New Digimeter Report: Mobile Gaming Takes First Place

The 2016 Digimeter report, conducted by imec and led by Professor Lieven De Marez of Ghent University, provides a comprehensive analysis of digital media adoption and gaming trends within Flanders. The research, which has tracked regional technology usage since 2009, highlights a significant shift in consumer behavior toward mobile platforms as the primary medium for gaming.

Data from the 2016 study indicates that 54% of the Flemish population engages in gaming at least once per month, with participation slightly higher among men at 56.5% compared to 51.3% for women. Mobile phones have emerged as the preferred gaming platform, utilized by 34% of the population. Notably, the percentage of users who rely exclusively on mobile devices for their monthly gaming needs rose from 6.9% in 2015 to 11.2% in 2016. This growth in mobile gaming has occurred largely at the expense of traditional platforms, as usage rates for desktop and laptop computers declined from 31.2% to 24.4%, and console gaming dropped from 14.8% to 11.4% over the same period.

The findings also distinguish between casual and frequent gamers. Approximately one-quarter of the population plays games for at least one hour daily. These frequent gamers demonstrate different habits than the general population, showing a preference for traditional gaming hardware and a tendency to utilize a more diverse mix of devices. While mobile gaming continues to expand its reach, the report confirms that tablet gaming experienced a slight decline, falling from 22.3% in 2015 to 20.0% in 2016.