Gaming
‘At the heart of pop culture’: gamescom shines a spotlight on the cultural importance of games
Games are more than just the most successful entertainment medium of our time – they have also established themselves at the very heart of popular culture, with other media increasingly taking their cue from games. Whereas in the past one might expect a film to be made from a popular book, now people are writing books based on games, designing fashion inspired by games – even creating dances influenced by games. In other words, anyone who can wow the games community today will be making their mark on the entire world tomorrow. The theme of this year’s gamescom – ‘Games: at the heart of pop culture’ – shines a spotlight on games’ cultural relevance. It is not only popular culture that is being shaped by games. Other areas – from digital companies and food retailers to car manufacturers – are devoting ever more attention to games and their communities. As a result, the cultural significance of computer and video games is playing a growing role in spurring innovation and economic growth.
‘Games have long since become established as a key driving force in popular culture: streaming services are more and more frequently turning to games brands as the basis for new series and films, books based on familiar games fill entire shelves in book stores, and fashion brands are producing clothing that either goes with the games or is actually present in the games themselves. All of this goes to show that games are a major force shaping our age,’ said Felix Falk, Managing Director of game – the German Games Industry Association.
Trend: ‘The next generation of mobile gaming’
Smartphones have established themselves worldwide as one of the most successful games platforms. Today’s devices are so good that they are even suitable for more complex games. In addition, more and more familiar game series have released their own mobile versions, allowing them to reach millions of additional players. And with the assistance of cloud gaming, people can seamlessly continue playing their favourite PC and console games on their smartphones when they are on the go. Greater performance and more demanding games for mobile devices are also driving the growing mobile esports trend. Teams and solo players are increasingly taking part in games competitions using their smartphones. The trend, which had previously witnessed its greatest success in Asia, has now established itself in the rest of the world.
Trend: ‘Healthy through games’
Even before the coronavirus struck, many people were using games to keep fit in their own living rooms. Now computer and video games are increasingly being used as a means of improving mental health as well. In fact, a new genre known as wholesome games has come into being that is focused on games whose more laid-back mode of play helps people to relax and unwind from their daily lives. In addition, computer and video games are seeing ever more frequent use within the context of therapy, such as helping patients cope with pain, alleviating the effects of dementia, and supporting children with ADHD.
Numerous major political figures to visit gamescom
gamescom has become one of the most important platforms for political dialogue on digital issues, and with the gamescom congress, the political opening and the Debatt(l)e Royale, the trade fair offers multiple events for these discussions. This year’s gamescom will once again be welcoming numerous top political figures: right from the start of the fair on Wednesday, various officials, including Vice Chancellor and Federal Minister for Economic Affairs and Climate Action Robert Habeck and Hendrik Wüst, Minister-President of North Rhine-Westphalia, will take part in the political opening and the official tour. Starting at 10:30 a.m. on gamescom Thursday, the gamescom congress will kick off with its Debatt(l)e Royale panel talk. Here, Kevin Kühnert (SPD), Mario Czaja (CDU), Emily Büning (Bündnis 90/Die Grünen) and Bijan Djir-Sarai (FDP) will be discussing current issues and the best digital and games policies for Germany. On gamescom Friday, Claudia Roth, Minister of State and Federal Government Commissioner for Culture and the Media, will be visiting the world’s biggest event for computer and video games to tour the various event areas and discover the latest trends.
Powered by WPeMatico
Gaming
Getting ready for Xmas: SplitMetrics partnership with Wargaming helps World of Warships app sail to new heights with 15% uplift in organic conversions
The post Getting ready for Xmas: SplitMetrics partnership with Wargaming helps World of Warships app sail to new heights with 15% uplift in organic conversions appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Gaming
Nolimit City revisits the brutal factory life in Outsourced: Slash Game
Nolimit City takes you back to the grind with its latest release, Outsourced: Slash Game. For those who thought their consumerist cravings were a safe indulgence, think again. Following in the footsteps of Outsourced, this new addition pulls back the curtain on the sweat and sacrifice lurking behind those everyday luxuries—this time with a dash of danger. Outsourced: Slash Game is the studio’s second venture into crash-style gameplay, the first being xCrash™ in Skate or Die – but this time it’s a standalone crash game!
In Slash Game, players have to make some cutthroat decisions as a laser traces the outline of their hand, increasing the multiplier with every pass. Players hit “stop” to cash out, locking in the multiplier when they feel the timing is right. After which, they will be shown the potential winnings if they wouldn’t have stopped. But here’s the catch: if players hesitate a second too long and the laser slips, all the winnings are lost. A live scoreboard displays the Top Win, Top Miss and Last Round, so that players can keep track of their previous rounds.
Outsourced: Slash Game is not a familiar Nolimit City slot to some players but could cause some excitement with an increasing multiplier and a maximum payout of 1,500x the base bet. Outsourced: Slash Game, unlike Nolimit City’s high-volatility slots, is rated as ‘Medium Volatility’ but don’t let that fool you as it still includes the risk of losing your hand.
Per Lindheimer, Head of Product at Nolimit City, said: “Get back to work, will you? We’re bringing players back to the unrelenting factory floor of Outsourced with an all-new twist. Slash Game is a standalone take on our crash-style games, and it’s packed with plenty of heart-stopping moments (and maybe a few hand-stopping ones, too). We’re thrilled with how it turned out and we hope that our fans will be too!“
‘Outsourced: Slash Game’ will be available to all Nolimit City partners on November 5th, 2024.
