Playing games has become more than just a pastime for many, and the gaming industry in general has evolved greatly in recent years – a boom that was partly accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic.
After all, games were not only a source of entertainment, but they were also a way in which we communicated and socialised with friends during the pandemic lockdowns. One type of game format that was popular during this time was mobile games of service, otherwise known as mobile live service games.
However, while it was popular then, and even before the pandemic, it’s argued that the future of mobile games of service is becoming more and more bleak. So, let’s explore: are mobile games of service dying?
What Are Mobile Games of Service?
Mobile games of service, also known as mobile live service games, differ from your traditional video game. This format is designed to continuously engage players by frequently adding content and updates even after its release.
Unlike a standard video game that only immerses a player from start to finish, leaving little replayability, mobile games of service enable the player to continue playing the game, excited for new content to come out.
In essence, there’s not always a static ‘ending’ to be achieved like a normal video game.
Features of a Live Service Mobile Game
You might still be wondering what makes a mobile game ‘live service’, so here’s a few key features that would indicate it’s a mobile game of service:
- Often free-to-play (F2P) or with an upfront initial fee or a subscription fee
- New content and updates added frequently
- Option for online or multiplayer
- Daily, weekly, and/or monthly achievements and unlocks
Examples of Mobile Games of Service
So, which games count, then?
While there’s certainly a lot on all sorts of platforms, for mobile, some popular examples include:
- Genshin Impact
- League of Legends: Wild Rift
- Mobile Legends: Bang Bang
- Call of Duty Mobile
- PUBG Mobile
The Slow Death of Mobile Games of Service
It goes without saying that society is reliant on our mobile phones, so it’s not surprising that we also use our phones to play games – they’re easily accessible and portable. In fact, statistics show that the leading console for playing games within the UK gaming population was the mobile phone for both 2021 and 2022 – respectively, 37% and 36% of the UK gaming population cited that they played games on their phone in these years.
So, what’s with all the talk of the death of live service mobile games?
Well, let’s first consider some of the disadvantages that come with this video game genre.
The Paywall
While some live service mobile games are F2P or have an upfront fee, you don’t actually gain access to everything with in-game currency. There are still items that are well protected by the game’s paywall, so if premium character or weapon skins are what you’re after, then you might have to pay extra to get them.
This is made explicit in some games through a ‘Battle Pass’ which a player has to pay to unlock everything that’s included in the Battle Pass. Although some games might offer free items in the Battle Pass, most premium content can only be unlocked if you purchase it.
Most, if not all, games will have a store function that allows players to purchase in-game currency instead. Some games (like Mobile Legends: Bang Bang) might only offer cool character skins that only affect aesthetics, but others (like Genshin Impact) offer content that might assist with the overall game experience – i.e., weapons and characters.
Quantity Over Quality
Developers making such games are extremely focused on releasing new content often to maintain player engagement, but because of this, added content can be rushed, poor, and, well, buggy.
This means that even when new content is added, it can be a pain to play the game itself as there are bugs and glitches everywhere. Players have to wait again just for the bugs and glitches to be fixed by the developers.
They Can Disappear
Live service mobile games require not only engagement from players, but also effort and commitment from the developers. The game is only still playable as long as the developers continue to put their work (and funding) into it.
This means that once the developers are gone, so is the game. Unlike a full-fledged game with all of its content (with the option of expansions or downloadable content, or DLCs) already ingrained, live service mobile games can disappear at any time.
Or Not…
On the one hand, are they really dying, though?
Let’s be honest, most live service mobile games aren’t pay-to-win, meaning that players can enjoy the game without having to use any of their real money. Most of the time, the paywall is for cosmetic content. The temptation still exists, but you’re not forced to use your own money.
Additionally, publishers increasingly look for mobile game monetization solutions to enhance their revenue, with mobile game monetization evolving and catering to individual players’ needs and wants. Not only is this an effective and innovative way to increase lifetime value (LTV), but it also improves player experience.
Players Are Still Online
Despite this concept that mobile games of service are dying, there are still thousands to millions of players online playing these games. For example, League of Legends: Wild Rift garners an average of more than 10 million monthly players as of June 2023. In a day, peak player count can reach up to almost one million.
As you can see, players are still continuing to play live service mobile games.
The Future of Mobile Games of Service
What does this mean for the future of mobile games of service?
It’s hard to tell.
While they don’t appear to be dying a sudden death anytime soon (as long as they’re still fairly popular like Genshin Impact and League of Legends: Wild Rift), it appears that developers and publishers of these games need to continuously evolve alongside these games’ players in order to maximise success. This is where games of service have a main competitive edge against conventional video games.
As long as they continue to meet and adapt to the demands of their players, mobile games of service aren’t logging off just yet.
