The evolution of mobile gaming: A sector that keeps on growing

With so many rapid technological advancements being made in the mobile sector it’s not surprising that mobile gaming has become one of the fastest growing mobile industries. The global wireless market is estimated to reach $14.4 billion by 2017, a clear indication of just how far this type of technology has come.

Starting with Snake

Anyone who had a mobile phone in the 1990’s will remember Snake, the pixelated reptile that glided past obstacles and got longer and faster as the game progressed. Nokia made Snake famous, and in the inter-leading years an estimated 350 million mobile phones offered this game as a standard feature. Snake was the inspiration for many software development companies to begin working on mobile games, and as technology advanced, so did the mobile gaming sector.

A breakthrough with Java

With the new millennium came colour screens, QWERTY keyboards, WAP capabilities and a selection of mobile devices able to support Java. These features encouraged developers and users alike to try out new mobile games, and major game publishers started to take notice of the demand for mobile-compatible entertainment. Successful console or PC titles were adapted for play on a mobile device and whilst few companies created new games, many focused on optimising existing favourites.

The smartphone influence

When Apple introduced the iPhone in 2007 the mobile gaming playing field experienced a revolution. The iPhone created a market for third-party titles that were easily accessible and extremely cost effective, and then Android followed suite, only with open source software that changed the face of gaming on the go even more dramatically. To date, there are over a million apps available at both the Apps Store and at the Google PlayStore and mobile players can also access in-browser entertainment at sites like MobileCasinoAustralia.com.au. Admittedly, not all apps are gaming related, but the figures clearly show how the smartphone market has galvanized the gaming sector.

The future of mobile entertainment

Mobile gaming has predictably had an impact on PC and console sales, and it’s attracted a new generation of player who enjoys having casual entertainment available at their fingertips. The demand for mobile gaming shows no sign of slowing down, and with 6.8 billion global mobile subscribers listed in 2013 compared to the 1 billion of 2002; the industry seems set to continue to flourish.