In a global gamer’s survey done in 2023, it was found that 79% of gamers use their mobile phones to play. India is higher than the global average, with 90% of the gamers playing on their phones. Nowadays, if you are looking for people who know how to play rummy, the next step is simple-sign in to the rummy app on your phone and start playing.
This explains why game developers have targeted their attention and innovation towards mobile gaming massively. However, not to be overlooked is the fact that 47% of gamers play on multiple devices. PCs are still used by 43% of gamers, while consoles are used by 41%. The best way for developers to cater to the maximum number of gamers is to offer a wider service suite. Enter cross-platform gaming.
Gaming Across Platforms
It was common for gamers to buy the latest version of PlayStation, only to find that gaming with an Xbox owner was not possible. This is just one example of how the lack of interoperability between hardware kept groups of gamers apart. It is not just the players who were left high and dry. Developers knew that cross-platform gaming could be the next utopian idea they needed to explore.
Cross-platform gaming is doing away with the exclusivity of games and helping gamers build a larger community across different platforms. Players with different consoles and hardware configurations can play these games with each other. A player can also play a game using one device, swiftly pause and continue with another platform.
For the developers, developing a single-platform game had its perils. They would have had to spend time later on the next phases of development to increase its interoperability. The easier process is to use a codebase that is accepted across all platforms. Take Apex Legends, for instance. The popular cross-platform game with over 17 million monthly users was developed using C/C++. It can be played on Nintendo, Xbox, PlayStation and PCs.
Tracing the Evolution
The need for cross-platform compatibility is not a recent one. Final Fantasy XI pioneered cross-platform gaming and had impressive game compatibility embedded in the game design back in 2005. This was an era when gaming giants like Microsoft and Sony were still sceptical about cross-platform gaming. They were, in parts, unsure how it would affect their customer base.
By 2007, the days of dual compatibility had begun, with Shadowrun to be specific. It was released on Xbox 360 and Windows Vista and set the tone for future innovations in this field. Microsoft agreed with Epic Games in 2008 to make ‘Gears of War 2’ cross-platform compatible. By 2011, when Valve released Portal 2, it was available on Windows, Mac OS X, Linux, PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360.
Something else happened in 2011, which was monumental for cross-platform gaming. Minecraft exploded into the scene, allowing gamers from different platforms to participate and carry the game towards global success.
Since its release in 2017, Fortnite has arguably become a part of pop culture, to say the least. Fortnite is estimated to have around 650 million registered gamers and more than 1.1 million gamers active every day. Playable across platforms like PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch, PCs, and mobile devices, Fortnite catapulted cross-platform gaming to global acceptance.
Why Cross-Platform Games Make Sense Today?
The popularity of rummy platforms like RummyTime reflects the user preference for mobile gaming. From learning how to play rummy to participating in lucrative tournaments, there is unlimited entertainment on mobile screens.
But for developers, focusing on mobile gaming leads to a few obvious roadblocks. The mobile gaming market is maxing out and is expected to reach saturation. Mobile-specific rules also mean that user acquisition and monetisation have become challenging for developers.
Stakeholders in the gaming industry are becoming increasingly interested in developing cross-platform games rather than mobile-first games. There is a higher Total Addressable Market (TAM) to aim for and the promise of a higher customer LifeTime Value (LTV). This is supported by the success achieved by cross-platform games like Among Us, Fortnite and Diablo Immortal.
Going back to the global gamer’s survey of 2023, which was conducted by NewZoo, platform overlap remains the primary reason why cross-platform games guarantee a higher TAM. 16% of the gamers use both mobile and PC for gaming. For 13% of respondents, mobile and consoles are the common choice. Over 32% of gamers use more than one platform, while 15% of the respondents admitted to using all three – PC, mobile, and console.
United Platforms of Gaming
For gamers, cross-platform gaming is an opportunity to catch up with fellow gamers without any compatibility concerns. Platform-agnostic games are proving to be the way ahead for developers as well. As advanced gaming concepts like cloud gaming become more commonplace, cross-platform gaming is set to become even more accessible.
