Mobile gaming is fundamentally different from PC and console experiences in ways that make it, for many of us, the preferable option. The differences from this system can introduce complications, however, which make it difficult for the humble handheld type of gaming to offer the experiences of other platforms. This natural disparity introduces a couple of important questions: why do PC and console gaming often not match up, and where can this gap be addressed in the future?
Exploring the Divide
There are two primary reasons why mobile gaming sits apart from many console and PC titles. The first is hardware power, and the second is control input. The difference in hardware power reflects the smaller size and battery capacity of mobile devices. Tablets and phones don’t have the interior hardware space that consoles and PCs do, which limits the cooling they’re capable of and can hold back performance. A lack of direct power also means that battery life needs to be taken into account, which again restricts performance.
The touch controls then introduce challenges through a lack of tactile feedback. At high levels of play, fast controls are often required. Performing well at high speeds can be easier when players can feel exactly what they’re doing through individual buttons pressed, passing certain thresholds. Touchscreen controls on mobile devices don’t offer the same level of feedback, making precision in fast-paced games that much more difficult.
An Increasingly Open Future
Given these challenges, it might seem like the gap between mobiles and traditional gaming platforms is unbridgeable, but this isn’t necessarily the case.
Thanks to the ever-evolving power of hardware systems and third-party solutions, the connection between the two sides of gaming is always shrinking and will continue to do so in the years to come.
Hardware power is facilitated by how rapidly mobile processors have evolved on the smartphone and tablet front. Modern smartphones like the iPhone 15 are so powerful that they can outperform Nintendo’s Switch, receiving huge AAA titles like the modern Resident Evil 4 remake. These don’t run as well as they do on PCs or the newer consoles, of course, but they raise an interesting point about reach and grasp.
The best illustration of this concept comes not from video games but from the landscape of online casino gaming. Casino no deposit bonus services like BetMGM Casino and Borgata Casino have already overcome these challenges. These casinos find their way today by offering special features like free spins, and they’re available equally well on mobiles and PCs. As mobiles have continued to improve, they have reached a point where perfect parity has been accomplished across all platforms. This will increasingly become the case in video gaming, too, especially in eSports, where game demands are lower than other titles.
Concerns about controls are even easier to address with Bluetooth-controlled devices. Whether using a keyboard/mouse setup or a connected controller, these simple and often cheap additions can eliminate the control differences, putting mobile players on the same playing level as other platforms. Mobile USB-C to monitor connections can even increase the screen size to aid visibility and spatial perception.
Mobiles are always going to be different from the traditional options in that they offer far better potential for convenient access and play. In the areas where they once fell behind, they’re closing the gap and offering, in some cases, near-perfect solutions. While we don’t expect them to ever usurp the PC and console space entirely, don’t be surprised if you see mobiles increasingly included in the serious mainstream multiplatform gaming conversation going forward.