The popularity of online gaming will continue to grow in the US, a new study has revealed.
US spending on online gaming will increase by a staggering 300 per cent to reach $4.4bn by 2010, according to market research firm Parks Associates.
American consumers spent $1.1bn on online gaming last year, the Dallas-based company said.
Parks Associates projections are based on the estimates of publishers, distribution services and internet gaming sites.
Further research by Parks Associates reveals that the US gaming industry is diversifying to include many more categories than just the "hardcore" or "casual" player.
The study found that the gamer community has developed into six distinct groups, including social, leisure and dormant gamers.
Reaching these new markets represents a distinct challenge to marketers, Parks Associates noted.
"If game companies insist on chasing the mythical hardcore and casual gamer segments, they will miss out on more than half of the market," said Yuanzhe Cai, director of broadband and gaming at Parks Associates.
"The market is not black and white anymore, and game marketers need to understand these finer nuances."
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