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[Aroll]

Posts like this confuse me because the same game archetypes have been popular for ages.

Bejeweled came out in 2001. Candy Crush is hugely successful in 2015.

Farmville came out in 2009. Hay Day is a major hit in 2015.

Travian came out in 2004. Clash of Clans and Game of War are at the top of the charts.

Have the games evolved over time? Sure. Are the platforms different? Yes, they're on mobile devices instead of browsers. The fundamentals are all still there though.

Saying that casual gaming seems transient because of platform and title shift is like saying FPS games are on their way out because Quake isn't on top anymore and people play shooters on consoles.

Agree entirely. There is no reason to think mobile gaming is really going anywhere. The game types that succeed are the same game types that have been succeeding for a long time on different platforms. Heck, I see more people playing Minecraft on their phones and tablets these days than at their PC.

One thing people forget about the mobile market is that the bubble only bursts when folks stop carrying mobile phones.We're nowhere near a time where most people who have a little bit of money in this world don't have a mobile phone, and smart phones are increasingly affordable, especially since older models are consistently supported. The bubble isn't going to burst. Maybe it does for a specific game (say, candy crush isn't played anymore in 6 years), but something else will come along to replace it.

I mean, what is going to kill console/mobile console gaming? People not buying the platform. That's really it. When the audience isn't there, the bubble bursts. Right now, the audience is still there for console and handheld (3DS). People are buying phones and will continue to buy phones for the forseeable future and many decades ahead. The platform isn't going anywhere, and if anything, each new generation gets more and more gaming viable.

 

[witchedwiz]

Mobile gaming is the direct-to-video of the gaming medium. Incredibly low ratio of good games to trash.

seconded..
no offense, but you do realize that the ration of shoddy mediocre game to DECENT (not even good, or REALLY GOOD, but simply decent) game is beyond ridiculous, right?

 

[Fantastapotamus]

Nobody denies that there are good mobile games, but the larger mobile market is, sorry to say so, disgusting. People hate mobile gaming because it is huge and because they worry the trends big on mobile will (continue to) creep over into "regular" game development.
Say what you will about AAA game development, about DLC and downgrades or whatever: It is still miles better than the trends in the mobile gaming market.

 

[Anura]

I don't like how mobile games control or the practices involved with F2P. Yet, I somehow manage to avoid most topics with them and somehow I manage to resist the oh so harrowing urge to express my opinion in a topic I neither care about nor does any care about my opinion on it. It's really not hard guys.

Heck, the few topics about mobile I've been too, those types of comments bug even me.

 

[Gamezone]

Came here to read comments. Found a graveyard.

 

[BlackBuzzard]

Are we still allowed to shake our fists when (insert Japanese publisher) puts (new game of classic franchise) on mobile?

 

[More_Badass]

But are any of these games doing anything that couldn't be done at least as well on one of the existing platforms we had? I really don't know, as I haven't played any of these games, but there have been zero mobile games that I've played that couldn't have been done on a system that already exists, so please, correct me if I'm wrong.

There being good games on the platform doesn't necessarily mean the platform itself has any value. If all of these games are possible on systems that already exist, then all mobile games have contributed is a bunch of negative traits that push anti-consumer practices. If these games aren't doing anything that couldn't be done on something we already had, then mobile gaming could have never existed and we could still have all of these games without having to deal with all of the negative things mobile gaming has brought to the industry.

I guess the short version is:

Are these games bringing anything new to the table BECAUSE they're mobile games? Are they great BECAUSE they're mobile games or would they be just as great if they were on any other platform? And if not, what good things are mobile gaming bringing to the table outside of maybe convenience? Because people have already pointed out how many bad things mobile games have brought into the industry.

The Room is on PC now, but it lost something in the process. You really need to play on a touch screen. You loose that tactile 1:1 hands-on experience, as you manipulate objects and literally unfold secrets. That direct control can't be done on PC or console

Same with Monument Valley. The tactile nature of the gameplay, manipulating this impossible world directly is what made the experience feel so engrossing.

Or Windosill. Also on PC but touch controls add something to experience.

