Thanks to the proliferation of smartphones and tablets mobile gaming has come a long way already in the recent years.
The convenience of gaming on the go and ease of access to online and app-based video game platforms has seen the industry grow its user base exponentially and the number of users continues to grow. While mobile gaming is now in the mainstream, the industry continues to grow and many changes are still to come. With that in mind here are 3 trends that will shape the future of mobile gaming:
- Virtual Reality / Augmented Reality
One of the standout moments of 2016 was the release of Pokémon GO; the mobile game used augmented reality to create a phenomenon that had gamers all over the world searching for Pokémon outdoors in a way never seen before. In the same way another standout technology of the past year was the rise of Virtual Reality as Sony released its PS VR headset and many other came to market. VR content is steadily growing and the technology is one that is suited to mobile gaming and so will only help to attract more players.
- The Rise of Freemium and Gambling Games
Another future trend of mobile gaming is the rise of the freemium model and casino games with pay-as-you go and gambling games becoming more popular. While gaming on the go is mainly a way to pass the time, while commuting for example, there has been a rise in the interest in casino games such as online bingo as gamers diversify their gaming interests. With most popular bingo sites reporting growing numbers of users and advertisers looking to access the lucrative demographic that plays them, playing for money will become a huge part of mobile gaming in the coming future.
Also becoming popular is the freemium based games, usually used in apps, whereby players pay small amounts to unlock stages or power-ups in a game. With this model, game makers can attract players to play for free to begin with and hope to convert them into paying customers with the quality of their games.
- Growing Mobile Gamer and Revenue Numbers
Mobile gaming is a popular pass time for millions of people worldwide thanks to the ubiquity of smartphones an tablets. Anyone interested in playing their favourite games has access to dozens of genres and thousands of titles at any time of the day through a device that fits in their pocket. This has led to the growth of mobile gaming as devices, graphics and games improve, while the trend is only set to continue with the advent of new technologies.
Cutting edge technologies such as virtual reality will see a rise in new players and in direct relation so will the revenues of mobile games companies and developers.
The three trends about are likely to shape the future of mobile gaming in 2017 and the years to come as the industry evolves and adapts to new technologies and consumer trends. In that regard it is safe to say the future of mobile gaming looks bright and the industry is secured for the foreseeable future.