Mobile gaming and the gaming industry

Advancement in technology has seen tremendous growth in the gaming industry which has seen mobile gaming develop a life of its own. Game developers have made it super easy for players to access games on their mobile phones by simply downloading them from the app store, which usually takes a few seconds to a couple of minutes.

Every new technology presents strengths and weaknesses that people can exploit. There is no stopping the growth of this industry, but what are the advantages and disadvantages of mobile gaming?

Advantages

• Low Cost – The majority of mobile games on the app store are free, quick to download and entertaining. The games that players do have to buy range from a few pounds to no more than £20, making them a fraction of the price of a console game. The low cost of mobile games means gamers are more likely to play, and purchase more games and make in-app purchases.
• Convenience and Reliability –  Part of mobile phone gaming popularity is the ability for games to be taken anywhere. Once a game is downloaded onto a phone, the majority of them no longer require an internet connection as they run through the phone’s internal drive.
• Creativity – Mobile games are relatively inexpensive because they are cheap to produce. Game developers are able to be more experimental with their concepts. With the high demand for games, developers are using their skills to bring out the best games ever. Every game requires creativity which attracts the customer to the game, this has led to the development of more creative minds in the world. 
• Communication – Mobile phones were made to communicate and connect but it slowly turned into more than that. Many games now have multiplayer features, online leader-boards, or even chat functions where players can message other players within the same game and form friendships. Players can connect with other players from around the world taking the term ‘multiplayer’ to a new level. Whether it’s Minecraft or Fortnite player engagement prevails.
• AR (Augmented Reality) Integration – Mobile games are increasingly bridging the gap between the digital and physical world, enabling players to fully explore the virtual worlds around them in a more active form of gameplay. Some game developers are achieving higher forms of realism through augmented reality with games such as Harry Potter: Wizards Unite and Pokémon Go. 

Disadvantages

• Social Interactions –  Due to the excessive use of mobile gaming, players get so self-involved in their game that they forget to socialize in the real world. Today, many people prefer playing games on their mobile phones with digital social interactions rather than real-life ones.
• Health Impacts – In various reports, it is suggested that those who excessively play mobile games regularly will see it start to affect their health. Kids from the age of 4 to 12 are the ones severely affected especially those who spend hours on gaming a day. Excessive gaming can start to have an impact on eyesight, posture, and physical activity levels as players are sat staring at screens for long periods of time. Late night chats and playing on bright screens at night can also result in eye problems.
• Distractions – Mobile gaming has the potential to cause a distraction when we are busy with another more important activity. Many people become distracted by their mobile phones while driving which is a dangerous combination and it is, in fact, illegal to use your phone while you are driving a vehicle. If push notifications are enabled, mobile alerts can also cause distractions when people are at work, are out for dinner, or when they are having conversations with other people.
• Gaming Disorder – According to the WHO (World Health Organisation), gaming disorder is a “pattern of persistent or recurrent gaming behavior” in which people lose control of their gaming behavior. Players start to give priority to gaming over other interests and activities and continue gaming despite negative consequences, such as impairments in their family relationships, social lives, work duties or other areas.

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