Do you think Mobile Gaming is dying?

Mert

Member
I am not writing this topic out of a research or public surveys. This is just a thought.

I want you to write your guess, how will be the mobile gaming industry in 5 years? Will it die out, or survive to even become bigger?
 

Filkata

Member
My opinion there are no real signs of it slowing down. It is huge especially in China, which is a very large market. Probably what Blizzard are targeting with the mobile Diablo.
 
S

sofaspartan

Guest
I feel like we are at the cusp of something pretty amazing for mobile gaming. If platforms like Google Stadia are successful, then it will be much easier to play console-quality games on less powerful devices. This could be a major development for mobile gaming.

We are already sort of there with the Nintendo Switch and Nintendo just announced the Switch Lite which is completely handheld.
 

pixeltroid

Member
Mobile gaming has a huge market in Asia, where most gamers have only their phone to play games on.

As far as the games are concerned, most appear to be designed for casual gamers (flappy bird, bubble shooters, physics based puzzles etc). So I doubt there will be ever be the mobile equivalent of say, a Metroid or a Mario.
 
Last edited:

Mercerenies

Member
Mobile gaming has a huge market in Asia, where for most gamers have only their phone to play games on.

As far as the games are concerned, most appear to be designed for casual gamers (flappy bird, bubble shooters, physics based puzzles etc). So I doubt there will be ever be the mobile equivalent of say, a Metroid or a Mario.
Agreed. The mobile market is a different market, and it will never be like console / PC games simply because there's so much money and popularity to be gained from casual games. In a way, this is holding the mobile gaming culture back, but from another perspective it just means the culture is moving in a different direction.
 

K12gamer

Member
(On phones)...I think Mobile Gaming will always be popular especially for casual games / gamers.

(More serious gamers probably gravitate towards the SWITCH)

I honestly think a console like SWITCH is the future...Play on the go or at home.
I've always been a Playstation / XBOX fan...but I think SWITCH will easily beat out XBOX Scarlett and PS5 (because of their high cost)
I wouldn't count out Google's STADIA either...especially if they can keep the subscription cost low...and offer a ton of
games (hopefully a ton of Retro stuff with seems to be gaining popularity) Google should also release a handheld console (like SWITCH) in conjunction with Stadia.
Being able to play all my games on a PC,Laptop,Phone,TV, Handheld Game system through one $9.99 a month account would be cool...especially if no lag is present
 
D

debleb

Guest
I am not writing this topic out of a research or public surveys. This is just a thought.

I want you to write your guess, how will be the mobile gaming industry in 5 years? Will it die out, or survive to even become bigger?
I doubt it'll die any time soon. Phones and tablets targeted specifically towards gaming will probably die, but the mobile gaming market won't. People play mobile games while they're on the toilet or waiting in line, etc. As long people want to do that, there's gonna be a market for mobile gaming. I doubt that big publishers like Nintendo, Sony and Microsoft would move their franchises onto mobile, though. Mobile hardware is much less powerful than console and PC, and people just don't buy a phone to play games (which is why I think that gaming phones will die out), and if hybrid consoles like the Switch catch on, there's really gonna be no good reason to make big games for mobile.
 
S

sofaspartan

Guest
Like debleb said, as long as people need to kill time, there will be mobile games in whatever form they will take on whatever device will exist in the future.

I doubt that big publishers like Nintendo, Sony and Microsoft would move their franchises onto mobile, though.
One thing to note though is that mobile-specific Nintendo and Pokemon games are starting to pop up on the app store:

Miitomo (Although this game was discontinued)
Pokemon Go
Super Mario Run
Pokemon Quest
Animal Crossing Pocket Camp
Dr. Mario World
Mario Kart Tour (Still in development)

While that's a far cry from moving their franchises over, it's interesting to see that they've embraced mobile lately and created games specifically for the platform albeit dumbed-down versions.
 
D

debleb

Guest
Like debleb said, as long as people need to kill time, there will be mobile games in whatever form they will take on whatever device will exist in the future.



One thing to note though is that mobile-specific Nintendo and Pokemon games are starting to pop up on the app store:

Miitomo (Although this game was discontinued)
Pokemon Go
Super Mario Run
Pokemon Quest
Animal Crossing Pocket Camp
Dr. Mario World
Mario Kart Tour (Still in development)

While that's a far cry from moving their franchises over, it's interesting to see that they've embraced mobile lately and created games specifically for the platform albeit dumbed-down versions.

