For a long time, mobile games were limited to simple games like Bejeweled, Candy Crush Saga, Angry Birds, and Doodle Jump. Many would also be considered a fad, being played for about a month as a result of hype, like Trivia Crack and Flappy Bird. Games played on mobile devices used to be simpler because phones and tablets couldn’t handle high-powered games, but this isn’t quite the case anymore.
Because the hardware on mobile devices isn’t typically—or at least, in the past—able to keep up with consoles, many strongly feel that phone apps shouldn’t be considered video games and the people who play them are not necessarily gamers (which is, by definition, gatekeeping). But with the advancement of smartphone technology, the push of porting games like Fortnite onto mobile devices, and multiplayer mobile games without paying a premium for internet services, perhaps it’s time to re-assess whether or not mobile gaming should be taken as seriously as console gaming.
Mobile games often have a specific design that is geared towards getting the user back to the device on a habitual level because with phones as opposed to consoles, people are using them on and off throughout their day. This can be seen with Pokemon GO, where players can pull out their phones and catch Pokemon wherever they’re currently located, and Genshin Impact, with the implementation of daily tasks that can earn the player in-game currency.
The unfortunate result of this common design is the viewpoint that mobile games are meant to “waste time,” which begs the question: why is playing Among Us considered more “time-wasteful” than The Last of Us Part 2, for example, if the goal is to have a fun, meaningful experience?
When people use the term mobile game, oftentimes, they’ll be thinking of titles like the previously mentioned Candy Crush, because that’s largely what mobile games used to be. But now, many mainstream franchises have either ported their titles to smartphones, like Fortnite, League of Legends, or Minecraft. Some franchises have made spinoffs exclusively for phones and tablets, like Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp and Pokemon GO.
But why is Pocket Camp considered less “legitimate” than New Horizons? In the past, many players have compared New Horizons‘ lacking number of furniture sets to Pocket Camp‘s extensive array of themes. Both games are meant to be played habitually—that’s what the Animal Crossing franchise has always been about—and both games allow players to visit their friends.
There’s also the argument that gameplay mechanics and strategizing get lost in mobile gaming. Animal Crossing has never been about tactics, but looking towards titles like Hearthstone or Fire Emblem Heroes, tactics play a major role in overcoming the enemy and advancing, much like with mainstream RPGs and adventure games.
For some people, it’s not just convenience, but the price model of mobile gaming is more affordable. Again, looking at games like Genshin Impact, it’s a fully-fledged RPG but is also completely free. Sure, there are some in-game perks that come as a reward to those who put down the cash, but it still serves the player dozens, if not hundreds, of hours of free gameplay. Genshin Impact got 17 million downloads at launch on just mobile devices.
But the convenience of not lugging around an entire console is a huge factor as well. PlayStation has moved away from handheld consoles altogether and Xbox never manufactured any. This left Nintendo as the monopolizer for games that can be played this way, leading the brand to heavily invest in indie games. Indie games are considered “legitimate gaming” by most of the community, and while not all popularized titles, like Hades, are found on mobile devices, and others, like Stardew Valley, are, this direction could find a successful future in the gaming industry.
Microsoft has caught wind of this and brought Xbox Game Pass to mobile devices this year, allowing players to dive into AAA titles on their Android phone or tablet. This includes action-packed shooters like Destiny 2 and narrative-driven stories like Tell Me Why via a cloud. Paired with gamepad controllers that the phone can be slotted into for an enhanced experience, such as the Razer Kishi, which Microsoft teamed up with for the launch of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, the full gaming experience is moving onto mobile devices as technology advances.
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