Or Papers Please. I feel the iPad version is the definite version because you're shifting papers across your booth, using your tools directly. It's a more immerse experience than planning wih mouse and keyboard

Or Device 6. The words is the world. As the protagonist walks down a long corridor, the words extend into a narrow passage. When you reach a corner, the text turns off-screen, a new junction to be followed. The words twist around as you backtrack, turning your device to mirror the character moving along. It wouldn't be the same with a mouse and keyboard

 

[ViciousDS]

Chaos Rings and Infinity blade were the biggest reason I got an Iphone years ago.....and I really, really loved them. Mobile space is the same as the normal game market. There are a lot of meh games, quite a few good ones and not many great.

It just seems really bad, because there are thousands more to choose from on mobile.....and only so much time to weed through all the free ones that are plaster on the promotion page.

 

[The Silver]

I don't go out of my way to hate mobile games, they just aren't for me.

The types of games that I really like, that truly stick with me just can't or hasn't yet been done justice on mobile. I won't be getting my MGS's, DMC's, Persona's, Elder Scrolls, Dragon Dogma's on mobile.

Then the types of games that can be done well on mobile like 2D RPGs, I just find I would much much rather play them on a handheld than with touch controls.

 

[KooopaKid]

Hero Emblems is 30 hours long

I'm curious, have you played any of those?

Match-3 games are not exactly new, no interest in those.
I said I'll check the ones I find interesting. I'm sure they'll be quite entertaining but it's just a small diversion, like reading a magazine as opposed to a book.
The lack of game feel is a deal-breaker.

 

[Moon_frogger]

I really can't get into mobile gaming. I can't. Even stuff like hearthstone just sits unopened on my phone. I think it's the missing physical buttons.

The fuck? Why would you need buttons for a card game!
Also the hate for mobile as about as logical as someone saying 'I hate indie games'. It's a platform. Guess what, there might be a hundred thousand shitty mobile games but the beauty of that means there are absolutely top quality games of nearly every genre that release ever single week. Touch arcade, people.

 

[Draxal]

Mobile gaming offers a new dynamic way of pricing, but is very predatory.

 

[Shouta]

Monster Strike, Brave Frontier, Final Fantasy Record Keepers, etc. Japan's been doing mobile gaming right, even if the F2P model is evil.

 

[Griss]

Cutting down on one liners and shitposting is good, but negative opinions regarding mobile gaming are valid, and must be allowed. And if the majority of GAF shares those feelings, well then mobile game fans on here are going to feel alientated from time to time. It is what it is.

I mean, if I wrote that the mobile gaming industry is 'a joke', and 'a scamming industry' in this thread I'd be fearing a ban, but that's exactly what the guy who ran Eurogamer for 7 years stated* in an editorial last year, one where I found myself agreeing with almost everything. I guess the point is that if you're going to say something like that, you've got to be able to back it up, rather than just hit and run. But it is possible to back such opinions up, as Tom did.

*or stated by agreeing with a quote stating that, to be pedantic, etc etc

 

[SturokBGD]

Heck, I see more people playing Minecraft on their phones and tablets these days than at their PC.

That's what happens when you stop spying on people through their windows.

 

[Snuggles]

I'm no longer even remotely surprised by it, but the level of ignorance around here when it comes to mobile gaming is always amazing. I get that the posters spewing ignorance are only aware of the bad side of mobile gaming, but it would be nice if people took a moment to educate themselves before speaking on the topic.

Think the controls suck? Then don't play games with virtual buttons, there's countless mobile games designed for the platform. Most mobile games are not console games sloppily ported to the platform. They're designed from the start for touchscreens.

Allergic to F2P? Fine, there's countless games that are paid or have inoffensive implementation of IAPs. You are not forced to play the scammy stuff. I don't.

99.9% of games suck? Then do a few minutes of research by visiting the mobile gaming thread here, or reddit, or touch arcade, or pocket tactics, etc. 99.9% of everything is garbage, that's why you ignore the shit and seek out the good stuff. No one here goes to gamestop and just buys games willy-nilly.

Looking for any reason whatsoever to dismiss mobile gaming because you just don't like the idea of it? Okay, then at least be honest about it and don't pretend your uninformed opinion has any value whatsoever.

