Mobile gaming will continue to soar at unprecented rates and continue to enjoy solid growth in the next five years, a study said.

The mobile gaming study, conducted Pyramid Research, said The number of gamers increased from about 55 million in 2005 to about 183 million in 2008.

Global revenues from mobile gaming came in at a staggering to $6.9 billion in 2008, the study said.

In terms of region, emerging markets contributed heavily, with China and India being among the most important in terms of new mobile gamers, the study said.

The study said a number of underlying factors contribute to this growth.

One of there drivers is the evolving mobile technology environment, with better and faster wireless networks, as well as more advanced and easy-to-use handsets enhancing the user experience.

Features such as touchscreens, 3D capabilities and online interactivity allow content developers to improve games, the study said.

But apart from technological improvement and business-level innovation - which in the form of the iPhone

App Store is revolutionizing the industry - the mobile gaming market is also evolving fast on account of mobile adoption, the study said.

The study further emphasized that this trend is led by emerging markets, where improving economies are allowing consumers and businesses to catch up with the more advanced markets in terms of technology uptake.

Although most people in emerging markets cannot afford sophisticated devices, they are eager to experiment and use mobile data services.

This is true for both mobile communications and entertainment, of which mobile videogames are a major driving force.

For many users, handsets are the first device they own that enables access to electronic forms of entertainment, the study further said.

Pyramid Research further said the study was conducted by analyzing emerging markets in the context of the overall mobile videogaming industry, taking a close look at the trends and dynamics in gaming and mobile gaming globally.

This is followed by a top-level examination of emerging markets, including their mobile gaming-specific metrics, market enablers, adoption barriers, trends and opportunities.

Included in country profiles of eight emerging markets: Brazil, China, India, Mexico, Nigeria, Poland, Russia, and South Africa.

While the Philippines is not included in the country profiles, industry reports indicated that the country's gaming industry as a whole, is also enjoying growth.