Large Phone Data Plans will be the Norm for on-the-go Gaming

Gaming on the go is becoming much more frequent, and data plans for phones are blowing up because of it. With lots of great free-to-play, online games, having only 1 gigabyte of data personal use probably isn’t going to cut it.

Whether you are playing games on the application store, playing browser based games – quick games like slots or cards – from reputable sites that are a great resource to gamers, or using your data to create a hot spot for personal gaming electronics, the need for more personal data has never been as great as it is now.

This week, Nintendo will launch Splatoon 2, a title that has more to offer online than it does offline. While there are a number of levels to play in the single player campaign, the crux of the title is online only, battling it out with friends and strangers alike for total ink supremacy. At home, with the Nintendo Switch in the dock, this isn’t a big issue as you will have unlimited access to Wifi or a wired connection. However, we all know that the Nintendo Switch is an 0n-the-go type console, so how can you play online while waiting at the mechanics for your oil change. Oh ya, that’s right: you’ll need some personal data for your hotspot, and lots of it.

The way we consume data now has never been this way. Whether it’s YouTube, Netflix, or gaming, the need for bigger data packages has never been in higher demand. With the demand for more data comes the added costs associated with those plans, leaving some users spending 100s of dollars in cell phone fees every month. For those looking to play a few games of cards online with friends, this can be a bit much to swallow. However, based on my own usage using reputable websites, the data consumption for this isn’t actually that high.

That isn’t always the case, unfortunately. I’ve been able to blow through 10s of gigabytes of data within a few weeks, between my online gaming on the go, Netflix for the kids at restaurants, and much more. So what is the solution? Well, bigger data plans aren’t always an option for consumers, so gaming companies – especially those that are browser based – need to find ways to lower the data usage of their titles. Understandably so, this is probably easier said than done.

Regardless, this trend is only going to continue, so developers and cell phone companies are going to have to come to terms with it. People cannot afford 100s of dollars in cell phone bills to play a few games online, or watch a movie or two. So at some point, something is going to break. Handheld gaming devices are slowly becoming a thing of the past. The Playstation Vita is almost dead in the water as we speak, and the 3DS will slowly phase out to make way for a more direct marketing campaign for the Nintendo Switch. However, the Nintendo Switch is new, and it’s advertised as a portable option for those who don’t want to be tied to their couches and homes.

Nintendo, Apple, and Google (Samsung and more) will all need to come to the table and decide how to better deal with data demands in the future. Working with cell phone providers is the only way for these companies to push the limits of cell phone technology, with games that will require more power to play, and more data consumption to run. If they can figure out how to do this, mobile gaming will be bigger and better than ever before. There are many other competitors in this industry, and reading through reviews and feedback is a great way to come up with a list and make a decision. Read Total Wireless cell phone plans review and other reviews to make the best pick at the end of the day.