Trip Hawkins: 'Social gaming still driven by Facebook and PC'

The social gaming market will continue to be driven by Facebook and PC for some time, says Trip Hawkins, boss of publisher Digital Chocolate.
"Anyone who thinks it is easier to make money on the iPhone or Android rather than on Facebook is wrong," he tells ME.
"The mobile infrastructure, social features and web device population are just not there yet, and it will take some time. Mobile games will become more social but it is a rope that a game publisher cannot push right now."
Digital Chocolate continues to release games for iPhone and mobile platforms, but its focus has diversified with a series of popular Facebook games too.
"Inevitably and eventually, the mobile side will be huge, but it's not now and it's not even next," he says.


"It's still going to be Facebook and the PC for a while longer."
Companies like ngmoco have focused on trying to make freemium social games take off on iPhone, while Facebook giant Zynga recently brought its Farmville game to Apple's platform.
Meanwhile, Gameloft is the latest mobile publisher to dip its toes in the Facebook waters, with the launch of the Farmville-esque Green Farm.
Hawkins thinks that publishers are too quick to swing between the merits of one platform and another.
"Too many people are running from one side of the boat to the other, and back again!" he says.

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