The global gaming market is on course to be worth over $115 billion by the end of the year and with over $50 million of this coming from the mobile gaming industry, it’s fair to say that it represents one of the fastest-growing sectors in the gaming landscape.
When you consider that, in recent years, there has been a significant improvement in the quality of mobile phone graphics, faster processing speeds and an increase in the average size of the mobile phone screen, it’s clear to see why more and more people are choosing to game on the go via their mobile devices.
With the recent developments on Apple’s latest batch of iPhones (the XR, XS and XS Max) once again grabbing all of the headlines, do they have the capabilities to change the mobile gaming industry forever?
Devices For The More Serious Gamer?
There are a number of different ways that users play games on their smartphones and this often correlates to the reasons why they’re playing in the first place.
Casual gamers may seek flash and html5 based games, for example, which are easily accessible through gaming websites – as fun as they are, games of this nature such as Agar.io and Canabalt are quite aesthetically basic for the most part and can be played on many of the lower-end smartphones. However, when it comes to more serious gaming, the latest flagship Apple devices appear to have all bases covered.
For one, the “super retina” display of the iPhone XS can reach a brightness level of 611 nits which is 7 points higher than the Samsung Galaxy Note 9’s total of 604 and the benefits of a brighter screen are obvious to the more serious gamer.
As can be seen on this Betway page, CS.GO, Dota 2, and Rainbow Six are among the most popular eSports games and these are all titles where every little detail counts, and being able to see someone before they spot you, for example, is integral to coming out on top.
In addition to this, users of the iPhone XS can also turn on a feature known as stereo winding which allows you to hear audio as if it’s happening around you – this is the equivalent of a gaming headset for a smartphone which is the sort of competitive edge that players long for when playing competitively.
New Processing Chip – New Opportunities
During the recent Apple keynote speech, it was revealed that the latest flagship iPhones have been designed with half an eye on high-end gaming. Marketing chief Phil Schiller went on to explain that this will be possible thanks to the A12 Bionic chip which in his words is the “smartest and most powerful ever chip in a smartphone.”
To show off this new-found processing power, Bethesda’s Todd Howard demonstrated just how well the iPhone XS and XS Max handled the upcoming mobile-only game “Blades”, which is the latest installment in “The Elder Scroll” series which boasts titles such as Skyrim and Oblivion.
After watching the live gameplay, the improvements were there for all to see – the audio and visual quality wouldn’t have looked out of place on next-generation consoles such as the Xbox One X, the latest effort from Microsoft, which is quite possibly the most powerful console on the current market. Thanks to the iPhone’s new processor, the gameplay appeared to be incredibly responsive and users will be able to download the game on the app store for various different devices.
Can The iPhone Now Compete With Next Generation Consoles In The Gaming Arena?
With 5.8 and 6.1 inch screens respectively, the iPhone XS and XR have some of the most competitively sized displays on the market and this certainly helps when it comes to mobile gaming. However, many gamers argue that one of the main hang-ups with regards to gaming on your smartphone is that it often pales in comparison to playing on a console with a top-of-the-range television.
Nevertheless, what you may lose visually you make up for the inconvenience and unless you want to attempt to carry around a tablet in your jeans pocket then this is always like to be the case; well, until we get a bit further down the line with virtual reality that is. In the current climate, the new iPhones represent the perfect chance to start your mobile gaming adventure and, while they may come across as pricey, you must remember that you’re essentially paying for a mini supercomputer as opposed to a phone.
