Mobile platforms dominate as game investments grow in second quarter

Investments in game startups grew in the second quarter, fueled by a rush toward mobile gaming, according to boutique game investment bank Digi-Capital.

The value of game investments through the second quarter is $706 million, up 63 percent on a pro rata basis compared to the first half of 2012. But that total transaction value is still on track to be well below the $2 billion amount raised in all of 2011. The number of investments in game companies grew 7 percent pro rata from 2012 to 89 transactions, with the average deal size up 51.7 percent to $7.9 million. Mobile games were 56 percent of the transaction value and 37 percent of the transaction volume. Tech and gamification were 35 percent of the investment value and 35 percent of investment volume.