If you were that 90s or early 2000s kid, you definitely grew up playing feature mobile games like Snakes, Bounce Ball, or Solitaire. But now look at the mobile gaming industry; everything has changed. Now, we have high-quality graphics, multi-features, and incredible immersive games to play anywhere and anytime. The global mobile gaming market has already touched the $90 billion mark, and it’s just exploding. So, where is the mobile gaming trend heading? Let’s understand.
The Evolution of Mobile Gaming
The journey of mobile gaming started with pixelated games like Snakes and Tetris on featured phones. Coming with low graphics and simple gameplay, these were the best games for any 90s kid. These games laid the foundation of gaming on mobile devices.
As technology advanced and smartphones became available, the mobile gaming space experienced much-needed acceleration. With players’ evolving demands, big software brands launched more complex, high-graphics, and entertaining games. Today, we can find games of online baccarat, poker, casual titles, and highly entertaining pieces like Angry Birds, Free Fire, PUBG Mobile, and so on.
In 2010, the mobile gaming industry’s market size was just near the $6 billion mark. Can you even imagine the figure it has touched now? In 2023, it will have already crossed the $90 billion mark, and the experts are highly bullish on this market. That’s how gigantic the mobile gaming sector has grown.
Why are players choosing mobile games over PC games?
Slowly and steadily, mobile games are turning out to be superior to PC games or other mediums. As per recent reports, mobile games like online slots have covered up over 50% of the total gaming market globally, and this number is increasing every year. So, why are players leaning toward mobile games more? Here are a few reasons:
- Convenience: The most tempting part of mobile gaming is that you can play your favourite games anywhere and anytime. Mobile gaming offers a boon of convenience that tempts all types of players to enjoy games.
- Numerous Options: There are countless genres and styles available in the mobile gaming industry. You can find an assortment of experiences available, from intense battleground games to many casual pieces.
- New Technology: New games are popping up in the market using trending technologies like AR, VR, and so on. Games like Pokemon GO beautifully use VR features to offer a realistic experience to the players. The arrival of more such feature-rich games in the future will unlock new doors for the mobile gaming industry.
- Innovation: No doubt PC and other console games offer excellent graphics, features, and themes, but where they lack is innovation. On the other hand, mobile software producers regularly push their limits to leverage new technologies and introduce a bunch of highly innovative games.
The current condition of the mobile gaming sector
Investors and experts are hands down highly bullish on the mobile market. However, the year 2023 was a tough time for this industry. With 2021 rocking the stage, 2023 marked a global downturn in downloads and revenues. The rate of mobile game downloads on the App Store decreased by 6%, while on Google Play, it went up by 11%.
However, as a whole, the trend is touching the ground. The wave of mobile gaming is on the rise in many regions. Rise of Kingdoms and Whiteout Survival, two mid-core strategy games, accounted for the majority of the 8% revenue gain in the Middle East. Despite a 12% decline in downloads, Europe’s revenue increased by 7% because of well-liked casual puzzle games like Candy Crush and Gardenscapes. Call of Duty: Mobile and Garena Free Fire, two mid-core shooter games, contributed to a 4% rise in revenue for Latin America.
The future of mobile gaming
Despite the current temporary conditions, the mobile gaming market is expected to skyrocket soon due to players’ changing preferences. Mobile devices are getting more and more powerful, with efficient processors and flagship-level features. That’s why, in the near future, there will be a shower of high-graphic mobile games.
Technologies like VR, AR, and more will dominate these spaces, ensuring a bucket full of out-of-the-box games. Moreover, with the integration of AI in this market, games will offer more personalized experiences in the future. The global mobile gaming market is predicted to cross $417.99 billion by 2031. Fingers crossed, and let’s hope for the best.
Read More: Harnessing the Power of Client Reference Management