 

[More_Badass]

Match-3 games are not exactly new, no interest in those.
I said I'll check the ones I find interesting. I'm sure they'll be quite entertaining but it's just a small diversion, like reading a magazine as opposed to a book.

See, that's the problem. Dismissing such experiences like that. Hero Emblems is an RPG first, some even called a true successor to Puzzle Quest. Dark Echo is a 8+ plus game with a minimalist horror atmosphere. Deathwatch will be the first mobile game made with Unreal 4 and have like 20+ hours of gameplay, online MP and co-op

etc

To say those games can't be engrossing or immersive is just biased IMO

 

[Leafhopper]

That's what happens when you stop spying on people through their windows.

Pffthaha.

 

[Portugeezer]

I gave mobile games a chance, besides the quick 1 minute bus stop games it's just not for me. Although I never tried syncing a controller to it. Seems more like a good emulation device if I did that.

 

[Despera]

http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=634971

Thanks. Doesn't seem to be nearly as active as the iOS scene though.

Best thing on android is, and most likely will always be, emulation. It's not even funny how much better the stuff you can emulate on android is than the stuff you'd get on either the IOS store or android store. It's not even a contest, which says something.

Maybe I should give emulators a try on my Note 3...

That's what happens when you stop spying on people through their windows.

heh

 

[Sadist]

Shitposting? Absolutely.

But I think we shouldn't stop critizising the current mobile marketspace and the games they offer; I've been playing some mobile/tablet games for the past few years and I can honestly say that these types of software have a long way to go before I can honestly enjoy them. Except for the countless puzzle games that are quite fun (Personally I play Marvel Puzzle Quest, which is a great version of the PQ series) everything else is horribly lacking or is a f2p mess where pay to win is the only way to be succesfull. That's not how I want to invest my free time. I want something that's not a grindfest.

 

[Moon_frogger]

Yup I'll take it further and say that 99 percent of the talking points Against mobile are either ignorance, laziness or ingrained fear and prejudice against the changing landscape. There are a few decent arguments, like battery life or in the case of iOS the infuriating save data nonsense but these never get brought up.

 

[Zen_Arcade]

Do you always carry your systems with you? There you have it. And does every good game need to do new things?

If you list how many bad things mobile games have brought to the video game industry, and how inconvenient a lot of these game genres are to play on mobile, if the only upside is that the controls work well for some genres, and you don't have to buy a new system to play them, then to me the bad far outweighs the good and the video game industry would have been better off if mobile games never existed.

If these games aren't great BECAUSE they're mobile games, then what value is it that they are? There is a good chance that we could have had these games anyway. We have consoles with touch controls, so it's not like the industry would have had to come up with a whole new console for the games to get made. Plus there is a chance that a bunch of the negative things that mobile gaming brought would never have happened, or at least been delayed or brought up and rejected because they have to be directly compared with other games in these consoles that don't adhere to these practices.

 

[MidBoss]

What a shit comment.

I got chewed out for this comment once.

Isn't it the same argument though? It's an unideal control scheme. It's just that people got used to it.

 

[jerry1594]

Why get mad over a thread that you weren't forced to click on and would clearly have a negative slant to it? Keep on enjoying your mobile games. I've found some fun and interesting games on mobile, but let's be honest, the shit outnumbers the good stuff by a lot. It's not comparable to PS2 amounts of shovelware, cause the ratio of junk to good games is far more skewed to junk than it ever was on PS2.

 

[ArtHands]

I don't go out of my way to hate mobile games, they just aren't for me.

The types of games that I really like, that truly stick with me just can't or hasn't yet been done justice on mobile. I won't be getting my MGS's, DMC's, Persona's, Elder Scrolls, Dragon Dogma's on mobile.

Then the types of games that can be done well on mobile like 2D RPGs, I just find I would much much rather play them on a handheld than with touch controls.

On the other hand When they did appear on mobile, there will be tons of people crying

 

[More_Badass]

If you list how many bad things mobile games have brought to the video game industry, and how inconvenient a lot of these game genres are to play on mobile, if the only upside is that the controls work well for some genres, and you don't have to buy a new system to play them, then to me the bad far outweighs the good and the video game industry would have been better off if mobile games never existed.

If these games aren't great BECAUSE they're mobile games, then what value is it that they are?

Who said that?

