As of 2018, video games generated sales of US $134.9 billion annually worldwide, and were the third-largest segment in the U.S. entertainment market. Video games in general cover a broad range of systems, from consoles to computer games the massive mobile gaming genre.  Mobile games’ role in this market is massive, and is continuously growing over recent years. Mobile gaming is booming, thanks to more and more dedicated players joining such an easily accessible genre of gaming.

One of the most prominent developers on the mobile gaming scene is Supercell, the creator of Clash Royale, Clash of Clans, and more. These two games are in the top 100 most played in the world, and have brought Supercell $2.3 billion in revenue. Supercell’s games are played all over the nation and even many Elder students have taken a big liking to them.

There are numerous reason why their games are so successful,especially for our upcoming generation. First, all of their games are free-to-play, making money through microtransactions that are not necessary for playing. Much reward comes through being patient, but hard work and dedication allows for much more reward through ranking and trophy pushing, keeping players always coming back for more. In addition to the appeal of the game, the development teams are constantly working on improving the game and adding new features on a regular (often monthly) basis.

One more reason that the games have grown so large is because of their global audience, seeing as their games are available all over the world and are appealing to people of all backgrounds. Whether the players are competitive or casual, they are sure to get enjoyment out of their games. This is likely the reason that the company has announced and thanked its users for reaching 100 million players every day across its games, and has therefore become a huge success overall. Supercell’s characters and art style have become iconic across the mobile gaming scene, and Clash Royale has become a big part of eSports tournaments. All of this success contributes to this company becoming one of the biggest companies in gaming, let alone mobile gaming.

Mobile gaming has also received a massive boost from a recently growing genre: Battle Royales. As many gamers and non-gamers know by now, games like PUBG mobile, Call of Duty mobile, and especially Fortnite have become sensations across the world. Available for all kinds of systems, battle royales have become a huge part of gaming. As technology has finally allowed, games of 100 people are able to be run smoothly and efficiently, finally providing the means for battle royale, last-man-standing massive games. Like the previous first-person shooters, which these games still have many elements of, massive multiplayer and highly competitive gameplay have attracted many players. Not only has this helped systems from across the board, but mobile has followed suit, gaining massive popularity from users adopting these new games onto their phones and tablets. The shift of these games from their original systems to mobile has proven to be quite beneficial for the developers. Mobile versions of such games allow for users to take their action anywhere they go, providing far more versatility. The growth of this genre has followed closely with the increase of mobile gaming scene.

One more game genre that is really on the rise are augemented reality, location-based games, especially Pokémon Go. Though much of the hype has died down surrounding this game, the industry is still going strong, and the technology is still improving constantly. Pokémon Go was a massive success back when it was first released a few years ago, and its player base has fluctuated, but once again it is on the rise. Such games have continued to become more developed and advanced, and the technology has a great foundation now for even future, similar games to arise. AR games are still being released in full force, especially by the leader in this field, Niantic (creator of Pokémon Go). Like Pokémon Go, Minecraft Earth and Harry Potter: Wizards Unite (very recently released) are packed full of features for lovers of both series to enjoy. Such games are only improving, and are always going to be best played through a mobile device, so the mobile market has this genre locked down for future use. All of these games have received massive amounts of attention and praise from fans, especially because of their innovative abilities.

Mobile gaming’s rise will certainly not be slowing any time soon. As users discover more eye-catching and popular games appearing on their phone app stores, more consumers will take part in this growing market to bolster its development even more. Thanks to the growth in technology in recent years, our smart phones have gotten smarter, allowing for far more creativity and innovation when it comes to the devices that everyone carries around with them everywhere they go. It is great that the video game development world is being so well received and supported by gamers and non-gamers alike, and the more people that take part in this industry, the more technology will be allowed to advance through more revenue and growing development teams.