Juniper Research (News - Alert) just released a new report regarding the increase in tablet users and the higher proportion of gamers using tablets, putting figures for 2014 tablet game revenues at $3.1 billion. Compare that to just under half a million dollars earned from tablet game purchases in 2011.

It seems as if though being an iOS or Android (News - Alert) developer will pay off much more in the near future than it does now, making it a possible new frontier for big game producers.

Juniper's report continues, adding that the fact tablets have a relatively large screen size and are growing in resolution might make a larger push towards game and in-game item purchases. Higher resolution allows you to see smoother textures, but you also require more competent display hardware to have less pixilation (anti-aliasing). Recent developments in tablets suggest that we might be heading in the direction for clearer high-definition video and higher-end display hardware for gaming purposes.

The games also have on-screen buttons that emulate consoles like the Xbox and others. Although the buttons might actually make for an unpleasant gaming experience on a smartphone, this isn't the case with tablets due to their larger screens. Tablets today have screens ranging from small seven-inch panels to a whopping 11.6 inches, like Samsung (News - Alert) plans to have for its future Windows 8 tablet.

All this said, Juniper's report seems to suggest that we're entering a new arena of gaming, where not only does your average avid gamer have an Xbox, a computer, and a laptop for gaming, but also has a tablet for high-end games on the go.

Given all this information, we can see how gaming fits into the big picture, but what about expense? It's awfully expensive to buy a higher-end tablet, which usually ranges from $500 up, so why make the investment? The same question used to be asked about buying personal computers vs. gaming consoles.

Simply put, you can do more with a tablet than you can with your average console, often getting the added ability to play medium- to high-end games on it. That said, tablet owners often have more “disposable income” than smartphone users. So, they are also more likely to download and purchase games and other items particular to games than anyone else.

The report's author, Charlotte Miller, said, “The tablet is the perfect device for playing mobile games - the screens are large enough for the user to see the action, no matter how big their hands are. Tablet owners also tend to have a larger disposable income, as tablets are often bought outright rather than subsidized by operators. Higher user satisfaction with games and a bigger wallet mean that tablet games look to be highly lucrative.”

Remember the whole Angry Birds frenzy? We’re still feeling the ripple effect of its franchise. It probably won’t be too long until we see another Angry Birds-type rock star hit the market again.