Top Trends in Mobile Applications and Gaming Tech

Mobile technology has changed our world in many ways.

And in few places is this more obvious than in the world of gaming. Mobile applications and mobile games have merged to become one of the most popular entertainment features on smartphones.

The mobile gaming industry returned a revenue of $77.2 billion last year, making it one of the highest performing industries in the world. And there’s nothing to suggest that it’s going to stop anytime soon. It’s a safe bet that 2021 will be another hot year for mobile games.

So let’s take a look at some of the top trends in mobile gaming that we can expect in the years ahead.

1. Virtual and Augmented Reality

Mobile applications that take advantage of supplemented reality are the next big thing.

And you can expect that this will affect mobile games and app development. Virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) are ways of immersing the user in totally contrived or supplemented worlds and landscapes.

Do you remember the Pokémon Go craze of 2016? This was just the beginning of using mobile technology to integrate a fantasy game with the real world.

Now there’s a whole slew of sophisticated VR mobile games in iOS development and as android apps.

2. Artificial Intelligence

These days, you can’t go anywhere without hearing about artificial intelligence (AI).

And now it’s even invading the sphere of mobile gaming. Game developers can leverage the technology to analyze the preferences and behaviors of players. With AI, games can customize their actions to the experiences of each individual player.

AI tech can also change and improve the dynamism of mobile gameplay, by tailoring itself to each player’s skills and experience. As mobile games grow in popularity, expect AI to become fully integrated in the years to come.

3. Expanded Payment Options

Another development to look out for in mobile applications are expanded paying options.

A major aspect of the revenue stream for the mobile gaming industry is in-app purchases. Making that process work smoothly, however, can be a bit tricky. To some extent, AI can help, by using algorithms to target players with purchase options at ideal times.

Another way to alleviate the hassle of paying for mobile games includes direct carrier billing, which streamlines app store payments.

4. Playable Ads

Playable ads are another trend in gaming tech that’s likely to take off in the coming years.

Immersive advertising of this sort, which allows consumers to play a game before downloading it, is becoming a major marketing tactic. It lets players get the feel of a game in ways they wouldn’t otherwise be able to do. Expect this trend to increase in 2021 and beyond.

5. Larger Market

Finally, we can expect the biggest trend in mobile games to be the growth of the target market.

Just about everyone has a smartphone these days, and that means billions of people with access to mobile game consoles. No new or special equipment or consoles are needed.

And the target demographic isn’t just children and teenagers anymore—anyone with a phone is a potential customer.

Mobile Applications and Gaming Tech

The growth in mobile applications and mobile games in recent years has been extraordinary. And that growth is already revolutionizing the gaming industry.

We’ve listed just a few of the trends that are likely to shape mobile gaming in the coming years. But you can bet there’ll be surprises in store for all of us.

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