In case you hadn’t noticed, the mobile platform is fast becoming omnipotent in the world of gaming. This is confirmed by the fact that mobile gaming revenues outstripped those generated by PC and consoles in 2015, while this trend is likely to continue for the foreseeable future.
As the mobile platform continues to evolve, it will have an even more pronounced impact on the gaming industry throughout the course of the next decade.
In this post, we will look at the nature of this evolution, and explore the precise impact that the mobile medium is likely to have in the future.
- Freemium Gaming Will Begin to Impact on Console and PC Platforms
If you have ever taken the time to play online slots or visited the type of sites listed here, you will understand why freemium gaming has become so popular among players. After all, this reduces the cost of accessing and enjoying individual titles, while it also affords players choice about how and when they spend their spend their money while indulging their pastime.
In order to compete, we are likely to see console and PC platforms embrace the concept of freemium gaming in the years ahead. In fact, this is a trend that has already begun, with last years’ Hitman: Agent 47 release on the PlayStation 4 following an episodic format and including multiple missions that could be purchased individually by players.
Over time, we will see freemium, mobile-style games become more readily available elsewhere, while the diversity of console and PC titles will also increase as a result.
- Tablet Gaming Will Become Increasingly Prominent
We tend to associate the rise of mobile gaming with smartphones, and it is fair to say that these devices are most commonly used to access titles while on the move.
Statistics suggest that tablet gaming revenues are growing at a faster rate, however, with the latest figures revealing that they are likely to nearly double between 2014 and the end of 2017.
This is certainly a space to watch in the near-term future, particularly as the rise of dedicated gaming tablets continues while diversifying the range of titles that are developed specifically for the platform.
It also reflects the outstanding potential of tablet gaming, which exists in the form of larger displays, more fluid gameplay and a greater capacity for graphical excellence.
- The Rise of 360-degree Gameplay
The issue of tablets is interesting, as this has triggered a widespread change in how children consume information. It is estimated that 34% of children under 11 now own a tablet of their own, for example, and this is creating a so-called ‘swipe’ generation that is able to navigate seamlessly between the virtual and the corporeal worlds.
This is driving the emergence of three-dimensional franchises, with brands such as Skylanders, Disney Infinity and Nintendo leveraging the mobile platform to sell merchandise, promote cross-platform games and develop physical toys on a global scale.
The best embodiment of this is the range of Angry Bird activity parks, which serve as a physical extension of the popular gaming brand that started out as an immersive mobile title.
This is something that we will continue to influence the gaming industry over time, as mobile platforms begin to create a conduit between physical and online realms.
1 comment
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