Asymco: Apple's GameCenter users are expected to reach 200 million in 2012

Almost everyone knows that iOS is a good gaming platform, and many people use iOS mainly for playing games. However, it is worth pondering that iOS has changed the video game market that has lasted for more than 30 years in just a few years.

At WWDC 2012, Apple announced that its Game Center had more than 130 million users. Based on data provided by Apple, Asymco found that Game Center still has more users than Nintendo DS and Play Station 2. Last year, OpenFeint said that it had 180 million users, which means that it is still difficult for Apple to become the industry leader. However, on the other hand, Game Center has only been released for a short time, and the fact that it has accumulated such a large number of users in a short period of time shows that the iOS system is very powerful.

Although the number of Game Center users is astonishing, and the widespread popularity of Apple mobile devices means that more and more users will play games on the iOS platform, it is worth noting that some iOS device users are not stereotyped gamers. They are more likely to satisfy their curiosity and desire for coolness through the AppStore. Therefore, some non-game users downloading Angry Birds or logging into Game Center does not necessarily mean that these users are long-term active users. Similarly, some people who buy DS or PS2 are not necessarily loyal players.

Apple's 130 million users may not all be hardcore gamers, but they can also reflect some problems from the side, such as the decreasing proportion of hardcore gamers in the total number of gamers; there is a mainstream market in every era. Apple said that the main purpose of developing GameCenter is not to make a profit, but to attract users and obtain detailed user information.

The debate of “console games or iOS games” is getting more and more intense, but I don’t think iOS has to dominate the market and kill off other competitors. Many users who like to play console games also want to play games on smartphones or tablets, and of course there are also many users who think that iOS devices can meet their gaming needs.

All in all, the iOS platform has indeed created a great era. Even if some people do not think that iOS was born for games, the fact is there. Asymco believes that the number of GameCenter users is expected to reach 200 million by the end of 2012. Such a booming market will attract more people to join the ranks of gold diggers.