It’s the beginning of 2023, and it’s a good time to start thinking about what’s in store for this year. But the real excitement is about where we’re going. According to projections, the mobile gaming business will be worth $272 billion by 20301.
Mobile leads the game business, where others will eventually follow, with its majority market share and an experimental approach pushed by cheaper development costs compared to other platforms. According to Data.ai and IDC, mobile gaming is fast outgrowing the gaming sector overall, accounting for 61% of the total market share last year.
According to projections, the global smartphone user base will reach 4.3 billion by 2023, dramatically increasing the proportion of app downloads. In this post, we will look at the mobile gaming trends that will be prominent in 2023. But first, let’s take a look at the situation of the mobile gaming market as of 2022, as reported by Games Industry:
- Mobile games accounted for 50% of the overall market volume.
- Subway Surfers, Garena Free Fire, Stumble Guys, Ludo King, and Roblox were the most popular smartphone games.
- Honor of Kings, PUBG Mobile, and Genshin Impact were the most popular real-money games among players.
China spends the most on mobile gaming, with $42.4 billion spent annually. The United States contributed $42.02 billion, Japan contributed $13.1 billion, South Korea contributed $5.28 billion, and Germany contributed $2.47 billion.
So, let’s have a look at the top ten new and developing trends that will control the mobile gaming market in the coming year and beyond.
What Mobile Games Can We Expect in 2023?
The mobile market has been the most profitable in the gaming business for several years in a row. 2023 is projected to be just as fruitful in terms of new items. Let’s see which mobile games players are most excited about in 2023.
The Top 10 Essential Mobile Gaming Trends In 2023
Now, let’s look at the important mobile gaming trends to look out for in 2023.
1) Metaverse
While the discussion over what the metaverse is (and isn’t) rages on, there is growing interest and activity as firms compete for position and publicity. And for good reason: Roblox and Fortnite are two of the prominent proto-metaverses that are gaining traction.
Because the metaverse is still in its infancy, it has not had the instant impact that many would have imagined. As technology progresses and new features emerge, it is nearly guaranteed that the mobile gaming business as we know it will change.
2) Generative AI
Generative AI helps game creators create unique game universes and intricate characters that mirror human behavior as gaming grows more immersive and realistic. Game creators may study player behaviors in the game, forecast market requirements, and minimize the time required for mundane chores by leveraging big data and machine learning. As a consequence, they can design more compelling mobile game experiences.
- According to the Financial Times, over $2 billion has been invested in Generative AI, a 425% increase since 2020.13
- Nvidia unveiled Magic3D, an AI model capable of generating 3D models from text descriptions.
3) The Decline of Hyper-Casual Games
According to CyberMedia Research, the number of dedicated smartphone gamers in Western Europe will have climbed by 27% by September 2022. According to the same survey, the number of super casual players declined by 32% within the same period.
According to Game Refinery, the top 200 highest-grossing mobile games in the United States in July 2022 contained 9 mid-core titles and just three casual games. The primary causes for such a transition might be increased attention from big publishers and advancements in mobile technology specs.
4) PC Quality on Mobile
Smartphone hardware capabilities have risen substantially in recent years. As a result, we are seeing an increasing number of AAA-quality mobile games. This is what the athletes are hoping for.
There is a need for mobile apps that can simulate both PC and console gaming experiences. Players demand high-quality visuals and complicated games with expansive universes across all platforms. As a result, the developers will have to raise their production standards, which may put them under a lot of strain.
5) Play-to-own
Play-to-earn was one of the first blockchain use cases, financially rewarding players for their time commitment. Due to a lack of quality material, this has since gone out of favor and has been replaced with play-and-earn or play-to-own.
Significantly, play-to-own will benefit from the emergence of an increasing number of metaverses – or metaverse-like products – where asset ownership will become increasingly important as the sector matures.
6) Multiplatform releases
It only makes sense to create a game that can be released elsewhere, especially since Xbox’s Phil Spencer has publicly lamented the brand’s lack of presence in the mobile industry.
Many PC and console games, as seen by the list of the most anticipated titles above, tend to go mobile and release versions for several platforms at the same time. MiHoYo, for example, launched Genshin Impact for PlayStation, PC, iOS, and Android, earning $3 billion on mobile alone.
7) Blockchain Gaming
Blockchain or play-to-earn games are already available in browsers, and some are even available on mobile devices. In this style of game, players own in-game things, characters, and even land, as opposed to standard free games, where those stuff must be purchased. Game tokens or NFTs are awarded to players. Token holders may also influence the platform management system by voting on certain ideas.
8) Subscription-based revenue generation
The worldwide subscription-based gaming business is expected to grow rapidly. According to Grand View Research (GVR), the market was worth USD 8.25 billion in 2021 and is predicted to increase at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 12.8% from 2022 to 2030.
The research agency also predicts that the smartphone category will have the greatest CAGR (16.8) between 2023 and 2030. In 2030, the overall revenue for the subscription market will be $24.1 billion.
9) New Mobile Gaming Markets
In a year when the gaming industry as a whole shrank, just two areas saw year-on-year revenue gain in 2022.
Latin America increased by 3.4% year on year to $8.4 billion, while Africa and the Middle East increased by 6.6% to $6.8 billion
As the government-funded Savvy Gaming Group continues to invest its intended $38 billion fund in gaming companies, Saudi Arabia is poised to become a more important player in the games industry.
10) Social Gaming
During the pandemic, the social component of smartphone games grew even more popular. It is still increasing user engagement and retention today. Mobile multiplayer games have progressed and are complex, which is why they are so popular.
However, creating a high-quality multiplayer game with significant social components is difficult. The major goal is to provide consistent gameplay and connect gamers with comparable abilities.
Conclusion
The number of smartphone users and mobile game players is continuously increasing, as is the mobile gaming business. In this guide, we discussed what to expect in 2023 and how to develop your mobile app in light of these trends. We also explored the top 10 Essential Mobile Gaming Trends In 2023. Best wishes!
Waqas Mushtaq is the founder of Tech Orage which is a prominent digital marketing agency based in Pakistan Since 2010.
He is a professional Freelancer who has completed successfully 400+ projects of website development & Digital Marketing (SEO – Google First Page Rankings).
