Two subjects that are often separated when people review them are desktop and mobile versions that target both players that like to play on the move and those that like to play at home. However, often gamers like to do both.
As such, designing access to apps and websites that work on both mobile and desktop is almost certainly going to be one of the top priorities for game designers, and for web designers in other industries, in the future, while dual play games is already one of the top 11 web design trends to rule in 2020.
This new market trend follows research that suggests that when people are at home, they prefer to play their favourite games on a larger screen. Meanwhile, they don’t mind sacrificing screen size so they can continue engaging with their favorite game titles while moving around. Therefore, what better way to maintain popularity by giving people both options. It means the gaming companies get the player’s full attention with less chance of another mobile game pulling them away.
Let’s take a look at some industries out there that currently offer both options:
iGaming Industry
One of the fastest-growing segments of the online gaming industry is iGaming. The industry is so large and so well documented that software developers within the industry regularly win awards at events designed for recognition of highly engaging games, delivery systems, and innovation. For example, just recently Pragmatic Play, a slots gaming developer recently won an award for ‘Innovation in Mobile’.
Pragmatic Play is one of the top players within the iGaming industry offering both mobile slots and mobile live dealer table games via mobile. Playing games such as blackjack and roulette are preferably played on a larger screen, but the allure of mobile tech also brings players to the mobile version of the games.
That said, the firm’s innovation in designing mobile versions of its games won it an industry recognized award that they can show off as proof to their mobile fans that Pragmatic Play games are fully mobile compatible.
First Person Shoot ‘Em’ Up Games
Another popular way to play online games is first-person Shoot ‘Em’ Ups. This is where you are the center of attention looking through the eyes of a warrior or war hero battling it out in battle arenas in multi-player games or completing missions playing single-player modes.
One game that has really hit the ground running in both the mobile and desktop market is Call of Duty. Fans of the game have the best of both worlds switching between the mobile app and the desktop install. You can even play this game via a HTML5 web browser without the need for a download which makes the game cross-platform interoperable.
Movie Apps
One of the most popular download niche industries today is mobile movie apps. We have all seen Netflix and how the esteemed movie and TV series hosting platform allows people to stream through their mobile or desktop app with ease. Of course, the desktop version streamed via a web browser should never come with a hitch, but the fact that its mobile version also works so well is a sign of things to come in the future.
Netflix is the perfect example of how a movie website should be when it comes to capturing audiences on both mobile and desktop. Netflix’s app is so well designed that even if you lose internet connection, you probably won’t notice because its buffering is so far ahead of the point that you probably lost your connection, and then somehow it manages to easily catch up with itself giving its members almost uninterrupted movie streaming via mobile.
The Future of Mobile + Desktop Design
In 2021 any new apps, as well as existing ones, will start to work on both mobile and desktop. Meanwhile, those desktop sites not quite on mobile and vice versa will have a lot of catching up to do in terms of market share if they stall any longer. The future is mobile and desktop engagement, and it is the brands that recognize this that will continue to stay in business.
