The mobile gaming industry reported further growth of 12% from the year 2019 to 2020, but what’s causing an increasing number of people to take their gaming habits on the move?
Currently, 60% of the global population has access to the internet, a number that equates to 4.72 billion people worldwide. Of this figure 92.6% access the net via mobile devices.
A report by the Global Web Index found that on average, an internet user between the ages of 16 and 64 spends roughly 7 hours per day online. This means 40% of our waking lives are now spent accessing the internet.
The ubiquity of the internet in the modern world includes gaming and entertainment as much as communication, connectivity and work. Highlighted by the fact that 25% of all apps downloaded to smartphones are games and gaming represents 43% of all smartphone use.
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Technological Progress
- Advancements in mobile internet technology and the introduction of app stores like Apple’s ‘App Store’ and Google’s ‘Google Play’ have presented anyone with a smart phone access to millions of free and paid-for apps—Android users have 3.5 million of them to choose from on ‘Google Play’. The choice of games available is therefore vast and users can find any number of titles to suit their preference.
- The proliferation of publicly accessible Wi-Fi and mobile 4G and 5G networks, and the increasing speeds they offer has allowed for more data and thus more complex games to be downloaded. This has occurred in combination with improved graphics, processor speeds and the reduction of size and cost of powerful computing components.
- Battery life has also had to improve. Some of the early handheld gaming devices were notorious for their battery consumption. The Sega ‘Game Gear’ of the early 1990s was praised for its backlit graphics and impressive power but this came at a cost and it would quickly drain the six AA batteries it required to run. The lithium-ion and lithium-polymer batteries of modern handsets can cope with the increased demand, modern users are placing on their phones.
- The younger generation have been quick to adopt new technologies, having been born into the digital era. Being familiar with technological changes, they are able to keep up with the developments and even drive the trends forward themselves.
Taking it Online
- A more common feature of modern games is the inclusion of a social aspect of some kind. This might range from a simple chat room to communicate with other players and friends, all the way to a fully online experience of a Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Game (MMORPG) where all other players in a vast digital universe are human.
- Big game development studios have been quick to capitalise on the potential of the mobile gaming market. Both Fortnite and Player Unknown’s Battleground are examples of console and PC games that have wildly successful mobile equivalents, both of which occupy the online Battle Royale genre.
Several popular console gaming titles have been adapted into a mobile version.
- Financially one of the most successful mobile games is Finnish company Supercell’s Clash of Clans, which has generated in excess of 7 billion US dollars revenue since its inception. In the game, players build their own base then raid that of other players to loot gold and resources. One of the selling points of games like this is their instant appeal and playability.
Casual Gaming
- Fully immersive TripleA games tend to be titles that have somewhat of a learning curve to approach and require longer playing times. These are hugely popular blockbusters but at the other end of the spectrum exist the casual games.
- Casual games are noted for their convenience and playability. The concepts are usually simple to understand and playing sessions are generally much shorter, sometimes as brief as only a few minutes.
- These kinds of games are therefore perfect for commuters and those looking for a brief distraction. Titles that fall into this category include Angry Birds, Flappy Bird and Candy Crush Saga. Their origins can be traced back to games like Snake, which came included on early Nokia mobiles.
A shifting Demographic
Technological advancement has increased the interest of playing games in various demographics.
- Once the domain of the teenage boy and considered more a toy than a legitimate form of entertainment, gaming and gaming systems have undergone somewhat of an image update since the turn of the century.
- The average age of a gamer in the US is now 35 and participation increased by 32% in the age group of 55-64. Similarly female gamers have been growing in numbers and representation and video game developers now take that into consideration.
- Different games are available that have been designed to be enjoyed by all corners of society from very young players to more mature audiences, and male and female gamers alike.
A number of factors have led to shifting gamer behaviours. The combination of many technological advancements in the realm of the smart device—storage, battery life, mobile internet speeds, processor and memory power—have opened up the world of gaming to practically everyone with a smartphone. Marry that with a population that at all ends of the spectrum enjoy video games as a form of entertainment and you’ve got the perfect recipe for success.
