In this day and age, who hasn’t heard of Facebook, the largest social network on the Internet today? Okay, stop glaring like that. Yes, it’s a rhetorical question, and it might seem a little silly, but today’s post is about social gaming – playing games offered on social network sites. Be patient. We’re not taking a piss here: It ties to mobile phones soon enough – really.

Of all the social games available, Farmville retains its top-played spot, but social gaming isn’t restricted to just that social network. It spreads to several of the larger sites as well. According to a study commissioned by PopCap Games, it’s so prevalent that more than 118.5 million people in the United Kingdom and the United States play at least one social game at least once per week per figures to the end of November.

118.5 million. 118,500,000. One hundred eighteen million, five hundred thousand.

Regardless of how it’s written, that’s simply astounding. That’s also 71 percent more than those who played – or had the courage to admit they played – in 2010. Estimates for the silent players may escalate those figures by at least a factor of three.

And 31 percent of those vocal gamers buy virtual currency. They actually pull out their credit cards and purchase the equivalent of game tokens used to upgrade the game with virtual equipment, expansion and other enhancements.

According to PopCap’s study, the profile of the average social gamer is vastly different than a “standard” average gamer whose profile notes male gender and an age range of 15 to 25 years old. The average social gamer is female and in her 50s.

Roughly 35 million social gamers are relative newcomers to social games, and 17 percent entered the gaming world with social games.

The study also boasts that 81 million people play social games every day and that about 49 percent – almost half – play several times each day.

And – here’s the tie-in – 29 percent of British social gamers play on smartphones, and 13 percent of Brits who play do so on feature phones.

The game, Angry Birds, isn’t a social game, per se, but its popularity gives credence to those figures above.

Samsung presents a 4.5-inch screen very well adaptable to social gaming, and Apple is finally expanding their screen on the iPhone 5 to four inches in diameter, not as large as Samsung’s Galaxy series’ screens, but it’s a step in the right direction.

How many mobile phones out there are specifically designed through programming or apps to make social networking even easier from your mobile phone? The generalised, “A lot” is sufficient.

So here is our own unofficial survey, readers, and we’re very interested in hearing your answers and opinions:

• How many of you use your mobile phones to access and input social networking?
• How many of you play social games on your mobile phones?
• What models, in your opinions, are the best – or worst – mobile phones for social gaming? Not regular gaming but social gaming, you understand.
• How many of you will admit that you, too, have played or do play a social network game even now?
• Have you spent money on a free-to-play social networking game to enhance or further play? If so, how much?
• Why is social gaming so popular?
• Do you prefer game apps on your mobile phone or social networking games?

What other comments might you share about this phenomenon?