The post Nolimit City revisits the brutal factory life in Outsourced: Slash Game appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Gaming
The mobile gaming market is growing and attracting new companies. GAMIVO is the latest example
Usually, consoles and PCs come to mind when discussing the gaming industry. The mobile sector is often treated as a child of a lesser god, even though it generates almost as much revenue as console and PC combined. Some companies can see this potential. For instance, the e-commerce platform GAMIVO has recently entered the mobile market, allowing players to buy in-game items cheaper.
Back on course
The entire video game industry has evolved incredibly, but the most spectacular has been the growth of the mobile sector. It expanded from 36.9 million dollars in 2016 to 93.2 billion in 2021. Unfortunately, the gaming market suffered from a decline that stemmed from the overoptimism of the pandemic era. As a result, the mobile gaming industry revenues dropped to 92.2 billion in 2022 and to 90.5 billion in 2023. Recent information has indicated this was a necessary correction rather than a long-term trend.
The latest Newzoo report, issued in August 2024, shows that the industry is on the right track again. According to analysts, the mobile sector will generate revenues of $92.6 billion, representing +3.0% growth year-on-year. It’s nearly half of the entire gaming industry.
Billions of players
Revenues are crucial, but they only show part of the story. To fully understand the size and potential of mobile gaming, it’s necessary to consider the number of players, which constantly grew even when revenues dropped. Newzoo estimates that it will reach 2.8 billion in 2024. It means that almost twice as many people play on mobile devices than on PCs and consoles combined. Currently, every third person on Earth plays on mobile devices, and there’s still space for further growth.
“There are emerging markets where smartphones and mobile networks can expand, providing new potential players. Furthermore, this type of entertainment has a low entry barrier because most popular games are free and don’t require high-end devices,” explains Mateusz Śmieżewski, the CEO at GAMIVO.
One hobby, different habits
GAMIVO is an example of a company that has recently joined the party to get a piece of the mobile pie. “We examined the mobile market for a very long time, trying to find a suitable place for us. It’s essential to understand that mobile gaming and mobile gamers differ from their PC or console counterparts. You can’t do the same things you do with PC and consoles and hope to replicate your success,” said Mateusz Śmieżewski.
Studies confirm this observation. Average PC and console players spend about 2.1 hours a day in virtual worlds. It’s half an hour more than mobile gamers. However, things get interesting when we take a look at playtime per week, which is the same for mobile and console (5.4 hours) and slightly longer for PC (5.7 hours). Moreover, typical PC and console owners play 2.6 and 2.7 days a week, respectively, while mobile players play 3.4 days per week.
Those statistics prove that PC and console players are more dedicated, spending more time in games’ worlds once they enter them. However, mobile gamers prefer shorter but more frequent sessions. They play while commuting or have a short amount of free time.
“Mobile players are more willing to uninstall games and give another title a chance. Hence, the gameplay has to be captivating and designed to provide quick but intense sessions.
Furthermore, even though the average weekly playtime is identical to PC players, many mobile players don’t think of themselves as gamers,” clarifies Mateusz Śmieżewski.
Another major difference regards the way in which revenue is generated. PC and console games traditionally represent the premium model, where players buy the game. Most popular mobile releases are free and generate revenue with microtransactions. Almost all titles allow players to spend their real money on virtual coins, crystals, and other items that can be used to unlock additional content or reduce cooldowns.
Entering the mobile market
Those contrasts and nuances scare most companies from the mobile market. Let’s see how GAMIVO has coped with this.
“We decided to launch a new product category dedicated to mobile gamers. Our model allows them to top up in-game accounts cheaply. As a result, they can save up to 30% on buying virtual items, upgrades, and other content. The GAMIVO offer includes the most popular mobile titles, such as Genshin Impact and PUBG Mobile, and still extends,” describes Mateusz Śmieżewski.
“We dedicated a lot of time to research and analyses. Also, the development process required a lot of work to provide GAMIVO customers with safe transactions and a user-friendly environment. The first reactions are very positive, confirming our belief that our decision was right and there is still more space in the mobile game market,” concludes the GAMIVO CEO.
The post The mobile gaming market is growing and attracting new companies. GAMIVO is the latest example appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
-
Africa5 days ago
South Africa: Tribunal Grants Lottoland Interim Relief – Orders Google to Grant Lottoland Access to its Advertising Platform
-
Balkans5 days ago
CT Interactive Shortlisted in Two Categories at BEGE Awards 2024
-
21VIRAL5 days ago
21VIRAL Integrates Air Dice Group Games
-
Balkans5 days ago
NOVOMATIC Presents New Gaming Highlights at the BEGE
-
Latest News5 days ago
Stakelogic Wraps Up Deal with Bet25.dk
-
Amusnet5 days ago
Amusnet Expands Latin American Presence Through Strategic Partnership with bet365 in Peru
-
Chris Christie4 days ago
Chris Christie bets on Texas to approve OSB in 2025
-
Balkans3 days ago
Amusnet Powers BEGExpo’s 15th Edition with its Latest iGaming and Land-based Products