Re: Premium Games On Mobile Don't Work

On 19/07/2024 23:43, Spalls Hurgenson wrote:

  On mobile devices - mostly phones, but tablets too* - there's really
two classes of games. There's the free-to-play stuff, which usually is
infested with adverts, spyware, micro transactions, and atrocious
gameplay that in no way resembles the advertising for the game.
 And then there are that much rarer breed: premium games. Usually ports
or adaptations of games on console/PC, they feature much more robust
gameplay, less reliance on MTX, usually no adverts, and come with a
hefty price of entry.
 Also, they don't sell.
 AT least, that's what a recent article** on GameIndustry.biz claims,
partly based on a report the mobile port of "Resident Evil 7" has made
less than $30,000 since it was released on Apple iOS. Honestly, I've
no reason to disbelieve them.
 I've a little less confidence in their explanation for these failures,
however. The author of the article points out that sales are probably
low because mobile gamers are used to free games (so paying is an
alien concept), or that the mobile game market is over-saturated with
products already, or that premium games are usually ports of
PC/console games that people have already bought and played elsewhere,
or that there's probably not a huge overlap between people who like
mobile games and people who like PC/console titles.
 All of which are viable arguments. But it ignores a big reason:
premium games on mobile aren't fun. They demand an entirely different
style of gameplay, and -coupled with the limited interface options on
mobile- the end result is not a rewarding experience. Touch-screen
controls are fine for quick bouts of "Candy-crush" or "Pokemon Go" but
it becomes tiresome controller for more intense games like "Resident
Evil 7". Yes, you can play a game like that on a phone, and no it
doesn't automatically make the game irredeemably terrible... but it
significantly impacts how you play and how much fun you'll have.
 Premium games on mobile are just an inferior experience. Why pay
through the nose for a game you won't enjoy as much? Especially when
there are so many free alternatives that... well, they may be equally
execrable, but at least you've not lightened your wallet
significantly!
 There are good mobile games available that aren't grindy MTX
factories; some even require you to pay up front. But these are rarely
grouped in with 'premium games'. The good ones take into account the
hardware and gaming habits on the mobile platform. Premium games
expect you to use the device like it was a computer or console. Is it
any wonder the latter aren't financially successful?
 There's no indication that we'll see an end to Premium games on
mobile; even if they don't sell well, they serve as marketing
reminding people that these games exist on other platforms. But
honestly, I wouldn't be too upset if they did disappear. They're not
worth playing -much less paying for- anyway.
 What do you think? Is there a market for premium games? Or are
companies just throwing their money out the window selling them?
 

As I presume there are quite a few different reasons I'll go with my own experience. So I have bought a small number of games for the iPad but they are all in the £3 - £10 range and the main factors, well besides being cheap, is that they are games where the UI limitations are not an issue and in a lot of cases the touch controls work better than a PC. The other is that they are games you can play for 20 to 30 minutes so they are quite nice as a time filler when out-and-about.
Premium games don't interest me as, as you pointed out, they don't suit a mobile device nor that short gameplay experience. Indeed, if I wanted to play premium games wouldn't I just by a Steam deck to take with me.
The fact there are so many free games out their does I feel play a role for me but only so much as in if I'm playing as a time filler why pay for an expensive game.
So some of the games I've got, Invisible Inc., 80 Days, Over Board and Steve Jackson's Sorcery.
To answer the overall question, no I don't see them ever having a big market as that means that they have to be a preferred choice over PC's/consoles for a significant number of people.
As a slight aside, one thing that would make me buy more games is if the devs lowered their costs a bit more for the mobile version. So whereas if a game was say £15 on the PC, and I liked it, I'm not going to pay that much to play when I'm out-and-about. Now make it £5 and I'm interested.