There’s no escaping the fact that we are now a society of mobile gamers.
PCs and consoles remain central features of our gaming experiences, but mobile is more popular than ever too. It is projected to be worth $272bn by 2030 and is one of the few types of gaming that transcends generational patterns. From youngsters to seniors, billions of people have smartphone devices. And therefore, they have instant access to mobile gaming titles.
Likewise, the plethora of titles available on the handheld phone and tablet devices has grown at an exponential rate. It is now possible to download games across virtually every genre imaginable within seconds. The catalogue on iOS and Android also covers everything from major franchises down to indie published games.
While independently games are popular on consoles and PCs, mobile gaming has really enjoyed a massive push. In turn, big franchises have had to level up their output too. The new Call of Duty for mobile is a great example. However, everything from sports titles to Pokemon continue to enjoy a major uplift.
Many of the games are offered as free downloads with in-app purchases. However, mobile gamers are increasingly aware that this model opens the door to potentially huge expenses. In many cases, the alternative is to sit through advert after advert after advert. As the quality of games improves, people are more inclined to choose a paid model of gaming. Rather than the concepts that have dominated in previous years.
Google Stadia and Apple Arcade have both seen a major increase in popularity over the past 12 months. This can be attributed to aggressive marketing and the fact that people have turned to gaming during the pandemic. With people now returning to normal activities away from the home, mobile gaming will be the best way to get their fix.
People love the ‘pick up and play’ nature of many mobile titles. Even when you have 10 minutes to kill, a quick round of Fortnite is perfect. Despite being great when you’re short of time, the progress over time occurs much in the same way as it does for traditional gaming. Games with no real purpose or advancement over time have seen a fall in demand levels.
As well as emulating the traditions set by PCs and consoles, mobile gamers now want integrations. In addition to gaming, they may use tablets and smartphones to manage aspects of their console gaming activities. Such as in-game purchases or character trading. Moreover, a mobile game emulator allows them to enjoy the thrilling small screen titles on a bigger monitor. This adds a new layer of enjoyment that can take this type of gaming to the next level, especially for multiplayer titles.
Due to all of the above features, the main takeaway for 2022 is that the shift to mobile gaming will grow. More people will spend more time playing their favorite titles, not least because there are now more of them to play. Publishers and developers know this too – expect an incredible 12 months to follow.
