PopCap has suggested mobiles games designed purely for portable play may be missing the mark, with huge numbers of gamers now taking on titles while at home.

As part of a report by the firm looking into mobile gaming habits, the EA-owned publisher has claimed the top two places users play mobile games are on the sofa and in bed.

Indeed, the company claims mobile has overtaken consoles and PCs as the "primary home gaming platform."

Changing habits

"We already know that people play mobile games 'on the go,' but now we are seeing mobile gamers largely favour their mobile devices for home use," said worldwide publishing VP Dennis Ryan.

"If you add the fact we are seeing a deluge of new gamers coming in through mobile, we believe mobile gaming is invading the last bastion of video game consoles and personal computers: the home."

Such figures could have a major impact on game design, with many developers traditionally taking the view that mobile games need to accommodate short bursts of play.

PopCap's numbers, however, suggest users are fast getting acclimatised to the mobile medium, using both smartphones and tablets in much the same way they previously did home consoles.

In all, PopCap reports half of all gamers surveyed by independent research firm Information Solutions claimed mobile is their favoured method of game play, beating out consoles, PCs and handhelds.