Research: Social Gaming Market Value To Approach $4 Billion By 2015

The global social gaming market's value will grow by 166 percent from $1.5 billion in 2010 to almost $4 billion by 2015, according to a recent forecast by analyst firm Business Insights. The group's new report, "The Future of Social Gaming", says the U.S. has the biggest stake in this sector, as its social gaming revenues are currently $670 million and will swell to $1.2 billion in 2015. Japan, the second largest market, has a $180 million value and will reach $570 million in 2015. Business Insights' report also claims there are nearly 600 million social gamers around the world, and says that number will continue to rise, though at "a progressively slower rate". It pointed out that China had the most social game players in 2010, some 109 million, which is expected to surge by 250 percent to 273 million by 2015. The United States has the second biggest audience of social game players at of 2010 with around 95 million users, according to the report. Business Insights predicts that number will rise to 150 million in the next five years.