When you hear about esports tournaments, the first thing that comes to mind is probably Xbox or PlayStation games. While that isn’t necessarily a bad thing, the 2024 Esports World Cup brought a new dimension to these events and showed us that mobile gaming too is the real deal.
With up to 22 games on display, featuring top titles such as Call of Duty, PUBG, Dota 2 and many more, the mobile variants have taken the spotlight. Now, talks centre around the likes of PUBG Mobile and Mobile Legends: Bang Bang. There are a couple of reasons for this sudden popularity, and we’ll discuss them today.
Rising popularity of mobile gaming
In 2011, the mobile gaming market was valued at $8.6 billion. As of 2022, it was valued at $122.6 billion – so we’re talking about a multibillion-dollar industry here. It is projected to be at $163 billion in 2028. These statistics show us that the mobile gaming market is continually growing.
Beyond the figures and projections, we are seeing this growth play out in real time, with events like the Esports World Cup. But really, what is the cause of this unreal growth? How is it able to penetrate the esports sphere so easily? Well, we’ve cracked the code; here’s how:
- Easy accessibility: If you want to get a gaming PC today, you’ll have to spend a lot of money because of the expensive hardware needed if you want to play titles like Frostpunk 2, and the same goes for console gaming. But guess what you need for mobile gaming? That’s right – a mobile phone. With a decent phone, you’ll get a good gaming experience, and this makes it more accessible to those who don’t fancy or can’t afford console or PC gaming.
- Mobile advancement: In the early days of esports, mobiles were not as developed as they are today. Screen resolution was low, the processors were slow and battery life was just not good enough. This made them not very useful for competitive gaming. But today, we have high-resolution gaming, exceptional processors and superb battery life. What more could you ask for?
- Casual gamers have a shot: Console and PC players need a lot of screen time to become good at their craft. Even with that, you need to be in the top 5 to 10% to have a shot at entering esports tournaments. While it is the same for those using mobile, casual gamers also have a chance. Your phone is almost always on you; you can practice any day, anytime from almost anywhere.
- Home for niche titles: Mobile gaming has become a sanctuary for niche gaming, the most notable of these being iGaming. The iGaming industry has attributed its success largely to the rise in mobile gaming, and the number of successful games listed on CasinoSherlock, which is one of the UK’s most used resources for iGaming insights, is a testament to the power and reach of mobile gaming.
Spotlight on mobile gaming at the Esports World Cup
The Esports World Cup was an eye-opener to the prospects and goodness of mobile games. First, we had Mobile Legends: Bang Bang, with a prize pool of $3,000,000, then Free Fire, with a prize pool of $1,000,000. We also saw PUBG Mobile, with a $3,000,000 prize pool. Mobile games with such huge rewards are not something you see every day.
Another thing that stood out was the exceptional structures of these games. They weren’t treated as casual games; we saw proper rounds. For example, Mobile Legend: Bang Bang started with a wildcard stage where eight teams competed for one place. Such a level of competition produces fierce and entertaining gameplay.
Then, with the wild card in place, we saw a group stage of 16 teams drawn into four groups. With two teams qualifying from each group, it went to the playoffs, where eight teams played in a single elimination bracket until there were only two teams standing. PUBG Mobile and Free Fire had very similar formats, and everything being so organized and orderly brought more traction to the event.
Mobile gaming challenges and triumphs
Mobile gaming earning the spotlight at events like the Esports World Cup did not come easy. This niche has faced several challenges that affected its growth; here are some of them:
- Device barrier: Unlike consoles, mobile devices come in different specifications, which means they have different performance levels. Some devices run specific games faster, making it difficult for video game developers to maintain balance.
- Connectivity issues: To play games at the competitive level of the Esports World Cup, you need a very stable internet connection and very low latency. Unfortunately, network stability is not the same everywhere; it means those with more stable connections have an edge. On the bright side, organisers and developers have invested in technologies to ensure fair play.
- Public perception: Not everyone welcomes the idea of mobile gaming; some find it ridiculous and would rather watch PC or console gaming than its mobile counterpart. However, with tournaments like the Esports World Cup, we are seeing improvements in this area.
Triumph
To make its way to the top, mobile gaming has had breakthroughs in several areas like:
- Advancement in mobile technology: Since the inception of mobile esports gaming, technology has not stood still. The advancement in technology has brought better user experience to both gamers and viewers at large.
- Increased sponsor interest: Sponsors are very important for huge events; they provide support and help to gain the trust of people. For the Esports World Cup, we’ve seen the presence of huge sponsors like Asus Rog 8, Pepsi, KitKat, Secretlab and many more. Through them, the news of mobile gaming spreads wider.
- More recognition beyond the nucleus community: Now, beyond the small mobile gaming community, it is getting more recognition from the outside. We see this reflected in the increase in viewership. To accommodate this, the Esports World Cup streamed across multiple platforms such as YouTube, Facebook, VK, TikTok, Twitch and many more. It was also streamed in more than 15 languages.
Looking ahead: the future of mobile gaming in esports
If you ask us, mobile gaming in esports is just starting out. This sector has huge potential for upside growth, and we’ll see it play out right before our eyes. This Esports World Cup was the first of its kind and it enjoyed a good reception. Now, imagine what the next instalment will bring about – we’ll have to wait and see.