Yeah, I wouldn't really count those tbh. In all of them except maybe Pokemon Go, you could replace the Nintendo branding with something else and nobody would even notice that it was a Nintendo IP. It's great that companies are putting their games on mobile, though, but I'd say that it'll remain spin-offs and dumbed down versions.
 
K

krugen

Guest
What about RPG? Nobody cares about RPG? Remember all the RPG release on gameboy? Nobody cares to play that kind of game on mobile? Don't tell me emulating, we are developers. We make games.
 
K

krugen

Guest
What about RPG? Nobody cares about RPG? Remember all the RPG release on gameboy? Nobody cares to play that kind of game on mobile? Don't tell me emulating, we are developers. We make games.
Am I really wasting my time making an RPG for mobile?
 

pixeltroid

Member
What about RPG? Nobody cares about RPG? Remember all the RPG release on gameboy? Nobody cares to play that kind of game on mobile? Don't tell me emulating, we are developers. We make games.
IMO, most mobile gamers are casual gamers. But of course, there will be those who enjoy classic RPGs. You need to research mobile RPGs and find out who the audience is and what kind of stuff they like.

Am I really wasting my time making an RPG for mobile?.
No. Game development is never a waste of time.
 

Roa

Member
I'm like the opposite of opinion. I've been waiting for a phone that is truly for gaming, and some quality content to warrant it. Full releases. The problem with phones is that what they gain in accessibility for control interface, they actually lose responsiveness. Most touch screens are still terribly delayed to respond, and any type of feed back like haptic touch or rumble are still missing(there is already a motor built in). And a lot of snap on controllers are incompatible or unsupported for most games.

I'd love the day my phone could replace something like a gameboy, but thats not happening with the market obsessions on cameras and stupid sized screens.
 
D

debleb

Guest
I'm like the opposite of opinion. I've been waiting for a phone that is truly for gaming, and some quality content to warrant it. Full releases. The problem with phones is that what they gain in accessibility for control interface, they actually lose responsiveness. Most touch screens are still terribly delayed to respond, and any type of feed back like haptic touch or rumble are still missing(there is already a motor built in). And a lot of snap on controllers are incompatible or unsupported for most games.

I'd love the day my phone could replace something like a gameboy, but thats not happening with the market obsessions on cameras and stupid sized screens.
Kind of off-topic but I don't really get the point of massive phone screens. Aren't phones meant to be portable? Couldn't you just buy a tablet if you want a big screen? Or a Chromebook?
 
K

krugen

Guest
I'm like the opposite of opinion. I've been waiting for a phone that is truly for gaming, and some quality content to warrant it. Full releases. The problem with phones is that what they gain in accessibility for control interface, they actually lose responsiveness. Most touch screens are still terribly delayed to respond, and any type of feed back like haptic touch or rumble are still missing(there is already a motor built in). And a lot of snap on controllers are incompatible or unsupported for most games.

I'd love the day my phone could replace something like a gameboy, but that's not happening with the market obsessions on cameras and stupid sized screens.
I believe choosing the correct genre/control scheme, mobile can definitely offer those sweet and fond memories we made with gbc, gba, ds, 3ds. With the exception of pubg and a few, real time control scheme is really not that great an approach to designing mobile game. Not talking about casual game.

That's my opinion anyway.

I think many people are capable of that and it just felt like everyone is discourage by the attitude of mobile users.

Maybe we needed some sort of validation that premium mobile game has its market. But so few news ever related to such thing (minecraft, stardew valley, monumental valley). But Monumental Valley by its core design, is just another puzzle game. But hey, people making money off it and it just feels like I am wasting my time.

It's like people are studying the tips for exam and I am studying all the chapters involved.
Yea, study smart vs study hard. I just feel so scared studying hard.

Sorry for my poor grammar. Not really in the mood to correct them.
 
K

krugen

Guest
IMO, most mobile gamers are casual gamers. But of course, there will be those who enjoy classic RPGs. You need to research mobile RPGs and find out who the audience is and what kind of stuff they like.



No. Game development is never a waste of time.
Exactly, you are having these impressions because so few games actually offer you experience comparable to old handheld console (from Nintendo). It's like nobody is doing them. Sure, there are ports, but again, ports. Controls scheme usually are poorly implemented and thus, feel like no effort been poured into this port.

Why don't you go make a serious game for mobile. Add one more serious mobile game to the roaster.
 

