Apple's AAA mobile gaming efforts seem to be failing

A clusterfuck of on screen controls

iOS ports of major console games like Resident Evil 4, Assassin’s Creed Mirage, and Death Stranding have seemingly faced lackluster sales as recent sales estimates reveal low figures.

If these figures are accurate, Assassin’s Creed Mirage garnered only around $138,000 from 123,000 downloads, with less than 3,000 users opting to purchase the full game after a free trial. Analysts note that while these are estimates, they reflect a broader trend where mobile gamers may prefer simpler, indie titles that offer unique art styles and gameplay suited to shorter play sessions. Also, keep in mind that the games require the latest iPhone and iPad models, limiting their potential audience.

Sales figure estimates said:
Appfigures estimateAppmagic estimate
Resident Evil 47,00015,000
Resident Evil Village5,75034,000
Assassin's Creed Mirage3,0005,750
Death Stranding10,60023,000

According to the experts, the market segmentation is likely the cause as consumers who can afford premium iOS devices likely also own consoles or high end PCs where these games are traditionally played. This overlap suggests that mobile ports of console games face an uphill battle in attracting gamers who may already be invested in other platforms. Of course, the relatively high prices of these ports, coupled with the different gaming habits on mobile platforms, further complicate their market.

Would you play these kind of AAA titles on mobile over a traditional PC or console experience?

:arrow: Source
 

Oliver-Hoschi

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Gaming on Phones is still weird. The Xperia Play was a good thing, but on screen controls sucks apples. I never play on my phone, ok sometimes some simple games like some zuma clones. But AAA Titles on Phones? No its good that this is failing before everyone does it. If you want to play games on a train or plane, you have plenty of options, from steemdeck to switch or some emulations devices. All of them have better controls than a phone.

And dont get me started on gaming tablets or gaming phones. Every month a manufacturer come out with a "gaming" tablet/phone, and everytime i search for the controls. Sorry, but a gaming tablet or Phone must come with controls and not with only the graphical power to play games. Without controls, its just an ordinary tablet/phone on steroids.
 

tech3475

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People use handhelds such as the Switch, Steam Deck, and the likes so it's normal to use a 5" or bigger screen for portable gaming.

But it's missing one important part: The controller attachment which not everyone has as they don't want or can't be bothered to.

I find by the time I add a controller that works with my flip cases, it adds too much bulk to my pocket and if I have a backpack then I might as well look at carrying something like my Steam Deck, Analogue Pocket, Switch, etc.

That's not including issues such as battery life concerns, if my Steam Deck dies that's an inconvenience, if my mobile dies that could cause allot more problems e.g. unable to contact people. Carry a power bank? Again that's yet another thing.
 

dragonblood9999

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I've only bought three games on my phone: Stardew Valley, Dragon Quest, and Dragon Quest II. It's mainly because I had credit from doing surveys with Google Rewards, and the only reason I bought them was because Google Rewards credits have an expiration date. I've played them maybe two to three hours total because it's a big inconvenience to me; my hands block the screen, and the controls aren't the best.
 
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Menelkir

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It gets worse. Those companies are also releasing their games to macOS and say "it's optimized for macOS" when in reality it uses catalyst, they throw the mobile app on macOS and think everyone is stupid enough to buy it as it was a native macOS app, that's hilarious.
 
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Justinde75

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Touchscreen control ports of console games may have been a cool concept 10 years ago but its just not a thing that people want anymore. Even if you'd have a gamepad with you at all times alot of people just dont want or have the time to play full games like that. I wouldnt want to carry around a controller with me all the time to play something like re4 or death stranding.
 

whitesword7

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The mobile gaming space has trained their userbase to never spend a dime and now expect them to drop bank? :rofl2:
mobile players are cooked man… on one hand you have people that are used to gambling and spending 500$ just to unlock a character, on the other hand you have people that got used to play games for free
 

JafarAckbar

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>Basically a US house mortgage to purchase an iPhone 15 Pro Max to really enjoy the game at full performance.
>Charging $40 for a Walking Sim
>Usual Apple market is made for the upper class and Elite
>Abysmal battery life

Who would've thunk? The only mobile games I've seen either in public or being talked in the internet are Mihoyo's latest gacha cash grabs. My boyfriend barely spends 20 min on Honkai Starrail when he's doing his dailies.
 
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Menelkir

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>Basically a US house mortgage to purchase an iPhone 15 Pro Max to really enjoy the game at full performance.
>Charging $40 for a Walking Sim
>Usual Apple market is made for the upper class and Elite
>Abysmal battery life

Who would've thunk? The only mobile games I've seen either in public or being talked in the internet are Mihoyo's latest gacha cash grabs. My boyfriend barely spends 20 min on Honkai Starrail when he's doing his dailies.
And yet, the awaited "native port" of Honkai Impact was an ipad version using catalyst, so probably others will be the same, which is laughable.
 

raxadian

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Honesty if Apple had ported those same games to the Macs the sales would have been better. Sure there aren't as many Mac users as Iphone users but they wouldn't be ports stuck on phones.
 
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Project68K

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There is a future where mobile games are much better, but in order to do that, the people who make mobile games need to think more outside the box, innovate, and tell all these freeloaders who bitch about paying to go play Candy Crush or something.

The first thing to do would be making a game made with touch controls in mind, that is actually fun to play, and costs a reasonable price.
 
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Scarlet

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having to buy the game on a separated mobile store to play on the smartphone without controller and having to worry about battery duration on a daily driver? erm
There is surprising value to be had for those in the Apple ecosystem, since games can be used on iOS/iPad/M Series Mac interchangeably. It's impressive in a way, but with it not being one of the major storefronts people are probably already invested in it's an uphill challenge.
 

ZeroFX

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There is surprising value to be had for those in the Apple ecosystem, since games can be used on iOS/iPad/M Series Mac interchangeably. It's impressive in a way, but with it not being one of the major storefronts people are probably already invested in it's an uphill challenge.
Hmm so it's for all the arm apple devices, so then I could see some value, like if you only have apple stuff.
 
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Menelkir

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There is surprising value to be had for those in the Apple ecosystem, since games can be used on iOS/iPad/M Series Mac interchangeably. It's impressive in a way, but with it not being one of the major storefronts people are probably already invested in it's an uphill challenge.
If only works like that and the controls aren't wonky.
Playcover does a good job tho (that apple didn't, which is not a surprise).
 

LoggerMan

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Apple is in no rush to make space in the AAA gaming area. Clearly Apple thought Epic needed Fortnite in the App Store more than Apple did. But Apple is putting up devices with monster processors in them and young people in the US are buying them like hotcakes. AAA gaming will come eventually.
 

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