Diverse technological advances have revolutionised the gaming industry in the past few decades. While the progress initially completely relied on consoles, much has changed with the rise of smartphones and tablets. Today, mobile gaming accounts for the bigger portion of the market.
To shed light on the emerging sector, this article discusses the background and future of mobile gaming, as well as some popular trends. Keep reading to learn how this dynamic industry is shaping the entertainment landscape.
The History of Mobile Gaming
Console gaming has been a big part of the entertainment industry for over five decades. The first video console game appeared as far back as the 1970s, with its quality and popularity only increasing in the years to come. That is, until the early 2000s.
Mobile gaming had its humble beginnings in the late ‘90s, but the progress was slow due to technological limitations. It was the introduction of the Wireless Application Protocol (WAP), which allowed mobiles to connect to the internet, that marked the first milestone for the sector. From there, it has only been uphill. Mobile devices became more polished year after year, slowly gaining dominance over the formerly console-driven gaming industry.
According to records, mobile gaming revenue officially surpassed PC and console gaming in 2009. The shift came with the advent of touchscreen phones and the rise of app stores, signalling a major transformation in gaming trends.
The emergence of social networks like Facebook only solidified this pattern. It was the time of Angry Birds, Farmville, Candy Crush, and Clash of Clans. Players increasingly turned to mobile gaming as a more affordable alternative, appreciating the added convenience and accessibility it offered.
In 2018, mobile games generated more revenue than PC and console gaming combined. By 2022, they accounted for over 60% of the total gaming market.
Mobile Gaming Trends
Throughout its evolution, mobile gaming has seen many shifts. Nevertheless, certain trends have persisted. You can find the most prominent ones highlighted below.
Multiplayer Games
Multiplayer gaming mode has been around ever since arcade games gained popularity in the ‘80s. Still, we only started to take full advantage of its functionality after technological advances connected mobile devices to the internet in the 2000s. The first globally popular mobile multiplayer games included the mentioned Clash of Clans (2012) and Pokemon GO (2016). Nowadays, heavy-duty mobile games like PUBG and Call of Duty dominate the multiplayer scene, adding a social layer to the immersive gaming experience.
Casino Gaming
The digitalisation of casino games followed the progress of the traditional gaming industry. Classic gambling titles like poker, blackjack, roulette, and slots first appeared on desktop-tailored platforms like the Prime Slots UK site in the mid-2000s. However, it didn’t take long for them to transition into the mobile realm.
Once smartphones became prevalent, developers built mobile-friendly games, and casinos launched standalone apps. Together, they made the mobile casino industry more attractive, engaging, and, by extension, widely popular.
Gamification Tools
Gamification is another factor fueling the immense popularity of mobile games. It involves the integration of social interaction elements into games to enrich the player experience and make them even more appealing.
From leaderboards that rank players by wager activity in slots on platforms like Street Games UK to live chats in multiplayer battle royale games, these tools come in various shapes and forms. Players can compete, socialise, team up, and advise one another, all while enjoying their favourite entertainment format.
Ad Inclusion
One of the most prominent trends in mobile games lately has been in-game advertising. Developers started incorporating various advertisement formats into their games to boost revenue.
The most common formats currently include video, interstitial, and offerwall ads that encourage engagement and provide in-game rewards. Nevertheless, longer-form playable ads are becoming more common. Besides driving profits, this form is expected to complement the user experience and improve retention rates.
The Future of Mobile Gaming
Studies suggest that mobile gaming is not only here to stay but also set for significant growth. If its popularity continues to rise as it has so far, industry analysts anticipate its market value will surpass $200 billion within the next five years.
Of course, for that to happen, the industry will have to keep pushing the envelope. Some of the biggest gaming companies have already announced their expansion into the mobile sector. Many of them, along with mobile-exclusive studios, have started working on creating ports that would allow for cross-platform gameplay. Others have begun experimenting with AR and AI technology and cloud gaming.
These trends are only the tip of the iceberg. With technology evolving at such a rapid pace, we can expect plenty of innovations will keep the mobile gaming arena fresh and thriving in the upcoming years.
