too diverse for a "mobile" gamer.
edit and demo of Super Mario Run.
Mobile...games?
It's kind of chicken and egg. It presents itself as Switch owners are more likely to play mobile games, but in reality I think it's that mobile gamers are more likely to buy a Switch than other consoles. I.E. the most dedicated mobile gamers are going to be a group of people very easily swayed to buy a Switch, while a dedicated console gamer that buys a Switch isn't as likely to start becoming very interested in mobile games.
Guilty. I still buy and play games on mobile. I've bought Super Mario Run, Planescape Torment, Dragon Quest IV and Layton's Mystery Journey so far this year. Every single one of those justifies its purchase. If you think mobile games are a joke, you're not looking properly. There are other reasons to avoid it, though: moving goalposts on OS compatibility being one of the biggest issues. I'd take a dozen Nintendo stability updates over one app-killing update from Apple, any day.
My last home console was a PS3, and I never played it. Mobile/tablet was easier with my life situation. So yes, the Switch was ideal for me. Funny thing, though, is that I play it just much on the big screen as handheld, which I never expected.
I'm not surprised by this data. I've very little time if any for mobile games.
I don't waste my time playing mobile games never have and never will, I love my home gaming consoles to much to play crappy mobile/microtransaction games. I own a Switch, Ps4, Xbox One, plus other gaming consoles from the past gens going back to the NES.
Not really interested in mobile games. I'm cool with the few really good ones coming to Switch, but most of them are shallow and not worth my time.
The thing to remember about polls is that they aren't gospel. This was from what I consider a small pool of people, thus I believe the results may be skewed.
Most of my gaming is on Nintendo platforms (both current and previous systems), but I do grab the occasional PC indie hit. I do very little gaming on mobile and don't plan to do much in the future, though some of that is due to my current (abandoned) phone platform.
I detest mobile gaming. Horrible controls, riddled with ads and microtransactions. My phone is only used for calling, texting, social media and browsing the internet. That's it. I also usually play my switch docked.
Well I for one love my Switch but have 0 interest in mobile games (Smart phone/tablet games). I have like 100 on my phone but only for my kids to play. On a heavy week, I may play 10 minutes total.
That is a pass here. A smart phone is horrible for games and a tablet is a bit better. I bought the switch because I wanted a dedicated platform that works as promised. Otherwise is likely a good demographic for Nintendo
The only games I have for my mobile phone are checkers, dominos and card games. Everything else I play on the switch.
@Marios-love-child
You're very public about that.
You must be quite proud.
I definitely spend a lot of time and money gaming on mobile as well as Nintendo consoles.
But then, I do have an nvidia Shield tablet.
Case in point, I bought both Thimleweed Park and Bridge Constructor Portal on there and Switch.
What they need to poll is how much switch owners want so decent infrastructure, like browser, Netflix, party chat etc!
Actually, the Switch made me stop playing mobile games.
That, and my iPad keeps running out of space.
I had always like the DS/3DS family more than the Wii/Wii U growing up.
@10-zx
Oh aye. Its what smart phones were made for
@Marios-love-child
I always thought they were made to be phones...
It boggles my mind how people could EVER spend more on mobile games than other devices. I fell into the trap of wasting some money on a couple games for a few weeks with Fire Emblem Heroes and Star Wars Commander, but quickly realized I was both wasting my time and money. Mediocre games on a mediocre platform.
Sort of true, i only playbon mobile when at work.
at home its switch and pc for me.
@10-zx
I'll bet you're fun at parties
I've been playing video games in general since the mid 70s, and mobile games (strictly on tablets) for about 6 years now. I've spent less than $10 total on mobile games in 6 years too. That being said, I greatly enjoy a large number of mobile games for FREE that I would have paid vast sums of money to purchase on game systems but they won't put them out that way. Funny thing because I do still get to play them and it's their (financial) loss 😂
They obviously didn’t ask me, I wouldn’t touch a mobile game even if I was paid to play them...
Never really got into mobile games. Gave a few a shot but the lack of physical inputs doesn't really work for me. I think the best game I've played on mobile was Horn - I really got into that. Generally though mobile isn't for me.
I keep trying mobile games. They are 99% bloody awful.
@Marios-love-child
I don't go to parties. I don't even know anybody.
If I had the opportunity to, I would work on school instead. No real good ever comes from parties.
@10-zx
Sounds about right.
In case you hadn't worked it it my very first comment was meant as a joke but clearly it went right over your head.
My original point being that I use my phone for pretty much anything other than playing games... That's what my Switch and Xbox One are for
@Marios-love-child
Yes, a joke/statement which as been used millions of times now by this community...
It didn't. I just didn't choose to address it, and instead went for the more unusual addition in your comment, because that's reply-worthy.
What exactly is 'sounds about right' supposed to mean?
@10-zx
You said you don't go to Parties and you don't even know anyone.
If you don't mind me saying, you come across as quite a grumpy & negative person so what you said "Sounds about right"
Lets just leave it there anyway.... Good Day
@Marios-love-child
True.
Grumpy and negative... Yeah, that sounds about right...
Indeed. Have a good one.
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