The proliferation of smartphone use has been instrumental in catalyzing the production of versatile hybrid games. These games are defined by integrating several game modes within a single title, whether puzzles, sandbox games, platformers, or augmented reality experiences. In this article, we look at how mobile technology has created a market for the popular hybrid gaming market.
Mobile Technology Spurs Innovation
The rise of mobile technology hasn’t just made gaming accessible to a broader audience. The multifaceted functionality of smartphones has redefined what games can be, with developers able to utilize versatile in-built technologies and leverage social media to create new challenges and rewards. This has resulted in hybrid formats that cross genres and game types.
Many of the most popular mobile games have hybrid foundations. For example, slingo games offer a blend of both online slot and bingo gameplay. Despite being invented nearly 30 years ago, the games have experienced a resurgence through the mobile gaming audience. Like many hybrid games, simple controls and gameplay versatility are keys to its success.
When smartphones first came to market, no one could have predicted the impact they would have on the online gaming space. These handheld devices, which included microphones, cameras, speakers, and touch-screen capabilities, provided versatile features that developers could exploit to create innovative new mobile games. Their widespread market penetration and improving data speeds further propelled the industry, as did the introduction of cloud computing.
The use of gyroscopes in smartphones has rendered the controller a multi-dimensional tool, while GPS has unlocked location-based events. One of the best hybrid game genres to utilize all of these technologies is Augmented Reality (AR) games. Since exploding onto the market with Pokemon GO, AR has given rise to a slew of games that merge exploration adventure titles with battle games.
In the popular Japanese AR game Dragon Quest Walk, players can battle monsters, build a home base, and go on quests based on their locations. Such versatile hybrid gameplay wasn’t possible before the advent of mobile streamlined multiple technologies into one device, and gamers have responded by downloading in record numbers.
Cross-Platform Play
Another driver of hybrid game development on mobile is that developers can offer online communal experiences that function across console, PC, and mobile devices. Games such as Fortnite and Call of Duty: Warzone have bridged the gap by allowing players to play much the same game while swapping between several devices, a feat that has only been possible due to mobiles now having high-resolution displays and powerful graphics processors.
Cloud gaming services also help by offloading processes to remote services rather than on smaller devices, which has helped to advance the capabilities of mobile gaming. Stardew Valley, the popular desktop game, has found success on mobile for this reason, with users able to partake in farm simulation and role-playing activities with improved touch-screen controls.
The mobile gaming revolution has helped to broaden the capabilities of what games can be, with an array of in-built technologies perfect for hybrid game development. As smartphone technology continues to evolve to integrate AR, VR, and AI, the horizons for hybrid game advancement will only broaden.
