Right before Dr DisRespect got kicked out of E3 2019 for streaming in the men’s bathroom, he could be seen roaming around the convention floor loudly announcing “Mobile gamers aren’t real gamers.” It was a ridiculous take back then, much in line with Doc’s toxic gamer persona, but nowadays, it would be downright laughable. Mobile still gets a bad rap, deservedly, for the vast number of predatory, microtransaction-filled garbage that clogs up the app store.
I’ve spent plenty of time this year criticizing mobile game trash, from Disney Mirrorverse’s gachapon trap to Pokemon Unite’s many, many, many failings, but today I’d like to take a step back, shrug off the cynicism, and look at the bigger picture. Despite all of the scams and money pits out there, mobile actually made huge strides towards legitimacy this year. If you’re not playing on your phone at this point, you’re missing out on a huge part of what gaming has to offer.
The best place to start is probably Marvel Snap, which has become the poster child for the new era of mobile gaming we’re in. While every other mobile collectible card game from Hearthstone to Teppen asks you to invest a fortune into booster packs, Marvel Snap eliminates packs altogether. Not only is Snap a reinvention of the CCG, but it’s also reinventing the way mobile games monetize. It’s still figuring out how that new model works, and it’s currently getting some deserved flak for the pricing of its new holiday bundle, but no one who has played Marvel Snap could accuse it of being predatory, pay-to-win, or any of the other common complaints made towards mobile card games. Marvel Snap isn’t just a fantastic mobile game, it’s a sign of changing times.
Another sign that there’s a big shift happening in mobile is Netflix Games, which launched with a pretty lackluster library last year, but has grown significantly throughout 2022 and now offers some of a selection of some of the most celebrated indie games of all time. Into The Breach: Advanced Edition launched on Netflix Games earlier this year, and it was soon followed by Oxenfree, Kentucky Route Zero, Immortality, Spiritfarer, and Before Your Eyes. And while these are all mobile ports of console and PC games, they’ve all been adapted to mobile exceptionally well. In fact, I consider the mobile version of Into the Breach to be the definitive version. Expect to see more multiplatform game launches to include mobile in the future, thanks to Netflix Games.
Other mobile services have seen impressive growth as well in 2022. Google Play Pass is adding dozens of games every month, while Game Pass has continued to add new titles and touch screen support for its games. Just this week, Riot Games’ kicked off its Microsoft partnership by bringing mobile titles Legend of Runeterra and Wild Rift to Game Pass for PC, further blurring the line between what is and isn’t a mobile game.
Pokemon TCG Live finally launched on mobile this year, marking the first time ever you can play the Pokemon trading card game on a phone. The app has its flaws, but it’s yet another example of mobile games rejecting traditional monetization methods. Everything in TCG Live, from the battle pass to the cosmetic rewards, can be, and in fact must be, earned through playing the game. Other than importing code cards from physical packs, there’s no way to spend money on the app itself.
Mobile has always been my preferred platform for card games, but this year I found myself opting for mobile versions of lots of other games too. Vampire Survivors is the perfect game to kill a few minutes while waiting in line or sitting on the bus, and unlike most mobile games, it doesn’t require data. I played all of the aforementioned Netflix games on mobile, but I also played RPGs like Battle Chasers and Titan Quest, action games like Dead Cells and Castlevania: Symphony of the Night, and puzzle games like Professor Layton.
I got huge into Pokemon Go again this year, dabbled in Apex Legends Mobile, and despite my misgivings, reached Master rank in Pokemon Unite three seasons in a row. I played more mobile games than PS5 and Switch games combined, and I found myself checking for mobile versions more often when new games came out. A year from now, don’t be surprised to find critical hits like Citizen Sleeper and The Case of the Golden Idol on mobile. And hopefully, new games will start releasing day-and-date on mobile as well.
Decades of predatory practices has earned mobile a bad reputation, and this year added plenty more garbage to the heap too. But we shouldn’t let games like Diablo Immortal shape the entire conversation around mobile. In truth it has evolved to become a legitimate platform for gaming that deserves our attention. 2022 was a great year for mobile and we have so much more to look forward to next year too. Path of Exile Mobile, Final Fantasy 7 Ever Crisis, Warframe, Spltigate, Avatar: Reckoning, Warcraft Arclight Rumble, Assassin’s Creed Codename Jade, Marvel World of Heroes, Mortal Kombat: Onslaught, Peridot, and the Destiny mobile game are all own the way, and many of them will launch in 2023. Some will try to pull the same old mobile game trick we’re used to – probably all the Square Enix games – but every new, legitimate mobile game moves the entire industry forward. Mobile is finally here, so don’t get left behind.
