The Evolution of Game Design in Console and PC Games Due to the Rise of Mobile Gaming
Introduction
Games have always been a business, and the publishers have always sought to maximize their profits from the games they create. With the rise of mobile gaming, the industry has seen a significant shift in the way games are designed and monetized.
The advent of mobile gaming has introduced new challenges and opportunities for developers and publishers. DLC subscriptions, thanks to the success of mobile games, have become more common, and game design has adapted to accommodate a new demographic of gamers who are more wary of upfront costs and more prone to the allure of premium content.
What Changed with the Rise of Mobile Gaming
Before the dominance of mobile gaming, DLCs and expansions were reserved mainly for PC and console game developers. The rapid rise of mobile gaming has brought about a significant shift.
Free to play models have been instrumental in attracting a new and more price-sensitive audience. Offering a free introduction to the game and then slowing down once players invest time, these models have become incredibly popular. The introduction of premium currencies like diamonds has further obscured the true cost of in-game purchases, making them seem less overwhelming to players. For example, a real-world $30 DLC might seem prohibitive, whereas 10 in-game diamonds might seem more manageable.
Exploitation and Monetization
Mobile gaming has not only introduced new monetization models but also pushed them into the realm of PC and console games. The success of mobile games in a highly price-sensitive market has led publishers to test the waters with similar strategies on PC and console games, sometimes with mixed results.
Premium currencies and DLCs have become more prevalent, sometimes leading to a negative experience for players. Core gamers, who are used to complete and quality games, have found the move towards a more fragmented and monetized model to be a bitter pill to swallow. This has led to a shift in game design where developers exploit players by limiting their experience until they pay for premium content.
Impact on the Industry
The shift towards more monetized games has created significant friction in the industry. Major publishers have been forced to adapt by introducing more predatory monetization practices, further angering and alienating their fan bases. The rise of subscription models and premium currencies has made the cost of gaming much higher, especially for AAA titles.
Despite the challenges, the success of mobile games has accelerated this shift. Without the boom in mobile gaming and the monetization models it spawned, the industry may have taken longer to adapt. The sheer prevalence of smartphones has expanded the market for gaming significantly, introducing it to a whole new demographic who might not have been interested in traditional gaming platforms otherwise.
In conclusion, the rise of mobile gaming has had a profound impact on the game design philosophy of traditional console and PC game developers. While it has brought about significant financial growth, it has also led to a more fragmented and monetized gaming experience, breaking away from the traditional model of complete and high-quality games. The industry continues to evolve, driven by the ever-changing expectations of a new and price-sensitive audience.