Online gaming is a major phenomenon today. Its audience base and unparalleled revenue growth challenge other forms of entertainment, such as the film, music, and traditional sports industries. According to Newzoo, its global market was worth $152 billion in 2019 and is expected to reach $196 billion in 2022.
Many factors and key figures contribute to online gaming’s undeniable and unstoppable growth. Yet the most notable of them all is mobile gaming, known as the largest gaming platform responsible for $68.5 billion from the $152 billion revenue in 2019. That along with 2.4 billion people playing mobile games, it is certainly the future of the gaming industry.
So, the more important question now is, who leads the present and future of mobile gaming? Let’s have a look at the five biggest players in the world. Read on about their background and developed games, and see whether or not they are available on the best esports betting site.
Activision Blizzard | California, U.S.
Founded in July 2008, Activision Blizzard is a Santa Monica-based video game holding company that owns and operates studios like Treyarch, Infinity Ward, and High Moon Studios.
In just a decade, they have produced best-selling and globally renowned video games. Ranging from the first-person shooter (FPS) and massively multiplayer online role-playing (MMORPG) to free-to-play puzzle matches, all of these are available on various platforms, including mobile phones. To give you an idea, below are some of their notable works:
- Call of Duty
- Candy Crush Saga
- Crash Bandicoot
- World of Warcraft
- Hearthstone.
Tencent | Shenzhen, China
With a market worth $44,263 million, China is the home to some of the world’s largest video game companies and most number of video gamers. Hence, it’s called the ‘Games Industry Capital of the World’.
After the Chinese national government lifted the ban on video game consoles in 2015, conglomerates like Tencent Holdings dominated the mobile gaming market with titles like Arena of Valor and PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds (PUBG) port. The latter’s Chinese mobile versions topped the global mobile gaming chart by revenue in 2020.
Google | California, U.S.
Of course, we wouldn’t want this list to miss out on Google. The multinational tech company has covered almost every aspect of the tech industry. They have their own app shop, namely, Google Play, where users may download programmes similar to those found in Apple's app store.
Supercell | Helsinki, Finland
Supercell was one of the world’s leading mobile gaming companies in 2019, where they were valued at an impressive $10 billion. Albeit being a fairly new name in the industry in 2010, their astonishing growth was due to their most notable titles like Clash of Clans and Hay Day.
Nintendo | Kyoto, Japan
Nintendo remains a major powerhouse in the gaming sector since their inception in 1889. They continue to venture into the new scene by annexing their classic and best-selling games into mobile gaming applications. Examples include Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp, Super Mario Run, and Dragalia Lost, among others.
This 2021, however, the news reported that they are bringing Super Smash Bros. and Splatoon into esports at the high school level. While you may not find them at the best esports betting site, they are certainly a much-awaited project.
