Attitudes towards gaming as a whole have been changing over the past few years as different platforms and different genres have become much more accessible to a wider audience, and whilst console and dedicated systems like PC are certainly thriving particularly because of the growing esports scene and many other titles, mobile still holds a much larger audience. But what is it that’s pushing mobile ahead, and why do experts believe it will be the future of gaming as we know it rather than a more dedicated platform?
Accessibility has been key – Whilst handheld gaming has always held a certain level of popularity and continues to do so now with platforms such as the Switch, costs have always been a concern, but with a smartphone in the pocket of everyone there’s less in the way to prevent access to a much wider audience and this has been key for the growth, particularly in audiences and demographics not typically interested in gaming. The same is true for the accessibility of different genres too providing something a little more familiar in gaming, particularly with the growth recently of online gambling and casino bonus codes like those that can be found at https://us-online-casino.us/caesars-casino-bonus-code/ for example.
Cost is important too – Whilst accessibility through simply owning the device is part of the success, there are many other costs associated with the change too such as accessories for playing and the games themselves. The big AAA titles can often hold a $60 or higher price point, even more these days with digital collectors’ editions and all of the extra stuff you can get if you’re not just purchasing the base edition, and over the course of a decade long lifespan for modern consoles, that’s a huge amount to pay. Mobile games typically all remain free to play, with smaller microtransactions associated for extra features, and have been instrumental in the success for many as it keeps costs lower.
Mobile gaming is looking to expand outwards too – It also helps the market that mobile games are certainly looking to expand into wider gaming areas – mobile esports is already huge in some parts of the world and once infrastructure is in place may have the ability to rival dedicated esports, similarly newer tech is allowing for a wider range of opportunities through extended reality with the likes of VR and AR, and many fans will have already seen how popular AR was back in 2016 with the release and huge success of Pokémon GO throughout the summer.
There’s certainly still plenty of time for mobile to change, it is still in many instances a newer and emerging market and still has teething issues to sort out, but changes are inevitably on the way and given the change in audience over the past few years in particular, which shows extremely positive signs for the future of the platform too.