Mobile game

A mobile fighting game titled fightality's screenshot.

A mobile game is a video game played on a mobile phone, smartphone, PDA or handheld computer.

Mobile games may be played using the communications technologies present in the device itself, such as by text message (SMS), multimedia message (MMS) or GPRS location identification. More common, however, are games that are downloaded to the mobile phone and played using a set of game technologies on the device.

Mobile games are usually downloaded via the mobile operator's radio network, but in some cases are also loaded into the mobile handsets when purchased, or via infrared connection, Bluetooth or memory card.

Industry Statistics

According to a Gartner Inc report, the global mobile games market is on track to grow 49.9 percent in 2007 to $4.3 billion, and will hit $9.6 billion by 2011. Gartner defined mobile gaming as video games on mobile phones as long as there was some revenue stream—so demos, preloaded and prebundled games were excluded because there is no direct consumer revenue component. Regional differences will play a significant role in adoption rates for mobile gaming, with Gartner noting that even though mobile games are more expensive than other forms of mobile content in emerging markets mobile game is the only form of digital gaming widely available.^[1]

--Mobile gaming revenue in Asia/Pacific and Japan is forecast to surpass $1.8 billion in 2007, and reach $4.6 billion in 2011, reflecting a bigger appetite for mobile gaming.^[2]

--Mobile gaming revenue in Western Europe revenue is forecast to grow from $1.5 billion in 2007 to $2 billion in 2011. In a recent survey 10 percent of W. European respondents said they had used online mobile gaming and downloaded games at least once a month. Most users get the games from the operators portal.^[3]

--Mobile gaming revenue in North America is projected to grow from $716.9 million in 2007 to $1.7 billion in 2011. Gartner attributes this to slower adoption of wireless technologies, and noted that at the end of 2006, data revenue accounted for less than 13 percent of total mobile telecom service revenue—one of the lowest proportions among developed nations.^[4]

Different platforms

Mobile games are developed using platforms and technologies such as Windows Mobile, Palm OS, Symbian OS, Macromedia's Flash Lite, DoCoMo's DoJa, Sun's J2ME (Java 2 Micro Edition, recently rebranded simply "Java ME"), Qualcomm's BREW (Binary Runtime Environment for Wireless), WIPI or Infusio's ExEn (Execution Environment). Other platforms are also available, but not as common.

Java was initially the most common platform for mobile games, however its performance limitations have led to the adoption of various native binary formats for more sophisticated games.

Common limitations of mobile games

Mobile games tend to be small in scope and often rely on good gameplay over flashy graphics, due to the lack of processing power of the client devices. One major problem for developers and publishers of mobile games is describing a game in such detail that it gives the customer enough information to make a purchasing decision. Currently, Mobile Games are mainly sold through Network Carriers / Operators portals and this means there are only a few lines of text and perhaps a screenshot of the game to excite the customer. Two strategies are followed by developers and publishers to combat this lack of purchasing information, firstly there is a reliance on powerful brands and licences that impart a suggestion of quality to the game such as Tomb Raider or Colin McRae and secondly there is the use of well known and established play patterns (game play mechanics that are instantly recognisable) such as Tetris, Space Invaders or Poker. Both these strategies are used to decrease the perceived level of risk that the customer feels when choosing a game to download from the carrier’s deck.

Recent innovations in mobile games include Singleplayer, Multiplayer and 3D graphics. Virtual love games belong to both of singleplayer and multiplayer games. Multiplayer games are quickly finding an audience, as developers take advantage of the ability to play against other people, a natural extension of the mobile phone’s connectivity. With the recent internet gambling boom various companies are taking advantage of the mobile market to attract customers, Ongame the founders of PokerRoom developed in 2005 a a working mobile version of its poker software available in both play money and real money. The player can play the game in a singleplayer or multiplayer mode for real or play money.

Mobile games on i-mode

Since the start of i-Mode in February 1999, the global development of mobile games has been pioneered and is driven by i-Mode games. DoCoMo was the first carrier globally to introduce Java to mobile phones and for games on mobile phones. Japan also was the first country to introduce color screens and 3D graphics for mobile phones, which are necessary for expansion of the mobile game market beyond very simple games. i-Mode allows to overcome many of the limitations mentioned above.

Location-based games

Games played on a mobile device using localization technology like GPS are called location-based games. These are not only played on mobile hardware but also integrate the player's position into the game concept. In other words: while it does not matter for a normal mobile game where exactly you are (play them anywhere at anytime), the player's coordinate and movement are main elements in a Location-based game. The most well-known example is the treasure hunt game Geocaching which can be played on any mobile device with integrated or external GPS receiver. External GPS receivers are usually connected via Bluetooth. More and more mobile phones with integrated GPS are expected to come.

Besides Geocaching, there exist several other location-based games which are rather in the stage of research prototypes than a commercial success.

Multiplayer Mobile Games

A Multiplayer mobile game is often a re-branding of a multiplayer games for the PC or Console. Most mobile games are single player mobile games perhaps with artificially intelligent opponents. Multiplayer functionaility is achieved through:

Infrared Connectivity

Most recent mobile phones have infrared connectivity for data sharing with other phones or PCs. This connectivity is not really good for gaming because of its line of connectiviy should not be disturbed.

Bluetooth multiplayer games

Mobiles are connected through a wireless protocol called Bluetooth using special hardware. The games are designed to communicate with each other through this protocol to share game information. The basic restriction is that both the users have to be within a limited distance to get connected. In this type of connection the game mode can only be one to one or two players more like a peer to peer connection between two PCs.

GPRS multiplayer game

A GPRS connection which is common among GSM mobile phones can be used to share the data globally. Developers can connect a mass number of mobile games with a single server and share data among the players. Some developers have achieved cross platform games, allowing a mobile player to play against a PC. GPRS best supports turn based games and small RPG games. (Most of the counties have a weak GPRS speed in their carriers. In these types of games, the game communicates with a global server which acts like a router between the mobile phones.

It is important to note there have been efforts in real time multiplayer games as well, such as Ego, Mobile Battles: Reign of Swords, Scrabble mobile, Bejeweled 2 and Tourality.

3G and WiFi

3G and WiFi are just emerging in most of the countries, and has a good speed which is good for gaming. WiFi connectivity can only be used for an intra-networked multiplayer game.

References

External Links

Mobile Game Reviews

[1] Gartner Inc

[2] Gartner Inc

[3] Gartner Inc

[4] Gartner Inc

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