Of the approximately 250 million people who play games through Facebook, ten per cent of them paid real money while playing these games -- at an average of $55 -- according to a Facebook games infographic by bestaccountingdegrees.com.
Since the introduction of games like Farmville, Mob Wars and Candy Crush, Facebook has seen a huge amount of people flock to the social networking site, with around one in every four users -- up 11 per cent from 2012 -- playing these games. In all, 927 million hours are spent on Facebook games each month.
In total, Facebook made a total of $1 billion in 2011, with 12 per cent of that figure coming from Zynga, which developed the popular games like Farmville and Words with Friends. In the first quarter of this year alone, Facebook reportedly earned $213 million, mostly from social games, which is up 15 per cent compared to first quarter earnings figures from 2012. Perhaps currently the most popular social game, Candy Crush rakes in approximately $850,000 per day, which equates to around $310 million a year, according to the Facebook games infographic.
Obsessive Gaming Infographics
The Facebook Games Infographics Show We Pay an Average $55 on Games
Trend Themes
1. Social Gaming Revenue Growth - The rise of social gaming on platforms like Facebook presents an opportunity for innovative companies to create new and engaging game experiences that generate significant revenue.
2. In-game Monetization Strategies - As players continue to spend real money on virtual goods and microtransactions in Facebook games, there is potential for disruptive innovations that offer innovative ways for players to monetize their gaming experiences.
3. Mobile Social Gaming - The growing popularity of social games on Facebook indicates a trend towards mobile social gaming, creating opportunities for companies to develop mobile games that leverage social interactions and drive revenue through in-app purchases.
Industry Implications
1. Social Media - The success of Facebook games highlights the potential for social media platforms to become major players in the gaming industry, creating disruptive opportunities for game developers and publishers to tap into a large and engaged user base.
2. Virtual Goods - As players increasingly spend real money on virtual goods within Facebook games, there is potential for innovative companies to disrupt the virtual goods market with new offerings that enhance the gaming experience and provide additional value to players.
3. Mobile Gaming - The shift towards mobile social gaming presents opportunities for mobile game developers to leverage social media platforms like Facebook to drive engagement and revenue, creating disruptive innovations in the mobile gaming industry.