Theo Sanders provides some insight on the industry and mobile gaming
The advent of mobile gaming has caused quite a stir in the game industry. As 2012 comes to a close, the industry has begun gearing for a new year of possibilities, with many developers adopting a strong focus on mobile gaming. Recently, SPOnG, a gaming news source, interviewed Theo Sanders, Lead Producer for Ubisoft Singapore. Through the interview, Sanders provided some insight on how the game industry views mobile gaming and what the future may hold for mobile platforms.
Developers begin to show serious focus on mobile platforms
Though mobile gaming now represents a massive market, the sector itself is still relatively new to the game industry. Large development studios have long held focus on traditional platforms, such as PCs and consoles. These developers have adhered to these platforms for decades, only recently beginning to show interest in the mobile gaming space. Sanders suggests that many major game developers are still unfamiliar with mobile platforms and that 2013 may be the year in which gamers see their favorite developers begin pushing their own boundaries and producing higher quality mobile games.
Mobile gaming helps keep game industry solvent
Sanders suggests that game developers are likely to produce some quality products despite the economic problems they face. Over the past year, the game industry has performed well in comparison to other industries. Mobile games helped keep the industry solvent. While most mobile gaming applications cost between $1 and $3 — with many more being completely free — sales volumes have been sky high. The financial clout of the mobile gaming market has helped propel the game industry through turbulent economic waters.
2013 may be a major year for mobile games
Mobile gaming is expected to pick up more momentum in 2013. Next year, consumers will have access to more advanced mobile devices that will allow them to play a wider range of games. The mobile game market will not likely have a shortage of new content any time soon, so consumers will likely have more than enough to keep themselves occupied well into the future.
2013 may be a major year for the mobile sector
The coming year is expected to be very significant in the realm of mobile technology and mobile services. Over the past 12 months, more consumers have become reliant on their mobile devices in their daily lives. This has created major engagement opportunities in several industries and many companies have begun focusing more heavily on mobile consumers. In 2013, this focus is expected to become more acute on the mobile sector, especially as more companies develop services that are very specifically targeted at the mobile demographic.
Location-based marketing to begin picking up more momentum
Location-based marketing and services are expected to see a boost in 2013. More companies are beginning to see the value of engaging consumers through location-based services. Social media sites like Foursquare and Facebook exemplify this potential channel of engagement. Advertisers can use location-based marketing campaigns to great effect and consumers are all but guaranteed to engage in such campaigns because of their curiosity and their constant connection to their smart phones and tablets.
Mobile gaming to continue showing promise
The mobile sector has been attracting a significant amount of attention from the game industry. Mobile gaming is expected to take off in 2013 as well. Though the mobile gaming space is considered a crowded market by many, there is still significant financial opportunities therein. By the end of 2013, the mobile gaming market is expected to hit $9.8 billion, with the possibility that the Android platform will become the dominating force in the mobile gaming business. In-app advertising is also expected to become more prevalent as game developers find that consumers are willing to engage in such advertisements.
Mobile commerce will likely be a major focus of many companies
Mobile commerce will likely reach new heights in the mobile sector in 2013, powered by NFC technology or not. Companies like PayPal and Apple are currently looking for alternatives to NFC technology to further their goals with mobile commerce. Much of the mobile commerce space will continue to be dictated by the technology, however, as several companies in the technology and telecommunications industry have already invested heavily in the development of an NFC-based mobile commerce infrastructure.
