It’s no secret that PC and consoles have overshadowed the world of mobile gaming but, they’re now starting to gain a foothold in the gaming industry. Advancements in technology allow mobile phones to run high-quality games on their own. High-end phones aren’t exactly cheap these days but not having to fork out for an expensive PC set up or console as well certainly makes for big savings. Most of the gaming advancements come hand in hand with the rapid improvements in essential technology. Snake the game, came out 14 years old in 1997. In just 14 short years, we’ve gone from only being able to move a snake in 4 directions on a tiny screen to playing Fortnite. If that doesn’t get you excited for the next 14 years I don’t know what will!
4 ways technology is changing the world of Mobile Gaming.
Better Graphics Processing Units (GPU) – This is exactly what it says on the tin and over the years the increased quality of GPUs has enabled phones to process 2D and 3D graphics. Androids flagship GPU promises a 35% improvement in graphic processing along with 144 frames per second. Advancements are starting to see computer components being added to mobile devices, like Variable Rate Shading (VRS). This is when your device decides which areas of the screen need the most detail and which don’t. In the majority of games, the main focal point will be towards the middle of the screen so VRS will prioritise that area with more detailed shading/detail and not so much towards the edges of the screen. As seen below.
Improved Screen Technology – All the above sounds great but would be lost if you don’t have the screen to back it up. It’s like having a top of the range computer and a low-end monitor, you’re computers potential output is being capped but your display unit. In the gaming world especially consoles you’ll experience 60hz which is essentially 60fps. Recently, Samsung has promised to make 120Hz screens for their S20 range and there are also rumours that Apple will be doing the same for their iPhone 13 Pro. In this day and age there’s more to think about than just high-definition screens, what about those new dual foldable-screen phones? Players can use the top screen as a full view and the bottom as a controller. This makes us wonder what the future of mobile gaming will look like.
Virtual Reality (VR) – It’s not exactly, new to the mobile world but there have certainly been some huge steps forward in recent years. Virtually reality allows for a whole new immersive experience allowing gamers to view the digital world from a first-person perspective. While VR is thought to be massively expensive there are less costly alternatives like Google Cardboard. However, for the more financially equipped and adventurous you can invest in a variety of extras such as censored gloves and hand controllers.
Augmented Reality (AR) – The most popular augmented reality mobile game is by far Pokemon GO. You take on the role of a Pokemon trainer and travel around different locations catching Pokemon and collecting different items in the real-world with digital depictions of Pokemon on your screen. People are still largely confused with the difference between VR and AR. With VR you’re totally immersed in the game, someone could be standing in front of you and you wouldn’t know it. AR uses a digital device to add a virtual presence to the real world essentially “augmenting reality”.
Mobile gaming is not quite the runt of the litter it once was. Now more than ever people are turning to their phones to find a release in gaming and as technology advances we expect this number to keep growing and growing.
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