We have come a long way from when players could participate in the Snake game on their Nokia phones to where they can now participate in thousands of game variations. Snake became a huge commercial success reaching over 350 million people.
In our contemporary world, things have changed a little bit. If you want to engage in games like slots, there are unlimited versions available in app stores.
And some games don’t require downloading – you can play on the web. Thanks to mobile technology, gaming has never been as convenient as it is now.
In fact, an Influencer Marketing Hub report revealed that gamers spend 16 hours per week playing all types of games on average. This could be because, as we normally tend to have our mobile devices everywhere we go, it becomes easy to play any time.
By July 2022, the number of mobile gamers had increased to about three billion, a 5.3% rise from the previous year.
Mobile gaming and the casino industry
As we have already established, more players have been turning to mobile gaming because of its convenience. Imagine you are at home and feel like playing, and with just a simple touch of a button, you access the game you want – this is the power of mobile gaming.
And, as game developers have been responding to this growing preference, the casino industry has also not been left behind. It’s no wonder platforms like Bally Casino have been featuring games that respond well on mobile to stay relevant.
According to Wifi Talents, mobile payment methods accounted for 45% of all online casino transactions. In another place, Marketing Research Future estimated the global mobile gambling market volume to stand at $72.1 Billion in 2023 and expected it to grow annually by 11.2% until 2032.
It’s now not strange to find categories like slots on your mobile and find similar experiences as you would in physical casinos. For instance, slots like Gonzo’s Quest, which features 2D and 3D animations, can be accessed comfortably via mobile devices.
Mobile gaming and esport
In the past, it wasn’t very easy to participate in a competitive video game tournament with a mobile device. This was only possible with PCs and consoles that allowed playing games like Dota 2, among others.
As mobile technology has continued to advance, we have witnessed the rise of games that have changed things in esports. With such games emerging comes the benefit of increased access, which allows more people to join the esports industry.
By 2019, the number of mobile esport viewers had reached 400 million and was expected to continue growing in the succeeding years. As of 2024, Statista believes over 285 million participate frequently, while 291 million are occasional visitors.
Advantages of mobiles in the gaming industry
- Mobile devices are portable and comfortably fit in your pocket or handbag. So, whenever you want to play your favourite game, you can effortlessly pick it up and participate.
- Connectivity is another crucial factor for gamers, especially now that high-tech games like slots have emerged. You want to ensure that your device can connect to high-speed networks like 5G so there’s minimum to no lag during the gameplay.
- For budget-conscious players, acquiring gaming consoles or PCs can be quite costly. However, mobile devices make it possible to access nearly similar experiences affordably.
- If you have been closely monitoring emerging trends, you must have noticed the rise of mobile-friendly games. For instance, there are slots and casual games that allow for short and simple gameplay sessions on mobile.
What does the future look like?
Companies like Tencent and Electronic Arts have greatly benefited from the popularity of mobiles. From in-app purchases and premium game sales to advertisements, this technology has transformed how these companies generate revenues.
- Now that more technologies like virtual and augmented reality have emerged, the future of these companies only looks brighter. AR and VR have a way of enhancing immersion, which can improve a company’s retention rates.
- Besides AR and VR, another advancement that will likely shape the future of gaming is voice control. This feature will allow players to direct their characters using voice instead of keys and buttons.
- This list cannot end without mentioning artificial intelligence. While it may be at an infancy stage, AI will provide great benefits to this industry, such as improved personalization.
Conclusion
It’s without a shadow of a doubt that mobile gaming has changed a great part of our lives. In gaming, players can now access their favourite titles on the go as long as they are connected to the internet.
Looking ahead into the future, things may become much better. Technologies like AR and VR will continue to make gaming more immersive and engaging.