K12gamer

Member
I'm like the opposite of opinion. I've been waiting for a phone that is truly for gaming, and some quality content to warrant it. Full releases. The problem with phones is that what they gain in accessibility for control interface, they actually lose responsiveness. Most touch screens are still terribly delayed to respond, and any type of feed back like haptic touch or rumble are still missing(there is already a motor built in). And a lot of snap on controllers are incompatible or unsupported for most games.

I'd love the day my phone could replace something like a gameboy, but thats not happening with the market obsessions on cameras and stupid sized screens.
Do you think someone like Nintendo will ever put phone functionality into one of their hand held game systems?
That might be cool because of the thumbstick controls...Personally I hate using touch screens to play games. Even on iPhones...you often have to tap the screen more than once.

Imagine a Switch Mini...with a $10 monthly fee that included unlimited calling / internet browsing...and a robust online gaming community. :eek:
Also...it allowed you to download or stream any game from NES,SNES,N64,Wii U, Sega Master System, Genesis, Saturn, Dreamcast etc...:eek:

 
Last edited:
D

Dather32

Guest
Mobile should probably venture towards AR and social marketplaces, Candy Crush will always have our hearts but at least in the West, we have to get back to reality and the world around us.
 
Even Nintendo has jumped into the mobile market perhaps to promote their $60 games, but I can't imagine Nintendo jumping into a dying market. In a way it's still the wild west with mobile games even if it's not the $10,000 to resurrect your dead fish with your parents credit card type of craziness since people have sued the online stores for allowing it to happen.

I still remember an interview with a PSV developer before the PSV came out specifically saying PSV won't work, because everyone has a phone on them and now like 10 ish years later... people still have their phones on them.
 
Last edited:

MaGicBush

Member
Personally I hate playing any games on my phone. I did it for a while, but why when I can play much better games and have easier controls on a switch or my xbox/pc(I own all 3). Now I just buy a cheap phone and use it to browse the internet when I'm bored(like this forum at work), or to call/text. Everyone at my work does the same. We are probably in the minority, but I don't see many people even using their phones for gaming anymore around my town at random places.

Saying that it will probably always have a place if for nothing else than the Asian market. They seem to love using little screens and bad controls for some reason. I am guessing they just can't afford a pc or whatever, or it's just their culture, but I don't see that dying out any time soon.
 
O

Old School Ben

Guest
I don't believe that mobile gaming is dying in any sense of the word. However, I don't think it's the ideal platform for the type of games that most people who consider themselves "gamers" play as the depth of the games found on mobile platforms are generally very shallow and are designed to appeal to people who lack "gamer" sensibilities.

It's the perfect platform for shovel-ware and low-quality software. That's not to say that the occasional diamond in the rough can't be found on mobile platforms.

Mobile gaming isn't going anywhere and as mobile devices become more powerful, they will be able to offer more complete gaming experiences that appeal to all demographics.
 

Gamebot

Member
Here in the US it Depends on how well phones are willing to adapt to faster better graphics and much larger apps in smaller spaces. With that it also depends on how good the games are. If all ideas are getting exhausted on the phones (Like many of the upgraded redos and reruns on consoles) it will surely die.

Here in the US there has been a huge change (from what I have personally seen) with lots of persons going from phones back to the PC. While many still use consoles, we are at a point here where it seems many of the games are just upgraded reruns and redos

In countries like china, india...all they have are phones, just about every single person. Unless they all get PC's/consoles I think it will grow.

There are many reasons I don't like many of the phone games generally do to the fact there is no "kill" switch when you exit unless you go into the devices "running manager" to kill it. Exit means exit!

EDIT: As devolopers we can change that by only creating top of the line garbage for phones and leave the good stuff for PC's. Oh wait that's been done never mind.
 
Everyone seems to be thinking that phones just need to be faster and have more screen space and then great games will start being made for it. Personally, I think that's like saying "all we need to do is add jet engines and wings to cars and then everyone will be using them to fly across the ocean"...Phones are a different gaming medium, not just a sub-par replacement for desktop PCs. Plenty of good engaging games have been made for phones that use the inherent strengths and weaknesses of the medium itself effectively. Interesting experiments like Pokemon GO will never be successfully done on a PC, the only place they CAN exist is on phones. The real problem is the storefronts connected to the phones. Filled with garbage and little to no curation. This is a problem that's already quite prevalent on PCs as well now and it's unlikely to get better without drastic action, for both phones and PCs.
 
Top