Mobile gaming has transformed in both substance and popularity in recent years. A huge increase in entertainment-fuelled games and the ability to play on the move with the use of smartphones have been major catalysts for this rise.
It’s not just gaming though that has gone onto mobile, the gambling industry has too. The brick-and-mortar establishments are beginning to lose out to the online world of casino and online bingo sites, and a multitude of betting offers that leave punters trying to earn money from the comfort of their own home.
With the increasing development of touchscreen technology and as more app stores get created, the mobile gaming and gambling industry will only grow further.
Where did mobile gaming come from?
It’s the question on every gaming nerd’s lips – where did mobile gaming actually originate? Well, it wasn’t until 1997 when Nokia brought out the well-known and much-loved classic Snake which came as a feature on their respected phones themselves. Searching or downloading were simply avoided.
Nowadays, however, mobile games need to be searched, and, sometimes even a financial transaction is involved to ensure the game can be downloaded on your phone. Then, the download occurs. Snake is now even available on new smartphones.
Japanese leading the way
But, it was Japan that emerged as the first nation to commercialize mobile games at the turn of the century through NTT DoCoMo’s I-mode platform. Its influence spread throughout Asia, Europe and North and South America and then the rest of the world where smartphones were readily available.
Apple change the game
Despite Japan’s leading role, it was Apple’s launching of its app store in 2008 that changed the concept of gaming forever. Screens now had color and consumer behavior changed with it as the majority of smartphone users began downloading games straight from the store.
And, inevitably, as phones got smarter so did the games. Games developer Namco took advantage of a phone’s camera to break new ground with its fighting game in 2003. Characters were created by using the camera and after assigning speed and power, people could send the image to friends’ mobiles to start a battle.
Not limited to mobile
Mobile gaming is certainly easy, but it’s also sometimes a literal pain in the neck. An awkward stance, sore eyes from focusing on a small screen for far too long and the drain on the phone’s battery all make mobile gaming actually inconvenient.
So, a clever way around that has been to play the same mobile game on desktop through Android emulators like Andy. Users can play any game on PC or Mac just like they would do on a mobile in a concept previously thought unrealistic.
Adverts dominate
Ever wondered why so many adverts come up during mobile gaming? Well, it’s because these adverts can reach millions due to the high demand for free mobile games. In-app advertising platforms such as Appnext enable app developers to connect with other developers to advertise a game within a game.
The mobile gaming industry had to adapt to this free gaming popularity with new revenue streams, which explains the rise in rewarded videos. Not being able to go to the next step or level in a game, for example, having to wait for crops to grow whilst farming on Farmville, can be annoying. But, with a short video implanted to pass the time, advertisers have cut out this whole inconvenience.
Connectivity necessary
An increasing amount of mobile games now can only run with an internet or data connection. This is so in-app purchases can be made and adverts can be placed whilst gaming, as well as encouraging social play with your friends.
But, this connectivity encounters problems. Whilst before internet access, games could be played on mobiles at any time, some games at present can only be played with an internet connection, limiting the offline usage.
Mobile gaming to improve further
The changes made to mobile gaming have been drastic in the past two decades, but with different concepts now at the touch of our fingertips such as augmented and virtual reality, mobile gaming is only going to transform and grow in the future.