Social gaming worth $5 billion by 2015, research firm claims

A report by research firm Park Associates has estimated that the world market for gaming on social networks will enjoy a five-fold increase by 2015.

The dynamic nature of social network gaming is highlighted as a major boon for companies like Zynga, enabling them to "measure the efficacy of different gameplay mechanisms, to tweak game design in near-real time, and to test new models are advantages that traditional gaming companies will never have," said the company.

It's also apparent that major corporations outside of the games industry are taking notice of the huge potential of cross-media promotions. Fast-food retailers and convenience stores have already incorporated social media games into their wider marketing strategies.

Over 250 million players partake in the likes of Zynga’s CityVille and FarmVille every month thanks to a little-known site called 'Facebook,' with Park Associates adding: "Zynga's huge market share is the best proof of the competitive advantage made possible by properly leveraging consumer data."

Thanks, GI.biz