Whether we’re waiting for our transport or we’re looking for a quick and easy way to pass the time. There is always an opportunity for us to get entertainment right at our fingertips. Our phones have become a necessary aspect of our livelihoods and part of the appeal is having multiple aspects of our needs met with only one handy dandy device. Technology has become such a massive part of modern society that most people you meet on a daily basis will have a mobile phone in their pocket or in their hand. Not only do phones let you stay in contact with your friends and family or stay on top of your schedule, but they are also able to keep you entertained through the multitude of games available on the app store. It is undeniable that even in the last decade, there has been a massive surge in the number of mobile gamers, partly due to the rise of bigger and more complex games being made available on the mobile platform. But, how did mobile gaming become so popular so quickly? Here are some of our thoughts.

Why Are They So Successful?

Well, after paying so much for a smartphone many people are hesitant to spend more money on added content within the phone. This is why mobile game developers decided to change up the status quo for gaming. Traditionally, when it came to getting a new game, you would have to save up all your pocket money (if you weren’t lucky enough to get it for Christmas) and take a trip to your local gaming store and fork out around 50 dollars or pounds for the newest release. Nowadays, however, that isn’t always the case. The reason many people are choosing to play mobile games is in part due to the business models created by the developers of the games.

Introducing; ‘Freemium’-ware instead of premium-ware. This idea encourages the developers to list the apps and games as free; but the trick is, the profit can then made for the developers through the use of in-app transactions. In-app transactions are when purchasing content within the game through microtransactions after having downloaded the game itself for free. This practice has, however, also shown a rise in ‘gambling’ for many players; these often come in the form of loot-boxes and other content in which the reward is unknown until after the purchase has been made. The extent of this idea is still up for debate, however, it has been such a controversial marketing practice that it has even gotten so worrying for some parents and other players that the legitimacy of the in-game ‘gambling’ has become a subject of debate for the European governments.

The growth of the complexity of mobile games has been exponential. Gone are the days of playing Snake on your Nokia brick, nowadays there are more games than you could ever hope to play in your lifetime all at the tips of your fingers. From smaller apps like angry birds or Flappy Bird (RIP) to much larger and multiplayer games like Fortnite or Call of Duty. Interestingly, the creators of Fortnite have recognized the success from the sheer number of downloads of their game on the mobile platform that they have begun to take on the vendors (Apple/Google Play Stores) in legal battles for the right to be able to sell their app as its own separate downloadable entity. Currently, the Fortnite developers are being made to give the app stores like Apple or Google Play 30% of their potential profit just for hosting the download of the app.

Variety is Everything

Whether you’re just wanting to pass some time while you wait for your bus or whether you’re looking for some hardcore gaming you can take with you anywhere, chances are, there is something for you on the app store. Not only that but if you’re wanting to get into any of the more in-depth games and aren’t sure where to start, there are plenty of online resources for all sorts of popular mobile games like https://afk.guide/ for you to gain some amazing insight on the best mobile gaming leagues and tips to help you top those league tables in no time.

Mobile gaming has arguably pretty much ended handheld gaming. Very few people are playing their PSP or 3DS and have chosen instead to get a lot of their gaming fix from their phones. Considering that mobile gaming has gone from being played on one and half-inch black and white screens to nowadays being played on hardware that even rivals modern home theatre equipment, it’s no wonder why so many people are happy to game on their phones. Many mobile games are now played on premium O-LED displays and use Dolby Atmos sound which creates a mobile gaming experience previous generations could only dream about.

But better displays and incredible variety aren’t the only things contributing to the success of mobile gaming. Many mobile gamers love the opportunity to play any number of beautiful or heart-wrenching games made by potentially small or unknown developers for such a small price. To this end, Apple has foregone the idea of making their own console and have instead created their own subscription service called Apple Arcade, which is designed to give a platform to indie game creators selected by Apple. It gives those using IOS devices a unique experience and allows them to discover games that they may not have originally thought to play.