Do you consider mobile games to be "gaming?"

[techbeast34]

With the rise of mobile games on both Android and iOS, many people consider themselves to be "gamers" if they play these games, even if they don't play on a different console or PC. Do you consider mobile games to be "gaming?"

I see mobile phones as a good gaming platform, but it depends on the games being played. If it's a game like Farmville or Candy Crush, I don't consider that to be gaming at all. However, games that require a bit more strategy and attention like CS: Portable, I'd consider gaming.

 

[Juan]

Depends on what's your definition of "gaming". You seem to favor games that "require a bit more strategy and attention". While I agree with you that games like FarmVille or MafiaWars don't feel like gaming at all, because they're just clicking and waiting, and there's basically no sense of competition whatsoever, I believe Candy Crush needs a little bit of strategy (and luck) in order to get to the next level.

I think the term "gamer" has to do with how much time you invest playing games and the ammount of games you've played in your life. I know some people that would call themselves gamers because they played a lot of Counter Strike, but you would ask them about Half-Life 2 and they wouldn't know a thing about it... some "gamers" they were...

I've played some FPS's in my life, starting with the first Wolfenstein 3D, but what I really liked were RPGs. Ultima, Diablo 1 & 2 (I chose not to play D3 for personal reasons), Baldur's Gate 1 & 2, Icewind Dale 1 & 2, Planescape:Torment, Neverwinter Nights 1 & 2, Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind and ES IV: Oblivion. And from then it my time went into MMORPGs like Mu Online, Lineage II, WoW and LOTRO. And yet I've had people telling me that I'm no "gamer" because I don't play "Battlefield". Go figure.

I play Clash Of Clans on my phone. I didn't want to at first because I hated the ads for CoC popping up EVERYWHERE. But I actually ended up liking it, and I find the attacking system is very interesting. Is that a "gamer's" game? I don't know.

 

[Squigly]

True, many mobile games are extremely casual, and often ruined by microtransactions, but ultimately they are still games. As long as some people derive enjoyment from playing it I believe we have to recognize it as such. (As much as I despise Zynga...)

 

[Sparkster]

Yes, I absolutely do see it as gaming although, as you pointed out, playing games like Candy Crush cannot be considered to be true gaming. However, it's true that games on mobile are rapidly becoming bigger, better and more advanced and mobile devices are becoming higher spec. Top name commercial games are now starting to come out on platforms like Android with huge file sizes and the games are constantly getting more and more like you would expect them to be on a PC. Mobile devices are just as good, if not better than computers these days and I think Android can be considered to be a true gaming platform.

 

[Sugarhill]

I don't think it's really fair to eliminate those that play casual games from the umbrella of "gamer." It is a game, they do play it and it's disheartening to see a group of people that for many years were left out of the mainstream due to their interests and were the object of scorn, now trying to turn the tables of gaming elitism on their former tormentors.

As with every hobby, there are different levels that people have involvement in, whether it's due to time constraints or simply interest, but it's still a shared hobby.

 

[CosmicOdyssey]

by definition games could be as simple as poking your brother with a stick till he punches you or as complex as that brand new ps4 game so yes I'd have to say mobile games are games.

 

[Ridge]

Mobile games are undeniably games. Even if a very large percentage of them are terrible garbage games.

 

[Sparkster]

by definition games could be as simple as poking your brother with a stick till he punches you or as complex as that brand new ps4 game so yes I'd have to say mobile games are games.

Yeah, I used to love playing that game with my brother when I was little!lol. Seriously though, many games that are released on mobile devices go on to be released on the larger platforms, so really they are just as much games as any other game is.

 

[Jojo83]

Back then when mobile games were simpler I would consider them as something just to pass the time and not a serious video game. Since then, the technological specs of mobile devices improved exponentially, the games and the graphics were on par with some high end gaming consoles. In today's world mobile games are definitely games, but the control scheme leave much to be desired. Still, nothing beats using gamepads and keyboards as opposed to touch screen panels while playing video games.

 

[JayWifi]

Mobile games I consider to have two categories: Casual and Serious. While most of the mobile gaming market may be flooded with micro-transaction filled casual games, there are some spectacular games for sale if you look hard enough that would classify as serious. Its nice on occasion to play a game on your phone but I still consider mobile gaming to be playing on a handheld such as a PSP. However a handheld and a smartphone game separate society because some may just want to play a game while waiting for the bus while another wants to be fully entwined with a great story.

 

[Claraviolet]

Honestly,I do consider mobile games when we are talking about gaming.
Still,as far as I know,mobile games are simple but you can't stop playing them now.Can you?

