There’s been a noticeable shift in game design companies aiming for mobile gaming designs over the last two or three years. Nobody can deny that the video console gaming sector is healthier now than ever.
Still, to the credit of many developers and innovators within the gaming industry, they have decided not to rest on their laurels and push on to try and find new ideas and creations in the growing mobile gaming world.
Trending Mobile Gaming Categories
1- Sweepstakes Casinos
Gaming companies tirelessly search for the next grand idea that will net them the same sort of return that the emergence of the original, traditional casino did around a quarter of a century ago. While that might be wishful thinking, there are innovative ideas and money to be made for casino gaming platforms that can find a niche and capitalize on it.
This is where sweepstakes casinos enter the conversation. They have been around for over a decade, so while they might not be the latest, fresh ticket in town, they’ve quietly been doing their business in the background. By providing a base for gamers to explore slot games or other classic titles without concern for monetary loss, instead opting for in-game tokens, they’ve cornered off a nice part of the market for themselves.
There are several territories and countries where traditional platforms are not allowed to operate, and sweepstakes casinos have been able to grow into this market. It’s now reached a stage where expert review sites scour every detail of what sweepstakes games offer. This Zula Casino Review from sweepstakescasino.net exemplifies how detailed and highly sought-after casino review experts are becoming within the industry.
Although they may have started providing their opinions on the traditional sector, their expertise is sought after wherever the customer appetite leads. Given that sweepstakes casinos are one of the 2024 trending categories for mobile gaming, expect to see the rise of many more review sites and experts exploring what these free-to-play platforms have in store.
2- Cloud-Based Gaming Platforms
Cloud-based gaming appeared on the scene in 2022; we remember it being the hottest topic in town for a while. However, after some market research, it turns out that cloud-based gaming platforms are experiencing their most significant demand ever and are one of the trending categories in 2024 gaming this year. As Apple gears up for the biggest upgrade in iPhone history, they’ve confirmed that they’re looking to install and implement features that can facilitate mobile gaming.
Until recently, they haven’t explored this field. While this was to be expected, given their pincer-like grip on the smartphone sector, their dominance in other areas of tech, the rising number of people playing mobile gaming, and the fact that Web3 is now positioned to become a disruptive innovation in the digital gaming world, cloud-based gaming platforms are likely to benefit from this.
3- First-Person Shooter Games
Some gamers believe the concept of “trending” revolves around new games or ideas. While some emerging gaming types become popular overnight and fall into the category of a trend, this doesn’t mean that classic genres and games can’t continue to make the most noise and thus continue trending.
First-person shooter games are the genre that has helped propel several subsidiary markets into the global frame. Many gamers believe the emergence of specific first-person shooter games has generated a large audience and viewing figures in eSports, enabling it to become an Olympic-style event.
While this mainly refers to console games, first-person shooter game designers and companies understood that the game market would extend into the mobile gaming realm if they could put together an attractive enough offering. The market for PUBG and Call Of Duty on mobile has helped to reinforce its position as one of the top genres in the whole market, and there is an increasingly growing trend in mobile gaming, too.
4- Trends That Could Emerge In The Latter Half Of This Year
We’d say that blockchain gaming could quickly take over one of the three categories. If we were to pick one out of the hat, cloud-based gaming could be the one that has to make room for the emergence of blockchain games.
Cryptocurrency and blockchain gaming are attracting increasing investment and discussion within the gaming sector. This is influenced by the growing demand for overlying assets from traditional finance, particularly in the US. While they might not currently have the sort of capital or interest behind them, it seems like it’s more of a case of when than if.
It could be a case of them finding their feet in the early stages of 2025, but don’t be surprised to see them surge into mobile gaming trends if the broader market takes off and creates a spike in demand.
Final Thoughts
So far, in 2024, it’s a blend of the old and the new, and we’d say that’s a fair assessment. The ever-popular first-person shooter games have moved so seamlessly to mobile gaming after dominating the world of professional video gaming for so long, and it appears as though hardly anybody has noticed.
Cloud-based gaming is again making serious moves and breaking new ground, but it’s yet to see the same levels of demand as some of the more traditional gaming areas. If it starts to find a wider audience, expect this to have the highest growth potential.
You’d think that with so many places in the US now opening their doors to traditional gambling platforms, sweepstakes casinos might be playing second fiddle. But the fact they’re a trending mobile gaming category in 2024 is a testament to how well-designed they are and how much of a global market still exists for them.
As companies continue exploring the possibilities of mobile gaming, there will be more surprises along the way, as well as the emergence of some trends that nobody has seen coming. This symbolizes that the market is as healthy as ever and is likely to continue becoming more appealing and visible to the casual gaming market.
