We’re constantly anticipating ways consumers engage in mobile usage. One area I’m intrigued with is mobile gaming — why and when people play them. With a few exceptions, mobile gaming is limited to single player puzzle games and stripped-down versions of best selling PC/console games. So, if you’re a hardcore gamer (as opposed to a casual one) you’re likely not that enthralled by Bejeweled, Sudoku or Tower Bloxx. My brother, a long time World of Warcraft (WoW) addict, actually laughed at me when I showed him Civilization III for mobile (which I thought was a pretty cool port of the desktop version).

Hardcore gamers are left in the cold by the limited (they’d say lame) nature of mobile games for phones (I’m not talking about dedicated gaming devices like PSP here). Consider how a game like WoW, with it’s rich virtual economy, would benefit from a connected, mobile component. Aside from hacking their way through the horde, a mobile connection to the game could enable crafting objects and gear, mailing objects and money to guild mates and selling items in in-game auction houses via a handset. Blizzard could easily justify a mobile subscription version with it’s base of addicted players who are already spending a premium for monthly subscriptions.

Another MMORPG is Eve Online. Eve boasts a much richer virtual economy compared to WoW where players run corporations, guard against piracy and war against rivals for control of solar systems. CCP Games’ job board and rumor discussions would suggest there’s a mobile version in the works. (It might be your dream job in Reykjavik.)

For casual gamers, there is one mobile game that taps into a larger virtual economy in this way. Neopets released a mobile version for a $2 USD monthly subscription last year. The game includes a pet management feature, a couple casual games and a mini shopping area built in. It’s not that interesting on its own, but if you’ve amassed lots of Neopets and neopoints, it’s the only way to be online when you’re offline.

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