Why is mobile gaming lagging behind so much?

[Hantadasor]

Development of a mobile game is not given one hundredth of the effort given to a console or PC game.

Why do mobile game developers seem like they just don't give a damn?

I mean I understand that 99% of android users pirate all the games, but ios users still provide excellent revenue for game devs, so why do ios games seem like a joke compared to consoles and PCs?

 

[Red Storm]

I mean I understand that 99% of android users pirate all the games

Lol, source?

Mobile gaming will always lag behind. Part of the problem is that the mobile device market is made up of casual users. PC and console gamers are a tougher crowd, they are less likely to fall for poorly made games. They've got years of experience playing games so a simple time wasting freemium game isn't going to cut it, whereas a casual smartphone user will download and play something thinking it's amazing without realizing much later that the "free" game they downloaded is really just a time and money trap.

 

[Hantadasor]

Lol, source

http://www.businessinsider.com/android-piracy-problem-2015-1

http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/piracy-android-how-bad-is-it-really/

 

[LPCTech]

The reason mobile gaming gets little attention is:

1. If you are really into gaming its not going to be on a phone.
2. For android, you have to make the game compatible with android 4.4 and up, and for multiple screen resolutions and sizes, plus there are alot of cheapo android devices made and they want the game to be able to run everywhere leading it to suck probably.
3. For iOS and most apple devices the GPU situation isnt so good. So not great for graphics. Even tho iOS apps tend to be more stable due to only having to support maybe 2 OS versions and limited device sizes and only one manufacturer.

Pirating games or apps on android is a great way to get malware, I wouldnt recommend it or do it. personally.

Also your piracy info pertains to only one app developer. In both those links. Also that developer said although 95% of its android apps were pirated, 60% of its iOS apps were pirated too.

 

[Hantadasor]

The reason mobile gaming gets little attention is:

1. If you are really into gaming its not going to be on a phone.
2. For android, you have to make the game compatible with android 4.4 and up, and for multiple screen resolutions and sizes.
3. For iOS and most apple devices the GPU situation isnt so good. So not great for graphics. Even tho iOS apps tend to be more stable due to only having to support maybe 2 OS versions and limited device sizes and only one manufacturer.

Pirating games or apps on android is a great way to get malware, I wouldnt recommend it or do it. personally.

1. Gaming on a phone in your bed is much more immersive than being a statue unable to change position infront of a PC monitor.

2. Same thing with PCs.

3. I don't know what you're comparing it to. If to android, iphones have always consistently had superior GPUs to android and their current graphical performance can be similar or even superior to the PS3 and Xbox 360.

4.99% of android users pirate their games. I've never heard of anyone getting malware as a result. (what's that have to do with shit games for mobile though?)

 

[Red Storm]

1. Gaming on a phone in your bed is much more immersive than being a statue unable to change position infront of a PC monitor.

How is laying down in bed more immersive than sitting in a chair? Perhaps you mean more comfortable? If so I could understand that, but there's no rule that states you have to sit in a chair to play PC games, it's perfectly doable in bed as well.

 

[Oyeve]

1. Gaming on a phone in your bed is much more immersive than being a statue unable to change position infront of a PC monitor.

2. Same thing with PCs.

3. I don't know what you're comparing it to. If to android, iphones have always consistently had superior GPUs to android and their current graphical performance can be similar or even superior to the PS3 and Xbox 360. Complete BS

4.99% of android users pirate their games. I've never heard of anyone getting malware as a result. (what's that have to do with shit games for mobile though?) You brought up and yet you question why it mentioned?

Apparently you have some other motive for your post. You seem to want to start yet another ios/android argument.

 

[Anubis]

cant move when sitting in a chair? WTF are you smoking

 

[nOOky]

Perhaps because gaming on a phone sux? Other than little puzzle games or CCS that waste time who would want to play a real game on a phone? I don't care what the resolution is, a tiny 6" or smaller display does not lend itself to quality game play.

Let's not even get into how you control the game itself, personally I hate touchscreens for "real" gaming.

 

[saratoga172]

Development of a mobile game is not given one hundredth of the effort given to a console or PC game.



Why do mobile game developers seem like they just don't give a damn?



I mean I understand that 99% of android users pirate all the games, but ios users still provide excellent revenue for game devs, so why do ios games seem like a joke compared to consoles and PCs?

I don't know many people that want to play a full on immersive game on their phone. I for one have no interest and I've been a pc and console gamer for as long as I can remember.

Gaming on a 5 inch screen with touch controls sucks compared to using a controller in front of a large tv or at a computer with the controls of a keyboard and mouse (or controller if that's your thing).

Would a game dev make back the 50-100 mil on an iOS dev cycle? Would consumers be willing to spend $30-50 on a game made for their phone? I drop it like its nothing for my xbone or pc but wouldn't even consider it for my phone.

There may be a time when they can address these issues but we aren't there yet.

 

[mordbane]

There are options for playing PC games on your mobile device, in your bed, if that is what you want to do.

But mobile games are mostly aimed to be 10 - 15 minute session time wasters. As others have said, touchscreens severely limit your input options. With a 5" display there's a good chance that your hand will cover most of the screen and your accuracy is horrible. OSD controls again take away from that previous screen real estate. More developers could develop for MOGA or similar controllers. But again, how mobile is your device if you need a controller and most likely be plugged in the wall for any extended playing.

 

[VashHT]

I'm not sure how laying down holding your phone up is more comfortable than sitting in a nice computer chair, and your statement about sitting like a statue not moving is obviously made up.

I think the main reason mobile games "lag" behind is because they don't need to do anything else. They rake in tons of money from people with cheap copycat games, they don't have to put effort into making something interesting or new to make money.

