Mobile titles are a cornerstone of the gaming world. Competitive gaming might take the limelight, especially as major eSports tournaments and events come around, but in reality, there are more casual gamers in the world than hardcore competitors.
In fact, mobile gaming might become an important sector in eSports. Mobile games tend to be more accessible for players in terms of money, ease of use, and portability. That low entry point has led to fast-growing leagues and tournaments for games like PUBG: Mobile and Garena Free Fire, for example.
Despite the added interest in competitive mobile games, the mobile world’s focus remains on easy-to-learn and relaxing titles. For example, virtual casinos perform well in the mobile sector because they provide casual games. Leading brands like PokerStars Casino offer all of their table games, card games, and even live dealer titles for mobile players.
But you might notice a few similarities—regardless of the mobile titles you prefer. Whether preparing for a battle royale like PUBG or a session of blackjack, mobile gamers are going to be on the lookout for a few similar features. Despite the vast differences between mobile game types like FPSs and casino games, the overall experience must be seamless and intuitive for players to want more.
Here are the features necessary for all mobile games.
Leaderboards
Even the most casual games include some sort of measurable challenge, whether an interior design simulator or a match-three bubble popper. In fact, leaderboards might be more important in the hyper-casual space, as they give players a tangible goal or measuring point.
In the realm of more competitive games, leaderboards serve a more obvious purpose. But, once again, they’re an important feature for all gamers—even if casual players are just curious about how highly others score.
Social Chats & Friendship Features
For both casual and competitive mobile games, social chats and ‘friendship’ features are important. These add social depth to gaming, creating bonding experiences for players who may or may not know one another in real life.
They might even serve as a way for friends to keep in contact. Word puzzles, from Wordle to Words With Friends, have baked those social features into the overall gaming experience. Many who enjoy the game are partly there to engage with friends, even in a hyper-casual way.
For casual gamers, social chats and friendship features simply add a bit more texture to the game. They might also serve as a way to transfer points, skins, or other in-game assets. For competitive players, chats serve a more practical function, allowing teammates to stay in contact as they play.
Progressive Stats & Rewards Systems
These features are similar to leaderboards but are designed to have a greater personal meaning for each player. In other words, rather than see how they measure up to regional players, they can benchmark their own progress—and, ideally, attain and unlock new rewards for doing so.
At their most basic, these features are designed to encourage players to keep at the game. Once again, this is more important for the casual gaming experience, as improving stats and unlocking awards is one of the most meaningful ways to ‘progress’ in a casual game.
For competitive mobile gamers, on the other hand, progressive stats and rewards systems are usually necessary to advance. In other words, players want to constantly improve their game so they can become more competitive, unlock new levels, and take on new bosses.
Accessible Support
Lastly, one of the most necessary features for mobile gamers is quality support and channels to access help. As we’ve outlined in this article, there are dozens of very distinct mobile game genres—from FPS titles to casino games to word puzzles. In each category, gaming mechanics differ, which means players might need a bit of guidance on how to leverage the app fully.
Mobile games should offer some type of support feature, whether a help page with FAQs, a more direct chat function, or a forum where players can post their questions.
