Filed under: Video Games

Usually, if you play video games for over 100 hours straight, people call you an addict, and ship you off to a rehab center. But for the past three years, three guys from Indiana have gotten away with just such an event (without being institutionalized) — all in the name of charity. Once a year, Brian Brinegar, John Groth and Chris Deckard take up residence in front of a TV, and play through every Mario game they can find in order to raise funds for Child’s Play, a group that sends video games, movies and toys to children in hospitals around the country. The event is even streamed live on USTREAM (in case you’re the type that considers video games a spectator sport).

This year, the three charitable gaming junkies behind the Mario Marathon played for well over 100 hours, and managed to raise an impressive $81,310. What’s more impressive is how the event has grown. Each year, it has more than doubled the amount raised the year prior, and has become a “Platinum Sponsor” of Child’s Play — an honor reserved only for the highest donors, like PopCap and Amazon. Perhaps next year, they can double the amount raised, and the charity will have to create a new level of sponsorship just for the Mario-mad miracle workers. [From: Mario Marathon, via: Fidgit]

Here We Go! Mario Marathon Ends in Day Five, and Raises $81K for Kids originally appeared on Switched on Wed, 30 Jun 2010 15:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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According to a new consumer study conducted by research firm Information Solutions Group on behalf of casual games publisher PopCap Games, 57% of AT&T wireless subscribers play mobile games.

The advent of the iPhone and its App Store have made the download and usage of mobile games easier than ever, and the mobile gaming industry is expected to grow more than 10% per year to hit $6.3 billion in user spending by 2011, according to a report from Gartner.

52% of gamers cited “distraction from daily life issues” as the top benefit derived from mobile gaming, followed by “relaxation and stress relief” (40%) and “improved mood” (12%)–in addition, 52% of gamers said they play mobile titles during work hours, and 14% selected “during my work day, when I need a short break” as the time when they most often play games on their phone.

60% of all mobile gamers cited “while waiting for an appointment” as a time when they play mobile games, with “during the day on weekdays” selected by 34% of respondents and “when traveling on vacation” and “on the weekend” tying for third at 25% each.

The Information Solutions Group study reports that 59% of AT&T gamers play games on their phone at least once a month, and 40% said they play weekly or more often–41% said they played less than once per month. 91% of mobile gaming sessions last fewer than 30 minutes, and 62% extend fewer than 15 minutes. In all, 71% of mobile gamers play games on their phone for less than an hour per week, although 52% of those who play daily said they play for three or more hours per week.

Asked to name “games you enjoy playing on your cell phone,” 20% of AT&T gamers cited Tetris, followed by Bejeweled at 18% and Solitaire at 17%. Puzzle games topped popular genres at 66%, followed by card/casino titles at 51%–board games earned 15% of the vote, with action/adventure trailing at 11%.

86% of mobile gamers also play video games on one or more other devices, with 76% of gamers playing on computers, 41% on consoles and 24% on handheld game devices.

17% of mobile gamers consider their mobile handset their primary gaming device.