 

[Stereogatari]

The stereotype exists for a reason. The vetting process isn't as rigorous as consoles and you end up with a lot of trash that behave more like gambling software than games.

 

[ZombiePlatypus]

Sorry but the platform is a rampant breeding-ground for pay2win shovelware, and should rightfully be called out.

 

[Fantastapotamus]

Allergic to F2P? Fine, there's countless games that are paid or have inoffensive implementation of IAPs.

Sure, but the problem (for me at least) is that the most popular mobile games are literally designed to be unplayable. Stuff like Game of War (or whatever it is called) is unplayable if you don't spend money constantly.
And that stuff is just accepted and expected. Look at Dungeon Keeper Mobile, hardly the most popular game out there (I assume) I think we can all agree that it's Pay to Play model is disgusting but...it has more than 200.000 reviews with an average rating of 4 out of 5 stars. Because that's what the mobile market is largely.
So it doesn't surprise me a bit that ""gamers"" look down on the mobile gaming market and actively hate it, because shit like that is starting to creep into AAA gaming development (see f.e. the crypt in MK X)

 

[TreasureHunterG]

Unless smartphones wind up being a passing fad, it's impossible. Mobile gaming will only improve, and draw in more interest from people who already own the platform.

Hopefully what we start seeing is the good releases are rewarded with nice sales, while the copy and paste knockoffs die off.

Unless the quality from mobile titles improves considerably from currently standards, which I doubt, given many mobile restrictions, it's very unlikely gamers will migrate from dedicated consoles for mobile and developers will start to make games with such appeal for this market.

Posts like this confuse me because the same game archetypes have been popular for ages.

Bejeweled came out in 2001. Candy Crush is hugely successful in 2015.

Farmville came out in 2009. Hay Day is a major hit in 2015.

Travian came out in 2004. Clash of Clans and Game of War are at the top of the charts.

Have the games evolved over time? Sure. Are the platforms different? Yes, they're on mobile devices instead of browsers. The fundamentals are all still there though.

Saying that casual gaming seems transient because of platform and title shift is like saying FPS games are on their way out because Quake isn't on top anymore and people play shooters on consoles.

FPS genre was always popular on both PC and console grounds. That audience never left. Nintendo grab a significant casual crowd for Wii ecosystem thanks to the success of games like Wii Sports, Wii Fit, Wii Play, etc. After the success of mobile and Facebook, that audience left. They tried to appeal to this audience on the Wii U, but they failed to bring them back. That was my point. Casuals holds no loyalty to brand, has no gaming habits and moves on to new waves. Since mobile audience is mostly consisted by casuals, there's possibility a migration similar to the Wii scenario might happen in a near future.

[One thing people forget about the mobile market is that the bubble only bursts when folks stop carrying mobile phones.

Nope. For the exactly same reason people stopped carrying on Atari and Wii. Bad quality of their games and desinterest from their userbase.

 

[More_Badass]

I don't go out of my way to hate mobile games, they just aren't for me.

The types of games that I really like, that truly stick with me just can't or hasn't yet been done justice on mobile. I won't be getting my MGS's, DMC's, Persona's, Elder Scrolls, Dragon Dogma's on mobile.

Then the types of games that can be done well on mobile like 2D RPGs, I just find I would much much rather play them on a handheld than with touch controls.

Check out The Quest. It's an 80-hour plus old school Elder Scrolls-type game

 

[Aroll]

That's what happens when you stop spying on people through their windows.

I know this is meant as a joke, but it doesn't change my point. Kids are playing minecraft all the time on tablets. I see adults rocking it on their phones on the bus. Sure, that doesn't mean they don't do it at home on a computer, but having been to many people's houses (not definitive of anything of course), most of them really only touch their computer to do type up papers and do school work (or, for a more serious pc gamer, to play games). Otherwise? Their gaming for stuff like Minecraft is entirely done on a tablet.

Just saying, it's a viable platform really, and it has been for awhile.

