Portable Devices Primarily Enjoyed in the Home

[Jared Rea]

Portable Devices Primarily Enjoyed in the Home

New research by NPD Group reveals that 79 percent of portable gamers use their devices in the home more than any location.

It's happened to the best of us. Be it the nagging sibling or the friend who just doesn't understand your cut throat raid schedule, just about every gaming enthusiast has heard those dreaded words, "You should get out more." It turns out that maybe -- just maybe, they were right.

According to NPD Group's latest research [http://www.edge-online.com/news/portable-gaming-habits-revealed] utilizing a pool of over 3,200 owners of portable gaming devices, a whopping 79 percent use their devices primarily in the home. With the usage of iPhone, Nintendo DS and PlayStation Portable on the rise compared to their previous research, the report indicates that portable gaming may be competing with home consoles for stationary entertainment.

NPD Group also shared some of the more interesting statistics found in their research regarding the individual usage of portable devices. Ninety-two percent of Nintendo DS users, for example, are playing games all by their lonesome despite Nnintendo's portable being one of the most user friendly multiplayer devices around. Only close to a quarter of those surveyed with a Nintendo DS take part in multiplayer games.

Apple's iPhone continues to not only eat up market share (it recently [http://blog.wired.com/gadgets/2008/11/iphone-outsells.html] became the most popular cell phone in the US), but free time as well. Over 30 percent of iPhone users are using all of the available features, outside of watching movies (19 percent) and business related applications (14 percent). Over the last three months, the greatest increase of usage amongst iPhone users was in playing games, which is bound to make venture capitalists investing in iPhone developers very, very happy.

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[GloatingSwine]

Mostly true. I wouldn't use my DS or PSP on the tram because some chavscum would try and rob it.

 

[Stringytank]

Kinda defeats the whole purpose of portable gaming devices.

 

[raemiel]

Ever since owning an original Gameboy through to my DS I've always used portable devices at home more then on the road. If I only used them when travelling it would be a tremendous waste and I would miss out on a lot of fun and well-designed gameplay. They are great when travelling but the games can be just as fun as any other fixed-location console/pc.

 

[Virgil]

If I only used them when traveling it would be a tremendous waste and I would miss out on a lot of fun and well-designed gameplay.

Exactly.

Also, even though I may use it at home, I frequently also use portables at times when the TV is 'busy' and playing a console wouldn't be possible. It makes a nice backup.

 

[the_tramp]

This is the reason that I've never gotten a portable console, I would feel weird whipping it out on the bus and playing it. Don't see the point of getting one for at home because I have a PC/360 here. I do like how the kid in the picture (at least it looks like a kid) is playing GTA.

 

[Amnestic]

Mostly true. I wouldn't use my DS or PSP on the tram because some chavscum would try and rob it.

This. I won't take it around with me when knocking around town or anything. I'll grab my DS for long car journeys or other such things like holidays and whatnot. Taking it on a bus/tram is just out of the question though simply because it's more than likely to get nicked.

This is the reason that I've never gotten a portable console, I would feel weird whipping it out on the bus and playing it. Don't see the point of getting one for at home because I have a PC/360 here. I do like how the kid in the picture (at least it looks like a kid) is playing GTA.

The PC/360 doesn't have most of the games the DS/PSP has, most DS emulators on the PC I've found criminally lacking in proper functionality in comparison to my DS, which is more than reason enough for me to buy and play one