Online Gaming: Social Media vs Google Play
The gaming industry has become massive today. Thanks to the huge popularity of smartphones and easy access to high-speed Internet connections all across the globe, people can play all kinds of games on the mobiles, laptops, at home and even when traveling.
Although true hardcore gamers take pride in owning high-end PC systems and the latest consoles viz. Xbox One X and PS4 Pro, the truth is that the mobile market is leaps and bounds ahead of PC and console market in terms of revenue. In fact, as per a Venture Beat post, mobile games generated $70 billion in consumer spending in 2017. However, the revenue from PC and Mac games was $34 billion, and from game consoles only $22 billion.
The reason why mobiles games and free-to-play online games are trending is that they aren’t too demanding of the hardware and don’t usually cost much either, if at all. However, the question is, how do the two major platforms i.e. social media gaming and Google Play store stack against each other?
The Two Worlds of Gaming
The Google Play store is massive. To put it into a perspective, the total number of apps on Google Play stood at a whopping 3.5 million at the end of 2017. A large chunk of these apps is games of all sorts- action RPG, puzzle, first-person shooter, VR (Virtual Reality)-based, etc.
There is also a considerable rise in the popularity of online casino games like roulette, poker, blackjack, etc. The reason is simple- people are always looking for ways to make money through means other than their full-time jobs. College students, for instance, are often living on a shoestring budget, and since most of them have smartphones, they can easily download their favorite online casino apps and make a decent income to pay for their education and entertainment.
If we compare mobile games i.e. Android games to the games on Facebook i.e. social media gaming, then it’s not hard to see the big differences. For starters, the variety alone makes Android a better option. There aren’t just enough games on Facebook today, perhaps because it doesn’t see itself as a game-centric platform, unlike Android.
The Android community is huge and there is a ton of competition too. However, this only means that the gamers can enjoy ridiculously cheap games but without compromising with the entertainment factor. Besides, the blogosphere has done a good job busting the various myths about the Android platform, especially for the Apple users, which is why Google Play saw the launch of apps twice in number compared to the App Store (Apple’s store) in 2017!
The Developments in Social Media Gaming
Although it’s hard to say how social media platforms like Facebook will expand the business with regard to gaming, one thing is clear- they can surely use the “social element” that makes the bulk of the platform itself. The reason is simple- people are already connected to each other on these platforms on a scale that’s gigantic. So, even though they might not want to delve into developing game-changer (pun not intended) games, they can offer a great multiplayer or “social” gaming experience.
A lot of Android and iOS games already support FB connect feature which allows the players to connect to their friends easily and share their achievements or even ask for help in their quests (remember those annoying Candy Crush notifications from “friends” asking for “lives”?). However, an unexpected bomb that Facebook dropped recently was its launch of live streaming for video games. It’s a serious competition to YouTube and Twitch, and that’s good. It means we can expect many other great features for the online community.
The Bottom Line
Gaming, whether done on a budget smartphone or on a console using a free Xbox live code generator or a glorifying “Gaming rig”, is a great experience for millions of people across the globe. So, it really doesn’t matter which direction the industry takes on that front, as long as the good quality games are launched for the gamers on a regular basis, all is good and this world will continue to be a great place to live in!
About the Author
Sunit Nandi I'm the leader of Techno FAQ. Also an engineering college student with immense interest in science and technology. Other interests include literature, coin collecting, gardening and photography. Always wish to live life like there's no tomorrow.
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