Gaming Trends: Why Has Gaming On The Go Become So Popular?
Millions of people around the world play games on a daily basis. Take a train journey or hop on a bus in any major city and you'll see passengers staring at their phones, tapping wildly at zombies or trying to get 3 sweets in a row on Candy Crush. Literally, everyone aged 8 months to 108 years is at it, with a gigantic range of games available on app stores for almost every smart device. So why are we now so ensconced in something that was once seen as a diversion for kids that kept them from playing outdoors or doing their homework?
Before the days of multi-processor, heavyweight nano graphics cards and solid state memory smart phones, portable gaming was a fairly bleak affair. Games like Auto Race were trail-blazing at the time but could be mistaken for stone age technology compared to what can be found on the most basic of smartphones today. The Gameboy went a long way to help gamers to break away from the console attached to their television, but the gameplay was still fairly restricted. Fast forward a few years later and the experience was getting a lot better, thanks to the Nintendo DS and PSP, but gamers still had to invest in a piece of pricey hardware that wasn't exactly small enough to fit in your pocket.
When the iPhone was released in 2007, many thought that gaming on your phone was still a bit fiddly. The screen was small and playing anything destroyed battery life. Sony was so adamant that phones weren't ready for HD gaming that they pressed ahead with the PS VITA, a great little device that improved tenfold on the PSP but was still expensive and frankly quite clunky. Several years later when the device hit the shelves, many wondered why they should spend several hundred pounds on a miniature console when their phone could play games of similar quality, one of the many reasons why the impressive VITA ultimately failed.
The truth is, phones are now incredible devices. As well as managing people's lives and keeping them connected via both phone calls and the internet, they are able to display incredible video and graphics. Having this in front of users 24/7 has created something of a smartphone addiction, with people able to pick up their favorite game at any time without having to switch on a device or find a TV screen. The range of games that are available is stunning too, with everything from the big name 3D releases you'll find on the console to things like online casinos and even bingo halls. Yes, even bingo has benefited wildly from the mobile revolution, with players able to access the thriving online communities, games for all budgets and fantastic themed bingo rooms at sites like Wink Bingo. Bingo has always been a part of British culture but it’s fair to say that the country was falling out of love with it, bingo halls were closing down at an alarming rate nationwide, however, the increased popularity of mobile gaming has done wonders for it and it has seen a complete shift in the demographics of players. There are now more young people playing the game than ever before.
The addiction to smartphones and smartphone gaming isn't slowing up either. With a new iPhone around the corner and Samsung steadily releasing newer and more mind-blowing devices, the capabilities of mobile phones of displaying even higher quality content will create even more opportunities for game developers to get their players hooked. Developments like virtual reality have already landed, but mobile phones will only continue to provide the platform needed for more complex VR titles as they become more powerful.
