The Mobile Gaming Revolution
Published: 10 November 2022
Escape to other worlds
Gaming allows people to escape to other worlds. Whether playing a role in an elaborate story or just solving a quick puzzle, it offers the opportunity for fun and meaningful experiences.
But gaming goes beyond other passive entertainment forms like text and video, as it allows people to actively control those experiences… including socialising with other players and shopping, and that makes it uniquely attractive to audiences.
Mobile dominates
It used to be that these experiences were reserved for expensive PCs and consoles, but not anymore. It is mobile that now dominates and is also growing at the fastest rate. Statistics show that 47% of all gamers play on mobile platforms (Statista 2022), with 30% playing daily (App Lovin 2022). This is helped by the fact that mobile gaming is leapfrogging console and PC gaming in developing countries, but also leapfrogging generations.. with younger generations starting off on their mobile rather than on consoles or PC’s (90% of millenials play on smartphones source: GlobeNewswire).
Accessibility and Convenience
There are some clear reasons for this. The accessibility of smartphones, with rapidly increasing speed and capability, plus their inherent convenience in delivering gaming experiences anytime and anywhere. In short, mobile gaming is no longer viewed as a compromise, it is the preferred platform for millions.
Mobile First Content
Game developers are therefore now adopting mobile first strategies to satisfy this growing audience. AAA games (like grand theft auto) and freemium games (like Roblox) are now produced increasingly with their mobile version front of mind. But there are also games genres that have made the mobile platform their own. Hypercasual games dominate the market share of global downloads. Hypercasual games are typically super simple, easy to grasp and usually free. Behemoths in this category include flappy bird, candy crush and of course tetris.
Brands get into gaming
Investment usually follows audiences. As a result, mobile gaming already takes the largest share of gaming revenue at 53% (Newzoo 2022) through smart monetisation solutions. AAA games typically rely on game purchases, freemium games on in-game transactions and free to play casual/hypercasual games on advertising. And it’s not just advertising in and around games. Brands are increasingly producing their own games. Companies like Flarie provide the tools for companies to produce their own branded / advergames for distribution on any platform. In summary, mobile gaming is now a mass media, enjoyed by millions, and the opportunities for brands to engage have never been more abundant. So if you haven’t already… why not give it a go!
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