If you own more than 10 games on Steam, ‘you don’t matter’ to the $99.3B gaming industry

SAN FRANCISCO — Most of the room of game-industry insiders raised their hand after Spry Fox founder Daniel “Danc” Cook asked them if they own more than 10 games on the PC software portal Steam. Smiling, Danc told them “you don’t matter.”

For years, mobile gaming has fended off the idea that is for “casual” consumers as opposed to the “core” audiences of more traditional platforms like Xbox One or PlayStation 4. But during a panel at the Game Developers Conference today, several mobile developers argued that this distinction is tribalistic and incorrect. In total, gaming is a $99.3 billion industry and mobile gaming alone makes up more than a third of that at around $34.8 billion. And while consoles and Steam gamers spend a lot, the most “core” people who make up those audiences aren’t worth chasing after for most studios building games, according to the panel.