Other than that I've found the controls far inferior, even a 6" screen is too small to be looking at for anything longer than 10-15 minutes, and the best games are ones re-released from 20 years ago. Mind you this is my opinion, I find games like clash of clans really boring and annoying, when I stop playing a game I actually want to stop playing and do something else, not have the game send me notifications that I need to play more or that my base has been destroyed while I was asleep.

 

[cbrunny]

This is an absurd thread. Mobile gaming is lagging behind because its a phone and not a video game device. Period.

There are 2 billion transistors in an iPhone 6 processor. There are 8 billion on a 980ti, 8.9 billion in a Fury X. On top of more transistors, they're tuned and designed hardware specifically for gaming. A phone CPU is integrated GPU that is absolutely not tuned or designed for gaming.

Considering the state of mobile right now, mobile gaming is amazingly well done. To expect more makes no sense.

On top of that, gaming on a phone isn't comfortable, takes battery power, requires touchscreen only games, has no real online interaction (assuming you want it), games are nowhere near as good, sound quality sucks, graphics suck, and is riddled with microtransactions. There is absolutely no reason why anyone should think that a mobile phone is a good gaming platform. It isn't. Period. If you want mobile gaming, get a DS or whatever the current GAMING handheld is.

If you want actual gaming, console or pc are without question vastly superior to mobile. It isn't even a contest.

 

[AMDisTheBEST]

Because mobile gaming is all about flappy/angry birds and subway surfers. I find that I spend more hours on these games than on my PC games like battlefield and star craft

 

[poofyhairguy]

All that has been said plus the fact without active cooling phone GPUs throttle.

 

[swilli89]

Development of a mobile game is not given one hundredth of the effort given to a console or PC game.

Why do mobile game developers seem like they just don't give a damn?

I mean I understand that 99% of android users pirate all the games, but ios users still provide excellent revenue for game devs, so why do ios games seem like a joke compared to consoles and PCs?

Honestly, its "form factor" for me. I cant stand on screen "buttons". I would love a first party controller/battery pack attachment from more companies.

All that has been said plus the fact without active cooling phone GPUs throttle.

I am kind of hoping once the new 14/16nm processes start to mature we can see a breakthrough with this. We honestly don't need more GPU power than what we have in the current GS6/IP6+, just need less energy use.

 

[Hantadasor]

All that has been said plus the fact without active cooling phone GPUs throttle.

I think this is the only valid argument I heard.

 

[cbrunny]

I think this is the only valid argument I heard.

This is because you are obviously trolling. You've already contradicted yourself at least once in this thread.

 

[Hantadasor]

This is because you are obviously trolling. You've already contradicted yourself at least once in this thread.

Nope, everything that was said, from "controls are crappy" to "graphics suck" are completely subjective.

 

[Exophase]

The app store markets are very critical of games that cost more than $5 and downright hostile to anything over $20 or so. There's been such a race to the bottom with pricing that many people have developed an outright psychological block against paying more than a certain amount on the store, you can see this in comments everywhere for the most expensive games and those don't come anywhere remotely close to console prices.

It doesn't help that the people who would purchase a $60 console game won't want to play a game of similar quality on a phone. Why play it on a more clumsy interface and small screen where you have to worry about draining the battery from a device you otherwise want to be ready to take calls? Phones are good for games that last a few minutes here and there and huge development efforts are not just wasted on games like this but can actively deter that experience. You can say that the control aspect is subjective but if most of the established market willing and wanting to pay $60 on games thinks the controls are inferior that's all that matters.

Games like Candy Crush Saga have been runaway financial successes. They're free to play or very cheap in their initial purpose. Most players don't spend very much money on it but a few get addicted and put down enormous amounts in in-app purchases. These games have tapped into large new demographics that have previously not played games that much like women (particularly older women), allowing for an explosive market growth. Games like this are relatively cheap to make and have potential for high reward. Everyone wants to make the next Candy Crush.

 

[cbrunny]

Nope, everything that was said, from "controls are crappy" to "graphics suck" are completely subjective.

Ah, so you're in the camp that believes that mobile controls are as good as, say, an XBOX360 (which you cited above)?

Likewise, you believe that mobile graphics are as good as, say, and XBOX360 (which you cited above)?

 

[LPCTech]

1. Gaming on a phone in your bed is much more immersive than being a statue unable to change position infront of a PC monitor.

2. Same thing with PCs.

3. I don't know what you're comparing it to. If to android, iphones have always consistently had superior GPUs to android and their current graphical performance can be similar or even superior to the PS3 and Xbox 360.

4.99% of android users pirate their games. I've never heard of anyone getting malware as a result. (what's that have to do with shit games for mobile though?)

Every single thing is this post is false and speculative and/or an opinion.

Are you that guy who thought they should make a phone with a fan in it, just with a new account? lol

 

[magomago]

http://www.businessinsider.com/android-piracy-problem-2015-1

http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/piracy-android-how-bad-is-it-really/

for once i can proudly claim i'm part of the 1%.

But like any other cheap ass phone user I've spent less than 10 bucks in 4 years if you don't count the FF4 purchase.

 

[AMDisTheBEST]

Nope, everything that was said, from "controls are crappy" to "graphics suck" are completely subjective.

graphics isnt everything. i wont play on the best graphics if the game is crap. Some people just like casual games and not those that are... for the lack of better word, gigantic and full of details. Thats why you find there is millions of downloads for old school games like pacman

 

[Face2Face]

I don't know about you guys, but I've been playing a ton of Star Wars Galaxy of Heroes as of late. I have a ton of PC games to finish, yet I find my self being absorbed by this game...Other than this game, I've never really been a mobile gamer.