A recent study by the M2 research firm finds that the popularity of social networking site Facebook is one of the driving factors in more kids playing games online, but that handhelds and the iPhone are also making their mark.
Nintey-one percent of tween boys (aged 8-11) and 93 percent of tween girls (12-15) surveyed play games online, primarily via Facebook. Naturally, Nintendo is the handheld leader, but M2 notes that the iPhone is becoming popular as well – a seeming portent of the inevitable rise of gaming via phones in the coming years. One surprising bit of info from the study: Sony's PSP shows the biggest divide among the sexes. Seventy percent of teen girls say they play the PSP as opposed to 44 percent of teen boys.
In terms of specific franchises, Mario was the girls' favorite choice at 20 percent (game not specified), while Call of Duty: Modern Warfare was a hit with the boys at 36 percent.
via Gamasutra