By the end of 2012 we were starting to see the impact gaming apps have had on the more market value of traditional gaming platforms such as the Xbox. It’s not that the sales of such platforms has dropped dramatically, it’s really about the ease of use and the expectations of their consumers.
In the past 12 months there has been a sudden increase in cross platform gaming, that we can play anywhere at any time. It is just this ease of use that has turned the mobile gaming industry into the multibillion dollar industry we see today! The original gaming apps were only really played on computers and the odd mobile phone, but now we can literally play our downloads on our phones, tablets, computers and TV’s; there is no reason that we can’t enjoy our games from any location!
With this in mind, it is interesting to note that online poker alone, is estimated to be worth between $6-$8 billion, and with such a large amount of apps available this revenue mix is bound to rise in 2013.
Along with the above, the increase in mobile gaming has had a knock on effect within the boxed games industry. Many of the big names such as Nintendo are now working on mobile games, that will be available to download on your consoles. When Nintendo launched “Animal Crossing: New Leaf” last year for smart phones, so this is bound to be a reflection of where gaming will end up.
With this in mind, here are my predictions for the mobile gaming industry in 2013.
Casino Apps and Mobile gambling sites
As previously mentioned, mobile casino apps have embedded themselves within the gaming industry and look set to hold some of the top spots in 2013. There are such a diverse amount of apps available that you can have one specially tailored to your device, choose one where you play for real money or download casino tutorials where you can learn to play poker like the pros.
Of course, from this increase in casino apps, I predict that we will see a dramatic increase in the amount of online casinos that are now turning to apps that will run alongside there more traditional casinos. This is a great use of advertising your company through apps and many have now integrated the two platforms so that members who use the online version can also use the app whilst they are on the go. A great example of this is Intertopscasino.com, who have created and launched an app that runs alongside their established casino. It is this transition from casino to app that has been part of the massive revenue games like poker have created.
2013 is also set to see a rise in the amount of apps that require investment from the players in the forms of bets etc, that will allow the apps to bring in revenue and then continue to create a broader range of games that are available. This will complete the mobile casino world as their consumers will be able to access all the features of a traditional casino website.
The rise of “Angry Birds” style games and memorabilia
Another big player in the download stakes this year will be, of course, Angry Birds. Since 2011 the Angry Birds apps have become a staple for anyone with ten minutes to kill and I predict that the franchise will continue to grow in 2013.
It is also becoming clearer that many companies such as EA Games, are looking to develop similar themed games so that they can grow their franchises to include books and boxed computer games.
Within weeks of the original Angry Birds app being launched, it was easy to see that this was going to be a new phenomenon in the gaming world; much like casino apps, this shift in game play styles would then branch out across the internet. Since the launch of the original game, you can now purchase over 10 different books based on the app and ever cuddly toys.
Rovio, the developers of Angry Birds and launching 2 new apps this year, Angry Birds in Space and Amazing Alex. It is from these two games that I believe we will see clearly how these games affect not only the app world but also popular culture in general.
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