Mobile Gaming: The True Future of Esports? - Upcomer
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Mobile Gaming: The True Future of Esports?

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The realm of competitive gaming has only expanded in recent years. Mobile gaming is hardly a new concept. However, competitive mobile gaming is really just beginning to catch wind beneath its wings. In recent years, mobile gaming has taken a larger bite out of the video game market than its console and PC counterparts. Billion-dollar game publishers are investing big money into mobile gaming. So, it’s only natural that the world of esports also becomes active on these mobile platforms.

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Titles such as Clash Royale, Vainglory, and Heroes of the Storm are able to sate MOBA players’ needs. Also, battle royale fans have taken the fight on the go with the releases of Player Unknown’s Battlegrounds Mobile and Fortnite Mobile.

Just this past weekend, Mobile Masters, an event endorsed by Amazon, took place in Seattle, Washington. This mobile esports tournament brought players from all over to compete for a $100,000 prize pool. Power Rangers: Legacy Wars, Survival Arena, World of Tanks Blitz, and Critical Ops were the titles featured at the competition. These titles each offered different genres of play including the fighting, tower defense, and shooter genres.

New mobile gaming hubs such as Skillz are giving players the space they need for a competitive mobile scene. These hubs are able to put players through matchmaking directly, or indirectly by ranking their scores. Skillz quickly became a mobile esports industry leader as it helped create this new space in competitive gaming. With the success of Skillz, Microsoft and Amazon are also moving to provide services similar to Skillz. This shows that there is no shortage of competition in the mobile gaming scene.

Broadening the Mobile Gaming Esports Player Base

Alexander Mistakidis, the co-founder of competitive mobile game studio Gamelynx, had an interview with Forbes. He revealed his studio is creating a new title directed at hardcore gamers on mobile devices. According to Mistakidis, competitive gaming has limited its own reach by distancing itself with casual players. He compared the situation to traditional sports. Casual fans are able to enjoy watching games without having to understand every detail of the game. However, this is something esports has not been able to embrace yet.

The mission of Gamelynx is to offer this fanbase a place in hardcore competitive gaming. Mobile gaming is the medium that Mistakidis thinks will bridge the divide. Accessibility is the key to unlocking the potential of esports, according to Mistakidis. Complex games also create barriers that limit game viewership. In his experience, Mistakidis found that there has to be a balance to the depth of a game. This is to make sure you can appeal to any player, casual or hardcore.

The mobile esports market has experienced massive growth in the last year. With developers like Mistakidis bringing new ideas to the forefront, the mobile scene will only grow. Do you think mobile gaming can become the future of esports? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.

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