The mobile gaming industry often struggles with a lack of visibility to the wider gaming audience. Regardless of how ubiquitous it has become, or how many hugely popular film, comic book, anime, and manga franchises are getting mobile titles, there’s a certain segment of gamers for whom mobile gaming is always secondary to “real” (console vs PC) games will be . I’ll admit I used to feel that way myself to a certain extent, but seeing the great titles, dedicated studios, and fast-moving, high-stakes business of mobile gaming up close changed my perception. So now I’m wondering, “Why aren’t we seeing more recognition for mobile gaming at awards shows?”
Of course, that’s not to say there aren’t any that would do shows like the TIGA Awards or our own Pocket Gamer Awards a disservice, but these are industry focused and mobile gaming specific. But even with the annual debate over who should win, or whether inclusion at the Game Awards 2022 is even warranted, the mobile gaming world, which only gets a fleeting nod with just one category, still lacks recognition.
While the Game Awards are known as the “Oscars of Gaming,” it should be clear that awards aren’t everything. Certainly we don’t see “for your consideration” campaigns related to video games like we do with movies. However, awards go a long way in shaping public perceptions of games as a whole, and no matter how many times people say they don’t care, they still debate who won and why. But this year’s entrants only offer a glimpse of what the world of mobile gaming has to offer.
A problem with looks?
We could break down exactly why that is, whether it’s the lack of “Star Power” or graphically stunning, mechanically complex games. However, a more interesting aspect is how this is affecting the mobile gaming industry itself. Is it possible that we’re reaching a plateau or audience breaking point where sticking to what’s “tried and true” no longer works? Without the massive critical attention and scrutiny that other platforms receive, what drives mobile gaming creatively?
For many years, indie games suffered from a lack of gaming visibility. There was a time when most of the coverage of an indie game on console came from Xbox Live Arcade or its Steam Greenlight campaign. However, when the Let’s Play phenomenon and early game streamers became popular, it wasn’t (mostly) games like Call of Duty or League of Legends that made them their daily content. It was with indie titles like Slenderman, Amnesia: The Dark Descent or other hidden gems of the time like Among Us (which also made the jump to mobile). They gave visibility to games that couldn’t afford massive advertising campaigns or that couldn’t build a visible social media presence.
Now the indie games scene is thriving, and that’s thanks in part to the visibility and newfound knowledge that the general gaming public has about them. Mobile gaming has never seen such a boost in visibility compared to major esports titles or the latest viral game, and there’s simply no encouragement for developers to make something new unless they want to take a big gamble on a new one enter title. While people complain about aggressive monetization or exploitative mechanisms, these are arguably a fact of life when it comes to actually keeping your mobile gaming business afloat. Relying solely on sales is a losing strategy given the API and the type of trimming each storefront receives.
success stories
A great example of this is Iron Lung by one-man developer David Szymanski, a game that has become very popular online due to its addictive gameplay and strong atmosphere. At only around $4, it’s extremely cheap, even for a game that only lasts a few hours…on PC, at least. Would a mobile gamer be interested? Probably not, but is that because they’re a different type of player or a perception issue? Of course, the fact that many mobile gamers are used to a low barrier to entry, or none at all in the case of f2p games, may help, but then gamers on other platforms are also notorious for measuring money spent versus time spent playing a game to play.
As I said before, word of mouth or online buzz can make a huge difference in a game’s success or failure. But what can also help is to really spread the word about these mold-breaking games on mobile. Or indeed, renew the formulas already used. You might not be able to compare the fidelity of mobile and console graphics, but what about the art style or presentation? A lot of mobile games now focus on their soundtrack, so surely there’s something to be gained there?
The Game Awards has a category for mobile games, but as of 2022, the nominees consist of games like Marvel Snap, Diablo Immortal, and Genshin Impact. Games that deserve attention, of course, but only an extremely narrow look into the world of mobile gaming. There are five categories for esports and nothing about mobile esports. Considering that many mobile games are not released for multiple platforms, there are very few that can compete beyond the single mobile category.
This is just my personal opinion, and for many companies and studios, it’s not the opinion of consumer awards that counts, but the perception of the industry. Support from their peers and recognition they can use to show other companies and investors their experience and reach. An award from something like TIGA can be worth a hundred affirmations that this game is artistically or recreationally worth your time.
If people want to complain about the creative value of mobile games, maybe it’s time those who run these kinds of awards shows promote games that break the mold and do something new and interesting. There is nothing to be gained by dismissing what is objectively now a major player in the entire gambling industry.
