UlasanAnime.com – The notion that mobile gaming is inherently inferior or detrimental is a false one, according to a closer examination of the gaming landscape and its press coverage.
Recent articles on TechCrunch and Wrong Every Time highlight a prevailing sentiment that the gaming journalism sphere needs to reassess its perspectives. This sentiment resonates with the author’s observations, particularly concerning initial impressions and the rigid adherence to singular viewpoints within certain communities.
The debate extends to games as a form of entertainment. Ironically, visual novels like Fate/stay night, often dismissed by mainstream gamers, represent a more traditional form of gaming for their dedicated audience. This highlights a disconnect, as those who engage with visual novels are often positioned higher in the author’s metaphorical “circles of hell” for gamers, suggesting a more dedicated, albeit niche, following.
The Western visual novel fandom, as perceived by the author, is a mixed bag. It ranges from individuals who feel entitled to content without proper channels to those who subsist on the cultural remnants left by others. The author admits to being somewhat in the latter category, while acknowledging the presence of legitimate entrepreneurs who are now profiting from licensing and localizing these niche titles.
Comparing the negative impact of different gaming groups, the author notes that “Fate-Lunatics” primarily engage in casual online harassment, which is deemed less harmful. In contrast, the majority of mobile gamers, especially in Asia in terms of revenue, largely disregard Western game media’s criticisms of mobile gaming’s impact on finances. This is attributed to their active engagement with these games, rendering external opinions largely irrelevant. Western gamers, on the other hand, are a significant demographic, and the author suggests that negative aspects within the industry receive undue credit for undesirable outcomes. The ingrained, tradition-bound inertia of game-as-art narratives within gaming press tends to influence only those who actively seek it out, creating an echo chamber. The author posits that a more irreverent approach, akin to the comic book industry’s struggles, might be a future direction, but ultimately, the inherent fun of video games will continue to drive interest in new experiences.
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The discovery of new games often begins with recommendations from friends. When individuals find enjoyment in handheld, touch-based mobile games, they are less likely to be swayed by the snobbery often associated with them. There’s a growing undercurrent suggesting that social media is gradually supplanting traditional press and media. This is because online friends serve a dual purpose as both a support group and a discovery mechanism. This trend, coupled with the existing mobile snobbery, is likely to accelerate this shift. This dynamic also explains why significant ad revenue can be invested in mobile games, leading to a high number of installs, at least for certain titles. This circles back to the issues raised in the TechCrunch article concerning mobile gaming and the author’s initial reaction to the comments section.
The author expresses a sense of empathy, as if those criticizing mobile gaming have never experienced the simple joy of playing a game on a tablet or phone. The existence of quality mobile games is undeniable, and finding them is not an arduous task. Even games like Love Live! School Idol Festival, while catering to a specific demographic, are not inherently bad. The true irony, the author suggests, is that if the game press provided more comprehensive coverage of both the strengths and weaknesses of mobile gaming, public opinion might be more informed and balanced.
The convergence of these two narratives – the debate over the optimal viewing order for Fate/stay night: Unlimited Blade Works and the discourse surrounding the nature of mobile game press coverage – deeply resonates with the author, who identifies as a “Producer” and invests in titles like THE iDOLM@STER Million Live!. However, the author questions whether the Western gaming scene, with its narrow conception of what constitutes a “good game” and its often bigoted gatekeepers, truly deserves such quality. Bringing these experiences to a wider audience requires a degree of naivety and significant effort, especially against the prevailing pressure to conform. In Japan, players who started with games like Idolmaster: Anim@s are not considered inferior to those who have a longer history with arcade versions like Idolmaster: Arcadem@s. This inclusive fandom model has been instrumental in elevating games from dimly lit arcades to the status of major stadium attractions.
The author muses whether there are enough fans of the Nasuverse to foster a similar growth trajectory.
The author confesses to also struggling with feelings of comfort and belonging.
PS. Having lived through the introduction of the App Store, the author wonders if the initial pricing strategies and the underlying goal of promoting iOS device sales through a diverse ecosystem of affordable applications ultimately steered mobile gaming in a particular direction. For instance, while Apple frequently touts developer payouts at WWDC, developers might benefit from considering alternative scenarios where pricing is determined by them rather than Apple’s marketing. While Free-to-Play (F2P) is likely to remain the dominant trend, a more developer-centric pricing model could have potentially preserved more projects and developers, leading to a less device-dependent transition.
