As we indulge into a time period where technology seems to be improving by the day, mobile games have become something that many people have taken a part of. During week ten of this course, we discussed the different categories games might be classified into, including girl games, casual games, and mobile games. Although I do not enjoy playing mobile games, I am in some way pro mobile games. The one aspect that has won me over on mobile games is that gameplay can be remote. Mobile games also draw a diverse audience since a majority of the people in our world own smartphones. That being said, mobile games should become the new focus for the gaming world.

One of the assigned readings for the week was Angry Birds: Mobile Gaming by Gregory Steirer and Jeremy Barnes. This piece focused on the mobile game Angry Birds, a game that many of us might be familiar with. The authors described mobile gaming as a new act/form of play. I agree with this denotation because prior gaming platforms are completely different. Mobile games allow for people to play wherever they want, which adds to the ideas of flexibility and comfort. As opposed to connecting a controller and all of the wires that most consoles require, mobile gaming is as simple as a cell phone. According to the authors of this article, “What makes a mobile game a mobile game, we argue, is not simply the fact that the game is played on a phone or tablet; more important are the ways that play itself is constructed, not only via the code of the mobile application but also via the social interactions and industrial processes that surround it” (Kindle pg 216). As we can see, the authors are more inclined about the positive effects mobile games bring about on social networks. Mobile games allow for people to connect with each other in-person. A simple example of this is Pokémon Go. Now, think about gaming on the PS4. Pokémon Go allows for you to leave your house, and connect with some other players face-to-face, still being able to accomplish your goals for the game. On the other hand, PS4 does allow for game chats, but that face-to-face interaction during gameplay is certainly lost.

Another great point to get at with mobile games is that they are cheaper to make than regular console games. According to the article, “Angry Birds cost approximately US$100,000 to make, a mere fraction of that of most console games (by way of comparison, Rockstar’s Grand Theft Auto V [2013] cost an estimated US$137.5 million)” (Kindle pg 221). My point here will focus on the idea that games will sell, but what matters most is how much the companies make in revenue. Many people play video games in our world, so selling a game is not really an issue, unless the game is flat out terrible! Companies should try to maximize their gains. That is, put in less, and still bring in more. On top of this, many people design their own games, but due to a lack of funds, their game never hits a major market. Allowing for cheaper games to trend opens up the idea of more diversity in game choices.

All in all, games can be categorized into many different classes. This week we focused on games that fit under the girl game, casual game, and mobile game umbrellas. Mobile games are easy to play and arguably easy to make. Shifting a focus to this medium will only benefit the gaming world. With the recent advances in technology, now is the time to promote the play of mobile games for the sake of our gaming world.

-Andy Kissoon