World of Warcraft Meets Candy Crush

Since 2012, experts have predicted that mobile gaming will eventually supersede the traditional console and desktop platforms. Few have put a specific date on this, however, although the recent growth of the mobile platform suggests that we may have already reached this point in time. This can also be surmised by the fact that numerous console game developers have made a move into the mobile market, in a bid to acquire a share of this popular and increasingly lucrative sector.

Take developer Activision Blizzard, for example, which is renowned for creating Call of Duty and World of Warcraft on the console platform. Recently, it decided to pay an estimated £3.8 billion for the UK mobile firm responsible for the popular Candy Crush saga, which has gained huge popularity in the social media realm. This huge investment marks a sizable shift in strategy, as the brand eschews its traditional roots to establish a presence in the mobile market.

The Candy Crush Saga, developed by King, is one of the most popular social and mobile games, with the California firm earning many of its 470 million monthly active users through the title. By capturing King and its games, Activision has made a bold statement concerning their future direction, with the firm paying a 20% premium on available shares in a bid to complete a quick and comprehensive deal. This also serves as a wider trend for the gaming industry as a whole, with even console and desktop developers looking to claim a slice of the mobile market.

While this news is seminal for all mobile casino and gaming brands, it may not sound the death knell for traditional console and desktop platforms. Instead, it seems to herald the dawn of cross-platform gaming on a significant scale, with developers like Activision likely to extend their library of available titles while also making these accessible across mobile, console and desktop mediums.

This trend has already emerged in recent times, with devices such as Google’s Chromecast creating the opportunity for gamers to enjoy titles across various platforms. The movement of traditional game developers into the mobile market will subsequently create a more fluid and integrated industry, generating new opportunities to profit and optimising the experience for all gamers.