The relatively low price point of mobile devices has contributed a whole lot to how big the mobile gaming scene has become. Gamers from all around the world (both serious and casual) are enjoying the comfort and thrill associated with them, and the whole scene is getting bigger as time goes on. But when has it all begun and what were the most noteworthy advancements, both in terms of technology and how the mobile games are made in general?
The baby steps of mobile games
It all started in the late parts of the 90s, when everyone was playing Snake and other less demanding types of games. In the old times, accessing the internet with your phone was much more complicated than it is today, and it wasn’t nearly as enjoyable either. Snake actually came pre-installed on your phone, so there was nothing you needed to download. Unfortunately, the selection of games you could play at the time was rather limited, and all of them were pretty basic in nature.
Fast forward to 2008 when Apple launched its app store
At this point, everything changed. No longer were you limited to the apps and games that came pre-installed on your phone. Based on various metrics such as number of downloads, keywords, ratings, etc., you could very easily find out what was popular at the time in various different genres. The games quickly became much more advanced than what used to be the norm. As the hardware has continued to become stronger over time, the graphic elements of these games quickly followed suit.
Alternative ways of paying
Like it’s evident from the example of Final Fantasy 15 mobile adventure, a certain game can be top-notch in every department, and still not cost a dime. This is because developers now have much more options when it comes to monetizing the apps and games they produce, so they don’t have to rely on collecting payments upfront. Instead, they offer their games for free in order to reach as many people as possible, and monetize their work through other ways like ads or in-app purchases.
There are now more multiplayer opportunities than ever before
The old mobile phones were clunky and mostly unsuitable for video games. Their hardware was slow and laggy, the controls were unresponsive, and in most part, there were problems with connectivity (or they had none at all). But now, you can access the internet from almost any point, even when you’re out and about wandering across the city. Lots of people have a need to kill some time while waiting for the bus to arrive or one of their buddies to show up, so instead of waiting around and doing nothing, they simply whip out their phones and play a game or two. So no matter what games you prefer, there’s bound to be plenty of people willing to play against you.
Conclusion
In the last couple of centuries, mobile games have come a long way. At this point, we can hardly imagine a life without out trusty smartphones, games, and apps that make our lives much nicer and more enjoyable. While no one can truly say in which way they’re going to evolve, the future of mobile gaming certainly looks bright.
