Mikhail Ryazanov: the turnover of mobile games in Russia doubled in 2012

The other day Mail.Ru The Group has published a report on the segmentation of the Russian gaming market. In connection with the presented data, we had a couple of questions, which we asked Mikhail Ryazanov, the head of the mobile games publication Mail.Ru Group. 

First of all, thank you for the report. But it is not completely clear to us in the editorial office, what is this segment of “personal computer”? After all, people play both multiplayer and social games with a PC. Was the retail of PC games meant here?Yes, we mean the retail of so-called boxed games.

Over the past few years, the segment of PC games, the so-called boxed games, has been stagnating. Sales of PC games are falling steadily by 18-19% per year.

The report says that the mobile games segment has been a leader in dynamics for two years. Can you give more specific figures? How much has the share of mobile games grown in the market in 2012? In 2011, the turnover in this area has almost tripled and amounted to about 5% of the turnover of the entire gaming industry.

In 2012, it doubled and already occupied 7% of the total turnover.

What are your forecasts for 2013, regarding the mobile segment? How much will mobile games earn in a year?In 2013, the high rates of development of the mobile segment will continue.

Smartphones are becoming more accessible, and mobile Internet is getting faster. All this contributes to the growing popularity of mobile games.

Is the mobile market eating away the share of social or casual games?It cannot be said that the mobile market “eats away” the share of social games.

The gaming industry is growing as a whole, while the share of social games also continues to grow steadily. To date, social games are the second segment after MMO, they account for 26%.