How long has it been since you thought of gamers as a bunch of teenagers glued to their computer screens playing a first-person shooter game? A pretty long while, right? Times have now changed when it comes to the gaming industry. Mobile gaming has created a niche for itself within the gaming ecosystem, just like other genres, and its growth has been nothing less than monumental. Before you continue reading, here are some interesting stats:
- As of 2021, mobile gaming holds the largest market share in the gaming industry, with 48% of gamers engaging in mobile games.
- By 2023, according to the games market estimate, the global gaming market is projected to surpass $200B, out of which mobile gaming will account for over 50% share.
Undoubtedly, gone are the days when PCs were considered the king of gaming. In recent years, PC gaming has taken a bit of a hit as mobile gaming has become more popular. Mobile gaming has established a strong following, and clearly, people are opting for it over PC gaming.
Mobile games or PC games – both platforms provide a vast range of video games for the players. However, the question of the hour remains. Computer games vs. Mobile games – which is better? In this blog, we will individually look at the advantages of playing video games on both platforms to help us compare.
Mobile Gaming and its pros
No matter where you look, you can’t escape mobile games. There are ads for mobile games across digital platforms, on TV, in newspapers and magazines, on billboards, and even on transit media. The reason for this sudden surge in mobile gaming popularity is simply because mobile games provide gameplay on-the-go. That, and the fact that there are over 3.5B smartphone users across the globe as of last year.
The biggest advantage that mobile gaming platforms have over any other platforms, as mentioned, is that the users have easy access to their favorite games that can be played anywhere, any time. So whether you are bored at work, stuck in a long flight, or just taking a short break – mobile games are right at your fingertips. The mobile gaming industry is now worth billions of dollars, as the gameplay it offers is at par with PC gaming in terms of game design and graphics.
Here are some of the best things about mobile gaming that make it so popular among gamers:
1. A diverse range of game genres to choose from
When it comes to mobile gaming, there is something for everyone! Be it action games, puzzles, battles, or any other casual games – your mobile phone has all the popular games. With the emerging Cloud Gaming technology, you don’t even need to download multiple games. Instead, you can find all your favorite mobile games to play online on one Cloud Gaming platform for an unmatched gaming experience.
2. Mobile technology is constantly improving
Year after year, big players like Samsung, Apple, and others keep launching improved smartphones catering to the growing demands of today’s mobile users. Mobile phones and tablets now have better quality, bigger screens, and more storage capacities than ever. For avid gamers, these features are of great advantage.
3. Mobile games have the largest market share
Last year, PC gaming accounted for 23% of market revenue, while mobile gaming accounted for 46%. For 2021, it has been projected that mobile gaming will account for 52% global gaming market share, and the PC market share will drop to 20%.
Apart from these, mobile gaming has some other obvious benefits over PC gaming:
- Portable
- Economical
- Accessible
- No requirement of any additional development kit
- Easy to advertise across digital channels
- Available across devices, both on Android and iOS
- Low barrier to entry for Indie developers
Also read: 6 easy tips to elevate your mobile gaming experience.
PC Gaming and its pros
PC gaming used to be considered the real way of gaming until a few years ago. Before the rise in smartphone technology, around the early 2000s, PC gaming did have a monopoly and an impression of being the best gaming platform.
Cut to 2021; that scene has drastically changed. PC gaming owes its popularity to fair advantages over other gaming platforms, like high-level graphics, customizations, and an overall immersive experience.
With PC gaming, there’s always scope of upgrading to the latest tech. Apart from gaming, PCs are also used for various other tasks, so they are not necessarily just a gaming platform. Let’s have a look at the advantages that PC gaming offers:
1. Bigger screen, powerful processors, and better graphics & performance
The high-res screens with powerful processors make the PC gaming experience popular among gamers.
2. PC hardware is customizable
Depending on your budget and gaming requirements, you can customize your PC and upgrade it when required.
3. PC Gameplay can be controlled using various gaming peripherals
One of the biggest advantages that PC gaming has over any other gaming platform is that the gamer can control the gameplay as per their preferences. They do not have to stick to the traditional keyboard and mouse – they have multiple gaming peripherals to choose from, like joysticks, wireless controllers, or even a steering wheel! The higher your budget, the better your PC gameplay.
Closing thoughts: PC Gaming or Mobile Gaming – which platform should you choose?
While PC gaming has been the traditional way of gaming for a long time and it offers bigger screens to play games on, Mobile gaming has revolutionized the concept of casual gaming and gameplay on-the-go. If playing on a smaller screen isn’t a concern, Mobile gaming certainly provides more convenience by avoiding the hassles of game disks or controllers. Furthermore, with high-end technology in smartphones these days, the gameplay offered is definitely at par with PC Gaming.
For longer gaming sessions with more elaborate gameplay, PC gaming would be ideal. For shorter, casual gameplay sessions with easy access to a wide range of games meant to be enjoyed on the move, Mobile gaming would be perfect.
Speaking of casual gaming, play your favorite mobile games without any downloads here!