Tablet gaming making strides, study says

The sudden popularity surrounding tablet computers is not lost on the gaming community. According to a study from market research firm GfK MRI, more gamers are replacing their traditional consoles and handhelds with up-and-coming tablets.

The research firm interviewed more than 3,000 tablet and e-reader owners for its study. According to the report, released in October 2011, 59 percent of respondents say they spend less time playing video games on consoles and handheld devices than they did before owning a tablet.

Mobile technology has been a point of contention for many in the gaming industry. For example, in September 2011, Nintendo CEO Satoru Iwata asserted that his company has no intention of creating games for mobile platforms, despite the potential profitability.

Others, evidently, are not as hesitant to embrace mobile gaming. The tablet's large screen is proving to be an attractive factor for today's gamers, and the touchscreen capabilities add a new element to gaming not available on traditional consoles.

Mobile gaming will likely continue its upward climb as tablet technology continues to advance. The advent of multi-core processors and more vivid graphics -- coupled with a slew of free gaming apps -- in tablets will entice more users to abandon their old devices, leading to significant growth in the industry.