The development of esports is rooted way back in the 1970s, on the campus of Stanford University. That mere competition planted the seeds to where we are standing today. However, after crossing a few decades, as the esports scenario is now on the verge of a new era, let us explore the state of mobile esports. But this discussion will be cornered to a certain aspect where only the major mobile titles will be looked at. We will explore the other titles that could’ve been the few prominent games and also why the esports around mobile games is confined to only a few titles.
The history of esports in mobile devices is quite young compared to the whole scene. Though the PC and mobile titles are mainstream today, the evolution came with consoles. Key players and pioneers were Atari, Nintendo, and SEGA. As mobile phones are products of the new age, the development is games and then in esports is a new concept. The very first mobile game was a Tetris variant on the Hagenuk MT-2000 device. Later, the games got familiar with Nokia as their devices used to come with pre-installed games.
Mobile Esports gained popularity due to accessibility and device compatibility
To understand the rise of mobile esports, first, we need to look at the reasons behind the stage. One of the key reasons would be the availability of mobile devices. We are standing in an era where mobile esports participants have mobile phones. Let us keep the margin smaller and look at only the persons who are coming to mobile esports.
They all have phones and can access the esports titles. Another aspect is the technical requirement to run the esports titles. The games, except one or two, are playable on low-end devices. So, the availability is for all, making the youngsters come to dive into the scene with whatever phones they have.
The next reasons are related to the same as above. When a gamer doesn’t have enough to get him a good mobile device, neither he can afford a high-end computer that can run even the competitive titles with the lowest system requirements. Now, other reasons may include a good and stable internet connection. However, this has a significant impact as titles do require a secure and stable network to perform the best showdown.
The rise of esports is centered on the regions where these problems are the most seen. For example, India is one of the key players behind mobile esports is now at today. To dive into more pinpoint results or even for picking up an example, the Battlegrounds Mobile India (BGMI) scene, led by KRAFTON’s India wing – KRAFTON India, can be one of the prime datasets to conclude even if it is not broader in sense. Most of the players are of backgrounds that can be labeled as middle or lower-middle-class families. Thus the popularity of mobile esports is because of the device accessibility and device compatibility.
We talked with Mr. Karan Pathak, Associate Director, Esports, KRAFTON India, to understand the perspective of a successful title. The latest running event of the game, BGIS 2024, is spotted getting over 100k live viewers on YouTube only.
The accumulation from other media platforms is, no doubt, a lot higher. “At KRAFTON India, we have meticulously studied the Indian market to understand trends and preferences and create games that resonate with our audiences. Over time, we have developed a deep understanding of the local gaming community,” he said. While the interest of the players is bound to shift to something different, the strategic move by KRAFTON in India still manages to capture the audience.
A few titles are taking the limelight of mobile esports, backed by industry-leading developers
The esports scene for mobile games is mainly within the premises of games such as Free Fire, Mobile Legends: Bang Bang, PUBG Mobile, Arena of Valor, etc. These games are from giant developers and publishers like Tencent Games, Riot Games, MOONTON Games, Activision Blizzard, etc. As we are going to explore why this issue is happening that a few games are taking all the limelight while others are struggling, we will take a look at the reasons.
While the industry is led and backed by known and giant companies, the capacity of these developers to create a better ecosystem is also one of the reasons why their games are getting mainstream acceptance. “We believe in creating a holistic environment that not only entertains but also sustains and grows budding talent. For this, we have driven consistent engagement, from grassroots initiatives to grand-scale tournaments, ensuring every touchpoint be it our events, marketing campaigns or in-game collaborations are an opportunity for gamers to engage, improve, and get recognized,” Mr. Karan Pathak further added.
Developer Support and Investment along with other factors
It’s no wonder I’ll go for titles where the earnings can be the highest. Not only by playing at the top levels but opportunities on the social networking fields as well. Titles that are spending a lot of money are the drivers and carriers of the mobile esports scene. So, it is obvious to choose a title that’s going to provide a secure amount.
This is where these mentioned mobile titles are doing the magic. Apart from the number of events, the amount each event provides for the players and teams is immense. On the other hand, a game needs developer support to run the live ops longer. Optimizing the game mechanics, creating events, and including things that the current time demands are not always possible for small developers. Thus the big fishes carried out most of the successful titles in mobile esports.
So, what about the other connected factors that we need to know? Well, we asked Eric Wu, Senior Partnerships Manager, Esports Ecosystem, at MOONTON Games about the core aspects of a mobile game that make it esports-ready. “There are three core elements a game needs to be esports-ready: fun to play, fun to watch, and a strong ecosystem”, he answered.
So, to get things straight, it is the entertainment and passion from the consumers, and then the bet is on esports if the title bears esports elements. “Even with a highly enjoyable game, the success of an esports venture is far from guaranteed. This is because any successful esports ecosystem requires a core component – a passionate community“, Eric added. While speaking on our question, he mentioned a few elements such as content creation, building legacy, and creating exciting experiences. “Once these elements are in place, our role would be to create a comprehensive esports system that can give their passion to shine“, he added.
