Portable gaming is on the up among children, according to a new study by the NPD Group.
The market research firm’s latest Kids & Consumer Electronics report found that 44 per cent of US children aged 4-14 use a portable gaming system, up eight per cent since NPD first conducted the study in 2005.
While not as widely used as some other consumer electronics devices, portable gaming systems are the most owned CE devices among children, reports IndustryGamers.
The number of children receiving used or pre-owned portable systems also rose year-on-year, NPD said.
Additionally, purchase intent for gaming systems remains relatively high among children – ahead of other CE devices like laptops and digital music players, but behind HDTVs and cell phones.
"Kids ages 14 and under were the primary recipient of 37 per cent of hardware unit sales for the 12 months ending March 2010,” said NPD analyst Anita Frazier.
“Kids represent a big market for the industry and the future purchase intent figures show that game systems are one of the top consumer electronic devices that households are planning to purchase in the next year," she added.