Grand Theft Auto, Android

Grand Theft Auto and mobile gaming continue to grow. The game has sold over 35 million copies. Its worldwide sales are approaching $2 billion. Grand Theft Auto V even had over $1 billion in global sales within its first three days. The gaming market is oversaturated and highly competitive. The asian market continues to drive mobile and games in the future. Market dynamics continue to shift at “an unprecedented rate.”

Grand Theft Auto is published by Rockstar Games. Grand Theft Auto III is set in 3D with featured celebrity voice game characters such as Samuel L. Jackson, James Woods, Andy Dick, Phil Collins and more. The third series has sold over 150 million units, as of September 2013. The latest series, Grand Theft Auto V features California settings.

Multiplayer online games made up the largest portion of gaming M&A activity at 38 percent, followed by mobile at 27 percent, social and casual games at 18 percent, trailed behind by middleware, console and advertising. Asia represents the greatest source of buyers, with 7 of the 10 largest gaming deals made last year by Chinese, Japanese and South Korean buyers. China owning the largest potential share at 32 percent.

According to Digi-Capital, Asia accounts for half of the revenue in the mobile game business, and this will grow to two-thirds in 2016. The company also reports over 70 percent of global apps revenue from games in 2013, and forecasts that Asia will dominate global mobile/online games revenue,

Digi-Capital

Digi-Capital CEO Tim Merel said, “Mobile has fundamentally disrupted the games market across sectors globally.”

Digi-Capital

Online and mobile games continue to deliver strong growth and returns, with forecasts estimating that this sector could the entire games market to $83 billion and take more than 55 percent revenue share by 2016. Both the M&A and IPO markets in gaming delivered greater than 6x ROI between 2005 and 2012, the report finds, and although the IPO market itself was somewhat weak last year, it is expected to pick up in 2014.

Rockstar Games Grand Theft Auto 5 recently announced its Android 's iFruit app availability in September. The iFruit app integrates the Grand Theft Auto V experience through even more social engagement. Android users can order custom plates for Grand Theft Auto V and Grand Theft Auto Online. The app also lets them upgrade their cars and have a virtual pet using the Chop the Dog app. The app is available at Google play for Android users 4.0 and higher.

The total gaming industry is expected to reach $83 billion by 2015 Acquisitions for gaming  revenues totaled $4 billion last year, an 18 percent increase from $3.4 billion earned in 2011.  It is anticipated to be 55 percent of mobile and tablet app revenue in 2016. The Free to Play model continues to grow its share of the gaming market, and is expected to be 93 percent of app downloads in 2016. Investment value was led by middleware and gamification at 35 percent, mobile at 31 percent, MMO at 18 percent, followed by social, console and advertising.