Are social games going massive?

First the details on social gaming. According to a recent Econsultancy report about 19% of consumers are playing social games, with slightly more females playing than males. Nearly one-third of players say they play multiple times each day. All of this playing? It's resulting in the purchase of more virtual goods, with 15% of players saying they've purchased virtual goods and 8% reporting the purchase of virtual cash.

The Fastpoint Games, Sony deal is the first of potentially many more deals with could push more gaming options into the social space. The social "Fortune League" game is connected to Sony's "EverQuest II" and gives gamers the chance to play the shorter, more casual "Fortune League", earning rewards which can then be used inside "EverQuest II".

"'Fortune League' aims to provide existing players with a fun, new way of engaging with the depth and adventure of 'EQII', in short, snackable sessions, while also introducing new players and creating a new revenue source for the franchise," said Kelly Perdew, Fastpoint Games CEO.

How big can social gaming become? Facebook is certain social gaming will continue to grow, otherwise why create gaming cards which can be purchased at offline retailers? The Facebook cards work like iTunes or Amazon cards - with the points/cash uploaded to a Facebook account so that gamers can play, purchase and play more.

Tags: Econsultancy, Facebook, FastPoint Games, game apps, online gaming, social games, social marketing