NEW ORLEANS ? An EA executive at the International CTIA Wireless 2012 conference said that games are a big business and getting even bigger on mobile.

During his keynote session, the executive discussed the company?s mobile strategy. Mobile games are rapidly taking over the mobile industry and many companies such as EA, Rovio and OMGPOP are reaping in the success.

?The smartphone user spends about 46 minutes a day playing games,? said John Riccitiello, CEO of EA, Redwood City, CA. ?By comparison, they average only 15 minutes a day talking to those talking on their device.

?Seriously, think about what that means,? he said. ?Sixty-seven percent of all iOS app revenue comes from games.?

Mobile games
According to Mr. Riccitiello, by 2014, digital game revenue will top $44 billion.

Additionally, freemium models are the best way to go because it gives the player complete control over their carrier bill.

Marketers should add CPU to a device and games will dominate, per the executive.

Games such as Sims, Angry Birds and Draw Something are exploding in mobile and they will be important on every consumer device with a CPU.

It is also important for marketers to remember that consumers prefer quality and brands they recognize.

Gamers are very smart consumers ? they read reviews, talk with their friends and see what others are saying. Therefore, they expect a lot when it comes to the games they are playing on their devices.

?Consumers want and expect to pay for quality,? Mr. Riccitiello said. ?This is a branded world.?

Social interaction
Mobile and social go hand-in-hand.

In addition, the two mediums do not erode the core business of mobile and social games, they add to it.

It is important that marketers add a social element to their mobile gaming efforts and vice versa.

It is also important that game developers are where their consumers are ? at all times.

Not everyone will solely play games on their mobile devices. Consumers have consoles and desktops as well.

For example, EA has a popular game called FIFA. And, the game has a presence across all platforms.

Users can interact with the game through their mobile device in the morning, social share information on Facebook via their desktop in the afternoon, check-up on scores and progresses on their way home using their handset and play the game on their console when they get home.

Being a cross-platform company is very important, according to Mr. Riccitiello.

It is important to provide connect experiences to users and at the same time, making sure that the experience is seamless across all devices.

?Today game developers are given a big opportunity,? Mr. Riccitiello said. ?Together we can show that that thing in a consumer?s pocket is so much more than a phone.?

Final Take