The mobile games industry has reach unlike any other games market, able to get easily accessible titles in front of billions of smartphone owners.
It’s provided the platform for some stellar global IP such as Candy Crush, Clash of Clans/Clash Royale, Angry Birds, Summoners War, Subway Surfers and more.
Indeed, many of these IPs have now branched out of the mobile screen and become films, animations and TV shows, as well as sparking a wave of merchandising opportunities.
Expanding reach
“In the world of media consumption, you’re not limited to just being a game player," Sybo CEO Mathias Nørvig told PocketGamer.biz at the show.
"You also watch animated content, and increasingly we get fans asking ‘can I see Jake (Subway Surfers’ lead character) doing this', or 'could I please have a cap, because I love this game and I play it everyday’. It’s our way of rewarding players.
“I think the same goes for the others. I really love the fact that King is doing something different with their game show and I was very pleasantly surprised when I saw the format. I think Seriously with their Boot Camp is pretty well executed, Clash-A-Rama! is a good example.
“I think all of it is basically reusing more assets to provide more content to fans, because things have already been developed, it has been drawn. It’s then quite easy go that extra mile and add a fun story to it.”
Out of this world
The mobile market's pervasiveness also provides an opportunity for completely unique types of projects you wouldn’t see on other platforms.
Take Space Nation for example, who attended the show at PGC London. The company, which has the involvement of Peter Vesterbacka, wants to use a new mobile app to find members of the public to send into space.
The mobile app itself offers a number of gamified tests to judge who might have what it takes to make the journey. Those who successfully pass the tests will be taken to a real-world location and face much more stringent tests of their physical health and psychological well-being before being offered the chance to become an astronaut.
It’s a completely bizarre premise - turning mobile games players into astronauts without years of training - and it’s a project that is only possible through mobile.
“We founded Space Nation in 2013 because we shared the same beliefs about space and how important it is to humanity, not just the cool aspect to go there, but the benefits are necessary to do that,” Space Nation CEO Kalle Vähä-Jaakkola told PocketGamer.biz.
“We need to go to new frontiers and it shows the best of us and drives us. The moon landing was just a small peak of what is now happening.”