Mobile gaming is not a new phenomenon. As far back as the 1990s, Nokia owners could play simple games like Snake on their phones. The world has moved on a lot since then. Advances in technology mean that many Canadians now use their phone for gaming every day.
The games are also very different from the way they were in the early days. Today’s games involve complex stories and multiple scenarios. They have certainly come a long way from a line snake crawling across a screen.
Today’s mobile gaming environment
The mobile gaming environment in Canada, and across the globe, is as healthy today as it’s ever been. For instance, Fortnite makes Epic Games millions of dollars a month globally. PlayerUnknown’s Battleground (PUBG) is also a massive money earner for publisher TenCent.
Canadian based gaming companies also benefit from the flourishing mobile gaming environment in the country. Renowned developers like Relic Entertainment and Big Blue Bubble produce top quality games from their bases in Vancouver and London, Ontario respectively.
Online casino gaming is also big business. Almost 19 million Canadians use online casinos to play games like those made by the company NetEnt. Available play includes video slot machines and table games like blackjack and roulette.
This variety of gaming content has contributed to the significant revenue made from the gaming industry in Canada which is expected to reach US$857m in 2020. Of this, US$317m is expected to originate in the mobile gaming sector.
The present and future of mobile gaming in Canada
There certainly seems to be an appetite for mobile gaming in Canada. The experience of mobile gamers in the country also seems to be a good one. According to a report by Open Signal, Canada ranked 25th in the world for overall mobile gaming experience. This put the country ahead of the US as they ranked 35th.
Of course, being recognised as “good” means that there is still room for improvement when it comes to the Canadian gaming experience. There are several rising trends in the industry that may help to shape this improvement going forward.
Arguably, the most important of these trends is the growing appetite for esports. Currently, Counter-Strike is the big game with esports pro teams in the country. There are 19 squads competing and available prize money runs into millions of dollars. Canadians like Sonja Reid, known as OMGitsfirefoxx, are renowned for streaming their game play using platforms like Twitch and YouTube.
The more people see the excitement and potential profitability of gaming overall, and mobile gaming in particular, the more they are likely to become part of the gaming family. This is good news for game developers in the country as they can secure good profits from creating new gaming experiences to keep mobile gaming enthusiasts entertained and engaged. It’s also good news for the Canadian government as it can expect the Canadian gaming industry to contribute a significant amount to the GDP of the country in the coming years.