They are pretty addicting too

 

[LitoLawless]

Yea, it's definitely considered gaming. It's even factoring in to statistics that say that gaming has shot up in the past couple of years (due in large parts to games like Candy Crush). There is also stats that say female gamers are getting pretty close-if not-surpassing males in number of gamers due to mobile gaming. So yup, it's considered gaming, no doubt about it.

 

[LitoLawless]

Yea, it's definitely considered gaming. It's even factoring in to statistics that say that gaming has shot up in the past couple of years (due in large parts to games like Candy Crush). There is also stats that say female gamers are getting pretty close-if not-surpassing males in number of gamers due to mobile gaming. So yup, it's considered gaming, no doubt about it.

 

[Jojo83]

I would consider mobile gaming as casual gaming and not hardcore gaming. It's unlike playing in a Gameboy or PSP if you know what I mean. Mobile games are running on a device that is not dedicated for gaming, e.g. tablets and phones. It's not as hardcore for me. That makes a huge difference for true gamers like me. However good or technologically advanced a mobile game is it's just not the same as playing in a Gameboy or PSP.

 

[Jojo83]

I would consider mobile gaming as casual gaming and not hardcore gaming. It's unlike playing in a Gameboy or PSP if you know what I mean. Mobile games are running on a device that is not dedicated for gaming, e.g. tablets and phones. It's not as hardcore for me. That makes a huge difference for true gamers like me. However good or technologically advanced a mobile game is it's just not the same as playing in a Gameboy or PSP.

 

[Sparkster]

Back then when mobile games were simpler I would consider them as something just to pass the time and not a serious video game. Since then, the technological specs of mobile devices improved exponentially, the games and the graphics were on par with some high end gaming consoles. In today's world mobile games are definitely games, but the control scheme leave much to be desired. Still, nothing beats using gamepads and keyboards as opposed to touch screen panels while playing video games.

I agree with you that nothing beats using keyboards or gamepads (or joysticks?) as opposed to using touch-screen. However, I think youngsters these days are becoming more accustomed to touch-screen devices when gaming. Playing on a smartphone or tablet PC isn't all that different from playing on a hand-held console, which became all the rage before smartphones and tablets really took (Gameboy, PSP, etc). I have three children, two of them under the age of thirteen - give them a game to play using a keyboard to control it and they are just unable to do it. Give them a touchscreen device and they can play it fine with no problems. They're also fine with the gamepad on their PS3 too though, of course.

 

[Sparkster]

Back then when mobile games were simpler I would consider them as something just to pass the time and not a serious video game. Since then, the technological specs of mobile devices improved exponentially, the games and the graphics were on par with some high end gaming consoles. In today's world mobile games are definitely games, but the control scheme leave much to be desired. Still, nothing beats using gamepads and keyboards as opposed to touch screen panels while playing video games.

I agree with you that nothing beats using keyboards or gamepads (or joysticks?) as opposed to using touch-screen. However, I think youngsters these days are becoming more accustomed to touch-screen devices when gaming. Playing on a smartphone or tablet PC isn't all that different from playing on a hand-held console, which became all the rage before smartphones and tablets really took (Gameboy, PSP, etc). I have three children, two of them under the age of thirteen - give them a game to play using a keyboard to control it and they are just unable to do it. Give them a touchscreen device and they can play it fine with no problems. They're also fine with the gamepad on their PS3 too though, of course.

 

[GamerCaner]

I think it's good for anywhere casual gaming because you can't really carry a PS4 or Xbox or even Computer everywhere you go (Except a laptop). I think that being able to play on a touchscreen computer would be cool too, but not as cool as the classic keyboard. Overall gaming on a computer and gaming on a phone are both addictive.

 

[Jojo83]

I agree with you that nothing beats using keyboards or gamepads (or joysticks?) as opposed to using touch-screen. However, I think youngsters these days are becoming more accustomed to touch-screen devices when gaming. Playing on a smartphone or tablet PC isn't all that different from playing on a hand-held console, which became all the rage before smartphones and tablets really took (Gameboy, PSP, etc). I have three children, two of them under the age of thirteen - give them a game to play using a keyboard to control it and they are just unable to do it. Give them a touchscreen device and they can play it fine with no problems. They're also fine with the gamepad on their PS3 too though, of course.

Yeah I also agree with you. Maybe it's just a matter of what you have grown accustomed to using when growing up and playing games. For me, I have grown up playing with gameboy and consoles because it was what was popular back then. Now, children are more used to touchscreen panels when playing games because it is what's popular and mainstream today.

 

[c9h2ua]

I would say Yes.
Although the quality of those mobile games may not be as good as the PC games or Video games, they are still games.
Even though some of the games don't require any skills or strategies, I would consider them as gaming because you still need to spend time on playing it.