Number of events
Another key reason why mobile esports is confined to a few titles is because of the number of events that the games provide. The established titles are mostly from the existing big fishes in the gaming industry and these companies can entertain spending a lot to launch into the market, create hype, and also arrange programs that spread the arrival of the titles. In simple words, the marketing of a title works as an X-factor.
Then, the next phase starts with an all-in events system. If a title is close to gaining traction to sustain for a few years, the number of events and regional expansion just fly higher. Big markets get priority in every aspect by receiving more slots, owning events with a higher prize pool, etc. As the events are always happening and all over the community, it is likely to create content, news, debates, controversies inside the community, etc. So, the fuel to keep the title running will be present all over the years.
Management and organizing capacity
Opportunities for organizing an event are also one of the few factors behind making a title a go-to esports game. Big organizations can afford and organize costly events while the small titles don’t have the monetary backing or even the market to launch their esports at large.
Organizing an event is not something that can be done easily. It needs a lot of work, planning, support, and infrastructure to carry out a league. To sustain itself as an esports title, the elements must be present. Other titles apart from the mainstream ones could neither build a game with support after launch nor they can provide proper backing to their games.
The road was never easy for a new title to build a smooth pathway for a title to grow into the esports scene from the very beginning. We also talked about this issue with Eric. “Diverse event content and increased exposure are crucial aspects to cultivate a grassroots community, but we believe that providing a great tournament experience is paramount; the key to ensuring that participants feel good is the organizer“, he said. Thus, it is clear that the game must take the first few events very seriously to provide an impact on the players. Once the consumers get to know that a game focuses deeply on the experience of the esports players and tends to run a smoothly organized event, the outcome is surely to be positive.
Opportunities beyond esports
The flow of a game’s popularity depends somewhat on the opportunities that lie beyond its esports. Esports players are younger in general and there are several factors behind this. The youths can spare time, and energy and also can respond quickly, think differently, and act actively. But keeping these things aside, the titles that mobile esports is mostly cornered into provide better opportunities than others could.
Content creation is simply one of the best ways to generate money and popularity for esports players. Some even only focus on creating content rather than becoming an athlete. The games that we talked about have higher return rates in terms of monetary value, popularity, public engagements, etc.
So, sticking to the popular titles and capturing most of the mainstream market is blindly the go-to choice of esports players. It is another reason why other titles are not gaining attention. Yes, they do get some applause and credits but in the long run, they have to wait on the list of secondary or even the average category.
Chinese driven market
China is the biggest gaming market by sales. A report from Sensor Tower in November 2023 showed that Chinese publishers are behind nearly half of the mobile game’s revenue. The leading companies including Tencent Games, NetEase Games, and HoYoverse are providing the market toppers and also grabbing the esports scene in an admirable area. This point also qualifies the rest raised in this article.
Thus, titles from China are arguably in an upper position. With the presence of global giants like Activision, and Supercell, the games evolve around and come mostly from these companies. So the study on this sector, the research, and planning for any successful genres, or even regional preferences by genres are from these developers and publishers.
However, games other than these titles can do well if they manage to bring something new apart from the mainstream genres. Besides, titles can also do well if they can gather backing from big companies. But to ensure that, the games must have something different at first. We can also hope to see games that are not mainstream but worth giving a shot.
Partners and third-party organizers are the key to building a skeleton
Partners are the key factor for a title to localize its resources and spread the game to the hands of the fans. This works better than advertising a game. The characteristics of local esports, the preferences of local players, and establishing local team partners will drive a game to build its success in esports.
MLBB, for example, has taken this as the primary homework so that the title doesn’t collide when expanding to the other regions. “As MLBB continues to grow, so does the interest from third-party organizations to strengthen their collaboration with MLBB and advance the title’s globalization. For example, this year’s MSC 2024 will be held for the first time outside of Southeast Asia, in Saudi Arabia, while the IESF World Esports Championship 2024 has confirmed participation from over 80 countries. This shows that we are doing the right things“, said Eric.
Final Thoughts
As we explored the key points on why mobile esports is confined to a few titles, there are several reasons behind it. Providing a game with proper care, updates, and also a well-connected community for which the game developers care, is important. Before expanding or stepping into a larger scene, there needs to be a community to build, the game should have such “x-factor” to grab the eyes as well.
Outside these points, even if the game doesn’t have it, there should be regular moderation regarding the development, updates, user-friendliness, etc. Moreover, the investment and capacity of the developer or publisher companies to connect the games’ to a platform is similarly important. Games that have these qualities are on the highway of leading mobile esports titles.
You can read our other articles on mobile esports:
- Mobile esports in India in 2023: The rise and regression
- PUBG Mobile: The impact of PMWI on the upcoming PMGC 2023
- Battlegrounds Mobile India (BGMI) First Anniversary: Recap of the game since its release
- What if Mobile Game Ads were non-existent
What are your opinions on the lack of mobile-exclusive titles currently available for the esports sector? Let us know in the comments below!
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