Throw out everything you think you know about gamers. Believe it or not, it isn’t teenage boys or millennial men in their 30’s that make up the largest demographic of gamers, but adult women, many of whom are mothers…that’s right…mom gamers!
And if you’re reading this blog, this mom gamers label may just describe you! So how did mothers go from buying video games for their sons and daughters to playing them? In an answer that will perhaps come as no surprise, smartphones and tablets had a lot to do with it.
Mobile Brings Gaming to the Masses
Put simply, mobile devices like smartphones and tablets are what opened the floodgates. Suddenly, anyone and everyone could play video games. They are easy-to-play, easy-to-find, easy-to-download, and perhaps most importantly, affordable as well.
With Xbox & PS3 console games routinely costing $60+, it’s easy to see how their core target demographic may be rather limited. Mobile games by comparison can often be downloaded for free.
Suddenly, with smartphones and tablets making it possible for people of all backgrounds to play games on a whim, the barriers to entry were eliminated.
If everyone has a gaming device in his or her pocket and video games are free, why wouldn’t people play, moms included. Moms do a lot of waiting at doctor offices, practices, school pick-up’s. Filling time with a good-feel free game of Panda Pop is perfect for mom gamers.
Of course, it isn’t just availability that makes mobile games popular with moms. The limited computing capacity of early mobile devices forced game developers to create titles that offered novel and compelling gameplay – they could no longer simply overwhelm gamers with brilliant graphics.
Game titles like Angry Birds, Cut the Rope, Fruit Ninja, and Candy Crush require minimal computing power, but are also incredibly fun to play. They harken back to classic computer game titles like Tetris, which might be simplistic, but make up for their so-called deficiencies with addictive gameplay.
Cracking that code was key to broadening the appeal of video games. Suddenly, smartphones and tablets made it possible for moms to play games for five minutes or 50 minutes at a time.
A mobile game doesn’t require the same commitment level that a console game does, which makes them easy to pick-up and start playing. Combined with novel gameplay, accessibility, and availability, mobile games started an upward climb in popularity that hasn’t yet dissipated.
The Future of “Mom Gaming”
What can we expect in the near future of mobile gaming? Well if a recent phenomenon like Pokémon Go can tell us anything, it’s that mobile will continue to surprise!
From being a non-entity a couple of weeks ago to a bona fide worldwide phenomenon in a matter of days, Pokémon Go also shows that mobile still has the ability and power to capture the imagination of the world at large.
It’s easy to get blasé about new mobile apps these days, being that so many of them are relegated to the digital “junk pile;” but mobile gaming is clearly here to stay!
It isn’t hard to see why Pokemon Go is popular with moms. For one, it can be played with children –hunting Pokémon with your kids is a perfect way to engage with them one-on-one. Pokémon Go also is a terrific fitness companion, as it forces people to get out of the house and be mobile (appropriate, as it’s played on mobile devices!)
Sitting on your couch at home doesn’t work when playing Pokémon Go – it’s called Pokémon Go after all, not Pokémon Sit. And then there’s the shared nature of the game. Not only are people sharing their hunts on social media, but the game itself encourages socializing.
In larger parts of the country, such as Los Angeles or New York, hundreds of people might be at a single PokeStop at the same time! All of the factors make for a game that is immensely appealing.
Mom Gamers, You’ve Forever Changed Gaming
Mobile gaming has fundamentally changed the video game industry, and mothers have played a crucial role. The future is exciting indeed. Today’s mobile processors are capable of producing immersive visual graphics which could open up all new worlds and gaming experiences, including virtual reality.
The future really is limitless. But as Pokémon Go shows, when it comes to mobile, gamers – mom gamers included – often prefer gameplay that is accessible, fun, and addictive. So who knows what tomorrow’s games will look like.
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