Special Column – Executive Viewpoint
‘Executive Viewpoint’ features exclusive insights from industry leaders shaping the future of mobile games. Have a perspective to share? We invite experts to contribute. Reach out to us at editor@gamingonphone.com.
With 3 billion players worldwide and a staggering 55% share of the global market, mobile gaming has the biggest presence in the gaming industry. However, you would not think that if you only looked at the industry through how it’s discussed.
Despite mobile’s dominance, its games are rarely talked about in serious industry discourse, unless it’s to look down on them.
Mobile’s Market Dominance vs. Cultural Stigma
For too long, the industry has maintained a hierarchy that places console and PC at the top while pushing mobile down below. And it is not healthy for the industry to do so.
For developers, journalists and the traditional gaming community, it might not seem like there is a reason to think about mobile, especially if they don’t make any games for, or play any games on the platform. This is a mistake.
Mobile remains the most accessible entry point for consumers, and many developers launched their careers there due to the low barrier to entry.
It serves as a vital gateway for new players and helps bring traditional IP to a global audience. But if we don’t treat mobile like it’s an equal platform to the others, then it won’t see any of the support it needs.
By marginalizing mobile gaming, the industry fosters a reputation of ‘lesser than,’ which actively repels new talent, discourages investors and stifles innovation.
Upcoming talent that could flourish on mobile and get a foot into the industry gets held back. And mobile won’t be going anywhere. Instead, its reputation will get worse as the loud minority of predatory mobile games continues to hold all the negative attention. This isn’t good for anyone, especially those who view gaming as something to be celebrated.
A Call to Action for Media and Developers
To support mobile games effectively, the industry must first confront the stigma that plagues the platform: the perception that mobile is synonymous with low quality and predatory monetization.
While it is true that such practices exist, using them to dismiss an entire platform is a double standard, as similar mechanics have been added to AAA console and PC releases in the last decade.
The industry occasionally makes steps towards this when it champions mobile-first games like Monument Valley, but it could do this more often if it only looked a little deeper into the mobile games released year-on-year. By shining a spotlight on quality, we can reshape the narrative, proving that the device in a player’s pocket is capable of hosting meaningful, high-design experiences.
Fixing the reputation of mobile is not something that the traditional gaming industry needs to do on its own either, those who work in mobile also have a responsibility to show that this platform is one that players and decision makers should be watching.
It is because so many mobile developers have leant into making predatory or ad-ridden games that it gained the reputation it has. Premium, one-time-purchase games are viewed as ‘unprofitable,’ while free-to-start games are reflexively labeled as ‘predatory’ before their mechanics are even understood.
Supporting mobile requires a shift in how we discuss innovation. When media, investors, and developers ignore mobile, they send a signal that this is not a space for ambition. This becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy, restricting funding and discouraging talent from entering the mobile space.
To break this cycle, coverage and conversation must focus on game design rather than hardware specifications. A strategy game should be judged on its strategic depth, and an RPG on its storytelling, regardless of whether it is played with a controller or a touchscreen.
Bridging the Gap Between Platforms
Ultimately, players prioritize playability and fun over platform hierarchies. The industry’s reluctance to fully embrace mobile disconnects it from the majority of its consumers.
By treating mobile as an equal partner in the gaming ecosystem, one worthy of the same critical analysis, investment, and respect as traditional platforms, we validate the work of mobile developers and open the door to a more inclusive, innovative, and financially robust future for gaming as a whole.
It is time to value creativity wherever it lives and finally bridge the divide between traditional gaming and mobile, the world’s most popular platform.
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