As the rise of the smartphone continues and our lifestyles revolve more around digital technology, mobile gaming is becoming ever-more popular as a form of entertainment. Here are the 5 reasons mobile video games are so popular in 2023.
Games Are Becoming More Mobile-Friendly
More and more game publishers are creating games that are compatible and playable on smartphones, so they are easily accessible and fit in with the 'play and go' culture that is developing. This means that while mobile games are not as in-depth as console games, they can be just as much fun to play because they can be played at any time, in any location. Levels and rewards can be passed and obtained in a matter of minutes or even seconds, and you can always easily pick up where you left off thanks to a more compact format. Advanced smartphones such as the Samsung Galaxy Note10 Plus, which featured in O2's recent New phone, who dis? campaign are geared towards those that want to be able to game and work on the same device, with the flexibility to take notes, give presentations, play multiplayer games via Wi-Fi and the ability to run two applications at once. Game creators are making games that suit such technologies and fit in with our demanding lifestyles.
Even mobile versions of former popular console games allow more flexibility and enable you to save your games without losing your progress. Many stay open in the background, even if you do not play them for some time. Many games that were previously available on Nintendo and PlayStation are now available in a mobile format. Developers are realizing that gamers want classic games that are playable on their portable smartphone devices, so game producers are ensuring that they release mobile games along with PC and console versions. Through the use of a touchscreen, mobile games are also generally more user-friendly and more simple to play than those that use traditional controllers.
Cheap And Free Gaming
Mobile games are known for being either very cheap or free to download, with players open to choose whether or not they become involved in 'micro-transactions', i.e. mini transactions that enable them to access the next level or get in-game rewards. Many mobile games that are available on the market are free to play. This is favourable to many gamers, who are happy to sit through ads to continue playing their game. If desired and if the gamer has enough patience, they don't have to make in-app purchases, and can unlock everything they need to for free. If however they want quicker access to the content, micro-transactions make other areas of a game easily accessible without breaking the bank.
Ability To Play On The Go
One of the main reasons mobile games are so popular is because they have a 'play-and-go' form of accessibility. As the majority of the population owns a smartphone nowadays, the market is big, with many different types of customers to retail mobile games to, ranging from professional adults to children and the elderly. Games can easily fit in with people's lifestyles and working arrangements – you can play a game on your phone on the train to work, while you are waiting for a friend in the street, or at an airport waiting to board a plane. Games can be downloaded and played in minutes if not seconds, and you can purchase all games online through a virtual online store, making a vast library of gaming genres available to a wide- ranging audience.
Variety Of Games On Offer
The mobile gaming market is saturated with various types of games – and all are easily available to download from online stores. From puzzle to strategy, indie to action and racing games to simulators, there's something for every audience. Game developers also spend a lot of time carefully researching their market audience, identifying casual gamers who play for procrastination, competitive gamers who play to win, and those who want to play a game to escape reality (fantasy gamers).
It Is Stress-Busting
According to the Behavioral Science Institute in The Netherlands, those who play mobile games are able to better control negative feelings and their stress levels. Mobile games have the ability to put a gamer in a different mindset, helping them to feel relaxed and happy. This is in contrast to social media sites like Instagram and Facebook, which have been proven to lower our mood. Even action and strategy games, which are designed to test players' stress levels and persistence, seem to have the opposite effect and become a force of empowerment, with players seeking more of this positive tension as a form of stress release. Gamers are twice as likely to feel relaxed and calm after playing a mobile game than they would if they used social media platforms.
