Mobile Gaming

Category: Mobile Gaming

EA claims mobile games will not kill consoles

Dan Gendro | April 4, 2013

Mobile games are unlikely to dethrone consoles in the game industry

Mobile games are quickly becoming a formidable force in the game industry. Millions of consumers around the world play mobile games for the sake of entertainment and because these games are simply more convenient than those that are played on consoles. For decades, console games have dominated the game industry, but the advent of mobile technology has taken consumers out of their homes and given them a new way to play games while on the go. Indeed, many within the game industry believes that mobile games could eventually dethrone consoles as the staple of the industry.

Peter Moore champions console gaming

The downfall of console gaming is not something the industry has to worry about, according to Electronic Arts COO Peter Moore. While mobile games have certainly cut into the sales of consoles and other gaming hardware, Moore suggests that console gaming will continue to be the most prominent form of gaming in the world. Moore claims that the suggestion of the demise of console gaming is “very premature,” especially as a new generation of consoles is about to dawn.

Next generation consoles will find success with consumers

Moore notes that there are thousands of people at Electronic Arts alone that are focused on developing games for current generation consoles. Many of these developers will continue this focus well into the future, but many more will come to focus on new consoles like the Playstation 4 and the rumored Xbox 720. While Moore holds out hope for consoles, the executive does note that the sale of physical games is likely to become a thing of the past, especially as digital distribution becomes more capable of meeting the needs of consumers.

Mobile games may be more formidable than Moore anticipates

Though Moore may be a champion for console games, Electronic Arts is beginning to focus more heavily on mobile games. The publisher has recently been backing developers that focus solely on the mobile space. Electronic Arts has even launched its own publishing division devoted entirely to mobile games. Moore, who is likely to become the next CEO of Electronic Arts, claims that console games provide a more immersive experience for consumers. Mobile games, however, may actually provide more value to consumers.

Mobile games catch the eye of Facebook

JT | March 31, 2013

Facebook has some high hopes for mobile games

Facebook has long been a strong presence in the realm of social gaming due to its status as one of the most used social networking platforms in the world. The social network has been supporting various kinds of social games over the past several years, and has plans to continue doing so, but Facebook has also been growing more interested in the world of mobile games. Facebook has announced plans to reach out to a demographic it has not pursued in any serious fashion over the next year: Core gamers.

Facebook to focus on core gamers

Core gamers represent the stereotypical demographic of consumer that plays games in some way. This demographic is typically separated into various subclasses, such as mid-core and hardcore. Facebook has taken a strong interest in core gamers due to the fact that they are willing to devote a significant amount of their time to games that they enjoy or, in some cases, games that they do not enjoy at all. In the world of mobile games, more time spent playing a game itself generally translates into more money spent by the consumer, whether by participating in advertising or purchasing in-game content or virtual currencies.

Social network to offer developers promising incentives

Facebook is formulating a plan to attract mobile game developers to its platform, hoping that these developers will produce games that are attractive to core gamers. Currently, the social network is showing interest in a wide range of genres for these games, though which genres Facebook will focus on more intently will be determined by further research into what gamers actually want to play. Mobile games themselves are somewhat attractive because of their easily accessible and addictive nature, so Facebook may be interested in genres that play to the strengths of mobile gaming.

Mobile games may help Facebook overcome the past

Facebook experienced a turbulent 2012, with much of the social network’s turmoil being based on poor performance in the stock market. Lackluster security has also been a major problem for the social network, an issue that has served to plague Facebook for some time. Mobile games may be able to help the social network put much of its past troubles to rest, as long as these games are as successful as the company is hoping they will be.