For the generation old enough to remember squinting at the tiny yellowish Game Boy screen, it seems laughable to consider the possibility that a mobile device could potentially replace the traditional gaming console. But recent studies that have tracked the time spent using mobile devices may indeed point to a significant change in the way people play games.

The fact of the matter is that mobile devices and tablets have progressed to where there is little difference in the quality of the gaming a user will experience. Combined with the ease of transport and versatility of these mobile devices, it seems very possible that mobile and tablet gaming could eventually become the preferred method among gamers.

Popularity Rise of Mobile and Tablet Gaming

A number of studies have recently been conducted that show a sharp increase in the use of mobile devices and tablets for gaming. Mobile device and tablet users have spent 53% more time gaming than they did just two years ago. Additionally, there are simply more owners of tablets and mobile devices, meaning the amount of people gaming has also rapidly increased.

This has caused a larger demand for games that are specifically designed for mobile devices and tablets. This demand has spawned the creation of intelligently designed games, such as Ben 10 games, a series that boasts superior mobile device and tablet playability.

It seems that the rise in popularity of this type of gaming is related to our increasing need for gaming on the go. The constant availability of mobile devices and tablets means significantly more access to games, leading to the increase in the time spent playing. Also, the improved quality of the games and the devices on which they are played have played a role in this increase in popularity.

The End of Traditional Game Consoles?

Does this signal the end of traditional gaming consoles? That seems unlikely, at least for the immediate future. The experience of game playing on a large screen with a powerful audio system is fairly well ingrained in gamers. However, as the younger generation of gamers continues to increase their use of mobile devices and tablets, the possibility does exist that this method of gaming will become preferable to the traditional method.

Studies have shown that children are starting to play games on mobile devices at the age of eight on average, which means that as they age they may simply continue to use the device that they are most familiar with and have significantly more access to.

More and more people are turning to mobile devices and tablets for their gaming needs. As game creators begin to focus more on designing their games for use on such devices, it seems likely that mobile gaming will turn out to be our main source for game play. Given the ease of accessibility and versatility of these devices, it seems it will only be a matter of time before mobile gaming eclipses the traditional game console.