Chart of the Week

Chart of the Week: Similarities and differences of the Russian mobile market

The world is not all the same

Chart of the Week: Similarities and differences of the Russian mobile market

Surprisingly it wasn't snowing last week in Moscow.

But that's one of the joys of travelling.

You find out that stereotypes are not always true, or at least they are not true all the time.

And more generally, as the global market for goods, services and even mobile games, becomes flatter, we need to remember that all markets retain their own characteristics.

Local customs

This is something highlighted in the infographic that Game Insight put together for its Live Mobile! 2013 conference.

On one level, the Russian mobile gaming market is growing fast - as in most countries in the world. It's estimated there will be 65 million mobile game players in a population of around 120 million in 2016.

That should see total revenues hitting $1 billion.

Yet there are differences too. Russia has its own strong local mobile and internet companies.

For example, on iPad - a key gaming platform in Russia - most users prefer to use the search engine from domestic outfit Yandex.

It's also doing its best to compete with Google when it comes to Android, thanks to Yandex's version of the OS, which has its own set of mobile services including the Yandex.Store for Android apps and games.

Similarly, the favourite social network for Russians isn't Facebook but the locally-developed Vkontakte, at least in terms of smartphone and tablet usage.

 

Contributing Editor

A Pocket Gamer co-founder, Jon is Contributing Editor at PG.biz which means he acts like a slightly confused uncle who's forgotten where he's left his glasses. As well as letters and cameras, he likes imaginary numbers and legumes.