Technology improvements led to shrinking the gap between various gaming platforms. For example, you can now play the same games on a computer or gaming console.
The global gaming market will be over $200 billion in 2023, and the stunning stat is more than 50% will go to mobile gaming, which is now more profitable than the PC and console market combined.
How did this happen? There are over 6 billion smartphone users globally, and the accessibility and convenience of mobile gaming played a massive role in why mobile gaming took the lead as the most apt platform.
Types of mobile gaming
You might have spent hours playing Snake or Tetris if you owned old Nokia feature phones. Casual games were the main driving force for mobile gaming for years. Finally, however, more advanced mobile games came along with the better chipset. Asphalt is a car franchise popular on mobile phones, and games like Clash of the Clans and Brawl Stars are absolute hits.
However, those games are original mobile games unavailable on other platforms. The recent developments erase the difference between platforms. You can now play Call of Duty Mobile, PUBG Mobile, Fortnite, and Genshin Impact. Those are full-fledged games with advanced gameplay and great graphics.
iGaming niche
While you can browse through hundreds of great games on app stores, another gaming niche offers thousands of fun titles. iGaming platforms can have up to several thousand slot games, table games, and live casino titles. So to enjoy your favorite mobile casino, you don’t need a high-end device, and a data connection will suffice.
Modern casino games have excellent graphics and visual presentation. Some also support modern features like playing with live dealers and players.
Advantages of mobile gaming
Mobile gaming is affordable. While you can buy quality games on Apple and Android stores, thousands of free games are available. Unfortunately, most developers try to earn through in-game purchases. Ideally, you could spend some money in-game, but it shouldn’t be a pay-to-win principle. Unfortunately, many mobile games are intrusive and can ruin the experience with too much in-game spending requirements.
The huge diversity of genres and the number of games are something mobile gaming has a clear advantage over PC and console counterparts. Whether you like strategies, action games, puzzles, or casual games, you will have a massive choice of games. However, the number of high-quality games lags behind traditional gaming platforms.
The differences between mobile and other gaming platforms could vanish with mobile technology improvements. High-end smartphones have incredible OLED screens and highly capable chipsets that allow developers to create multi-platform games, not leaving mobile gamers behind with AAA titles.
Convenience is the most pronounced advantage of mobile gaming. Since your gaming machine is in your pocket, you can play literally wherever and whenever. You can play on the long commute to work, during a coffee break, or on the beach, if you’re done with the sun and the sea.
More opportunities for developers in mobile gaming
Mobile app stores created a new type of connection between the developers and users. Now, there is no need for a middle man, and you can have a small developing team that can put out the game on the mobile market.
Gamers provide instant feedback to developers, and with every new game update, some of those comments turn into game features or bug fixes. So although app markets take their share of the revenue, developers get much more than traditional publishers.
Mobile gaming created several revenue streams. Most notable are in-game purchases that helped mobile gaming surpass other gaming platforms in revenue and spread this idea to those other platforms. Now, the most lucrative PC and console games are free-to-play, relying heavily on in-game purchasing. As a result, games like Fortnite, PUBG, and Genshin Impact earn billions, although buying stuff won’t affect the game’s outcome, and you can play it without ever buying anything.
Another revenue stream that mostly stays on mobile platforms is ads. Like website banners, some free games interrupt gameplay with ads to earn money.
While more development teams are, traditional huge game studios still have an essential role. They can produce content with better quality and, because of the means and experience, could play a crucial role in the future of mobile gaming. However, the libertarian nature of the mobile app system sometimes makes it hard to find high-quality games from renowned studios. In addition, there are some other issues with mobile gaming that plague the platform.
