Mobile Gaming Set To Explode?
I’ll admit that I have a few simple games on an old Palm device that I keep around pretty much just for plane travel where I can play those games. So, I don’t deny the addictive nature of certain games on mobile devices. However, I get a little worried when I hear “experts” calling mobile gaming the next big thing. It very well might be, but I’d like to see a little more proof before I buy the argument. The real question is whether or not people will actually pay for these games. My guess is that they will initially, but overtime, the only games people will pay for are ones that involve them connecting to others to play against them. If they’re just simple games, over time, they’ll go the same way as simple PC games have gone – to the point where they’re just given away as promotional items. To be honest, just as I keep my old Palm around, I know people who have refused to switch to other mobile devices if it meant the loss of their games. Mobile device makers should be encouraged to give away highly addictive simple games (it’s always the simplest ones that are the most addictive, right?) to get users locked in on their hardware.
