Mobile gaming as a form of entertainment has evolved from fun and addictive pastime practice to international industry influencing the nature of the games, course of their production and their status. Games such as Fortnite and PUBG have been right at the forefront of this revolution, offering console-like gaming experience on smartphones.
However, at the same time, there is a growing trend of mobile esports where the best players become global celebrities, and viewers interested in games.
Let me present a detailed analysis of the reasons for the popularity of mobile gaming and its impact on the further development of esports.
The Emergence of the Mobile Gaming Industry
Mobile gaming has been evolving at a very rapid growth rate because of the developments in smartphones, the increased availability of internet and also the increased complexity of the games played on smartphones.
From where it began with uncomplicated games with no particular objective other than passing time through playthings like Angry Birds and Candy Crush, it has become a very serious business.
- Accessibility and Convenience: If there is one major reason why people love mobile games, it is for the game’s availability. Unlike the cases with consoles or gaming PCs, which need hardware, almost every person has a smartphone.
What this implies is that in their millions, people are able to enjoy games that are as good as the best, without having to invest in the best equipment.
- Technological Advancements: Advancements in better processor speed, graphical interface and battery back up in smartphones have also enabled developers to come up with high quality graphic games that are easily downloaded.
Modern games show that mobile platforms are perfectly capable of running games which have not long ago been considered console and PC exclusives, such as Fortnite and PUBG Mobile.
- Global Reach: It means that mobile gaming does not necessarily follow the geographical and/or poverty line of the aspiring game player. Mobile gaming is now the dominant form of gaming in markets like India, SEA and LatAm because of the ubiquity of smartphones.
This in turn has resulted in a large, somewhat varied market that is in essence the motivation behind the entire niche.
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Fortnite and PUBG: Taking the Lead
Two games, in particular, have been instrumental in pushing the boundaries of mobile gaming: These games include; Fortnite and PUBG Mobile. These games have not only made battle royale become the new trend but also open up new possibilities in mobile games.
- Fortnite Mobile:
As has been seen, Fortnite caused a stir when it was launched for mobile devices in 2018. There was also cross-platform play which means that one could switch between use of mobile devices, the consoles, and PC without necessarily having a disadvantage.
Animations, fun battle mechanisms, and such social attributes as dance emotes and events in the game inflamed the interest of young people, making Fortnite a phenomenon of the year.
- PUBG Mobile:
Launched a few months before Fortnite, PUBG Mobile took the industry by storm particularly in the more established mobile gaming markets.
The graphics were more real-life-ish and the gameplay was secret and the ultimate rush of being the last man standing, noticed gamers from all corners of the globe.
Due to PUBG Mobile, overall there was an increase in mobile gaming competitions where the tournaments were getting million viewer ships and prize pools.
Mobile Esports: New Dawn
With the introduction of additional games such as the ‘fort night’ and ‘player Unknown BattleGrounds’ (PUBG) a new genre for competition had been created.
Mobile gaming esports in particular have also developed quickly forming professional teams and teams’ sponsors as well as large scale tournaments.
- Professional Leagues and Tournaments: The mobile esports have now transformed into official leagues and tournaments some of it being supported by the game developers.
For instance, the PUBG Mobile World Championship and Fortnite Mobile have proved popular and have as big an audience as traditional esports and the matches for big cash.
- Player Base and Spectators: Mobile esports is on the rise because there are so many gamers who play mobile games. It could be said that the majority of these players are interested in watching high skill level performance and this has considerably contributed to the growth of the audience of mobile esports competitions.
YouTube and Twitch are main sites of mobile gaming where streamers and esports take millions of the audience.
- Ecosystem Development: Mobile esports have given birth to their own ecosystem with developers of games, owners of physical and online events, sponsors, and streaming platforms.
It is a very active ecosystem and continues to open new opportunities for the players, the teams, and the content creators.
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Mobile Gaming and Esports – The Future
There is a very bright future for both mobile gaming and esports now and in the years to come. In future, mobile games are increasingly going to be rich in graphics and feel more like traditional games and the differences between the two will continue to fade.
- 5G and Cloud Gaming: The availability of 5G and the development of game streaming services are expected to bring change in mobile games. Squicker internet will mean faster responses by players in games – a vital aspect in Mobile eSports.
With cloud gaming, one will be able to play the games on his or her phone yet the graphics are very impressive and complex hence the need for powerful hardware.
- Cross-Platform Play: With the advancing features on the mobile devices, there will definitely be a higher integration of the mobile, console and PC.
This will also extend the mobile gaming into the continuing gaming world by the connection of the esports and casual gaming sectors.
- Expanding Markets: Mobile gaming will also continue to expand rapidly, especially in emerging markets, meaning that developers will pay more attention to producing games for these markets.
This will over time result in the discovery and emergence of new esports talent from these regions thus increasing the international dance floor of gamers.
Conclusion
Analyzing the popularity of mobile gaming: The given trend seems to have no limits and will continue to be popular in the future.
First-person shooter games like Fortnite and PUBG mobile leading the way, combined with mobile eSports, gaming on smartphones is now in the mainstream.
For years, mobile gaming has become increasingly prominent and with technology constantly advancing, the future of mobile gaming and esport is only looking brighter.