 

[Jarate]

Yup I'll take it further and say that 99 percent of the talking points Against mobile are either ignorance, laziness or ingrained fear and prejudice against the changing landscape. There are a few decent arguments, like battery life or in the case of iOS the infuriating save data nonsense but these never get brought up.

or maybe people just dont like the games that everyone props up

it's like the modern PS+ games argument, sure we get a shit ton of indie games, but those games are usually limited in scope and generally are derivative of other better games. There's been some cool "quirky" gameplay mechanics which make it "unique" but at the same time, there's not a lot to them.

I think the number 1 issue with mobile games is control scheme. #2 is crappy games, and #3 is the lack of quality games. You guys can say that "there's a quality game every week" but is any of that stuff substantial beyond being a good indie puzzle game or a 2 genre mashup.

Puzzle games do shine on mobile devices though, they're probably one of the few genres to really succeed on mobile. Other then that, there's not a lot out there that isn't a port or a quirky indie mashup title.

Unless the quality from mobile titles improves considerably from currently standards, which I doubt, given many mobile restrictions, it's very unlikely gamers will migrate from dedicated consoles for mobile and developers will start to make games with such appeal for this market.



FPS genre was always popular on both PC and console grounds. That audience never left. Nintendo grab a significant casual crowd for Wii ecosystem thanks to the success of games like Wii Sports, Wii Fit, Wii Play, etc. After the success of mobile and Facebook, that audience left. They tried to appeal to this audience on the Wii U, but they failed to bring them back. That was my point. Casuals holds no loyalty to brand, has no gaming habits and moves on to new waves. Since mobile audience is mostly consisted by casuals, there's possibility a migration similar to the Wii scenario might happen in a near future.

this is also another issue with mobile games, the platform is such a crapshoot that the most effective strategy is to release loads of crap games in the off chance of one succeeding.

 

[Outtrigger888]

How to make a mobile game.

Find a popular game, reskin it, upload it to the AppStore.

 

[massoluk]

I don't think mobile games are shit, but I think we really lower the bar for them, seeing mediocre games like Chaos Ring and Infinity Blade hailed as some savior of RPG and Action game on mobiles.

 

[……forgetit]

That ruins the whole point. Just get a 3DS then



That's because 90% of games are mobile games

Different games on different platforms? Come in man you can't play GTA San Andres on a 3DS.

 

[shiftplusone]

Isn't it the same argument though? It's an unideal control scheme. It's just that people got used to it.

I agree with the premise. Touch controls are not a good way to play something like Mario galaxy or call of duty or whatever, just like if you wanted to play counterstrike with a controller everyone would laugh at you(and no one cares that you got "pretty good" at it, either.)

But fps with controllers in mind started coming out and now its acceptable because people got used to it and game designers thought about it more intelligently, just like mobile needs games that understand it's own limitations as well

 

[Zen_Arcade]

Who said that?

No one. I'm asking a question. When we are accessing the value of an entire platform and can point out how many bad things said platform has brought to the industry, if there isn't at least an equal amount of good things that said platform is bringing along with it, then people shouldn't be surprised when a lot of people see that platform as more detrimental to the industry then beneficial.

 

[Nesther]

I miss out on a tons of recommended mobile games, because some how the Swiss Play Store is SEVERELY content restricted. Often I type in recommendations and don't find anything, besides "guides" and stuff like that, which is odd.
So yeah, almost no mobile experience beside the bad stuff I hear about f2p cash cows.
Oh and I tried Godus on my Galaxy S5 and it didn't run.

 

[More_Badass]

I agree with the premise. Touch controls are not a good way to play something like Mario galaxy or call of duty or whatever, just like if you wanted to play counterstrike with a controller everyone would laugh at you(and no one cares that you got "pretty good" at it, either.)

But fps with controllers in mind started coming out and now its acceptable because people got used to it and game designers thought about it more intelligently, just like mobile needs games that understand it's own limitations as well

Subsequently the majority of praised mobile games are ones that do just that. The Room, Device 6, Monument Valley. Or ports that feel effortless to play on touch like FTL and Papers Please

 

[Fuu]

It's amusing that when it comes to mobile games people act like the ratio of good to bad even matters aside from discoverability (which can be overcome easily, especially if you're already posting on gaf to begin with). Who cares if most of it is trash? Most of everything is trash. Just pick what's good.

If 99% of mobile games are garbage and 1% aren't and if an average of 500 games come out on iOS each day, then that means the platform gets approximately 1,825 decent or better games a year.

.

 

[Moon_frogger]

Sorry but the platform is a rampant breeding-ground for pay2win shovelware, and should rightfully be called out.

Meh, blame Facebook. At least mobile has a lot of great games.

 

[Northeastmonk]

My stint in mobile gaming was awesome. But one thing always got in the way. That being the controls. I noticed this issue the most when I got Marvel VS Capcom 2 for iOS. Played a lot on my phone (iPhone 4) and I was having the hardest time trying to control any fighter.
As you can see, its pretty complicated. So I branched out and looked for a way to get my 360 control to work on my phone. Well, that failed, and I continued to look for other options. Then I got this weird thought, "Maybe if I got a Ipad it would be easier!" So I got one thinking bigger screen bigger on screen buttons= easier to control. Welp, I was super wrong. Every time I tired to do something on screen I ether cant see what I'm doing because fingers are in the way, or I miss the input and die. For me (not anyone else) I don't like mobile games because of controls, because the controls are my fat ass fingers and I can't see through them, and I miss them half the time.

From mobile gaming I went to handhelds, I now own a N3ds, 3ds, and Vita. I love them all because they all have buttons. I love buttons. I cant miss things that are always there, and they never move around on me. Woot Buttons!!!!

I want Mobile games to be awesome. But as long as it relies on my fat fingers for inputs its not going to happen for me.

What I do want to see though is Starcraft on my Ipad. I want that soooooooo bad!!!

Yeah and like with MK3 you can go back to default, but it makes it even worse. I thought the same as well or if one of those iOS controllers would work. I got SFxT on there too and I can't say a lot of good about it either. With MvC2 you need to be able to hit multiple buttons one right after the other. I try and do a super move or even a regular move and I'm jumping every single time. With Garou MotW I can't do a few special moves because it's taking me a few seconds to slide them out or they drop. I do better with NRS Batman, Injustice, and WWE Immortals where you're tapping all at once and then swiping. I like those titles, but tapping, tapping, and swiping over and over loses it appeal. They need to change it up.

I went and bought KOF, but I'm just throwing out positional moves or standard P and K randomly because I can't do anything else like it was meant to be done.

I remember there were iOS SFIV Volt tournaments at one point in time. I own the Dojo, but you know I can just stick to what I have. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=olM7JIvhE1I

 

[Porcile]

I've bought a fair few but they drain my phone battery like no tomorrow, and I need that battery in case I get lost or something.

 

[Corto]

The platform makes it prone to certain types of games that to be financially successful need some monetisation strategies that most hate. The in-app-purchases, the chase-the-whale, the pay2win and the ad-subsidised models are what most people hate in this ecosystem. These same models exist on other platforms, but in mobile they are more pervasive, or at least more visible. But then there are, in my opinion, another two very critical problems in mobile gaming, discoverability, and the waves of clones of successful games that suddenly appear trying to eat the scraps that the big hitter leaves in the table. All of these is what makes mobile gaming so unappealing for so many users. But in a ecosystem with such a widespread offer one will find something that pleases him with just a little bit of work.

 

[Mohasus]

I barely play on mobile, but I enjoy it the few times I play.

Bug Princess 2, DJMAX Technica Q and Terra Battle are cool.

 

[KHlover]

The best mobile games are those who are ports of classic games or rip them off without changing too much about the formula.

FF VI and TWEWY are the best mobile games ever.

 

[Occam]

Most of what mobile gaming offers is not an evolution, it's a devolution.
As such, it's pretty painful to observe for long term video game fans how more and more resources get poured into the quest to find the perfect formula for making as much money as possible off casuals, instead of creating good games.

 

[paperboywriter]

I know this is meant as a joke, but it doesn't change my point. Kids are playing minecraft all the time on tablets. I see adults rocking it on their phones on the bus. Sure, that doesn't mean they don't do it at home on a computer, but having been to many people's houses (not definitive of anything of course), most of them really only touch their computer to do type up papers and do school work (or, for a more serious pc gamer, to play games). Otherwise? Their gaming for stuff like Minecraft is entirely done on a tablet.

Just saying, it's a viable platform really, and it has been for awhile.

So whats your point? Are you offended or something