Mobile gaming has been an explosive genre within the gaming sphere, with games like Mobile Legends, Genshin Impact and Warzone showing off that triple AAA gaming on mobile was not only possible but also incredibly profitable. One of the key features of mobile gaming in this generation has been cross-platform integration, which has let games like Diablo: Immortal and Genshin Impact flourish.
For this reason, there have been multiple attempts to help add some quality of life and experiment with how we interact with mobile games. The Ouya was something of a sacrificial lamb to prove what the mobile gaming market really catered towards, and that was its accessibility, mobility, and obviously not having to buy another console. That’s why we’ve seen innovations in phone design, like the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold4 that lets you play games while responding to messages, or play games like a classic Gameboy flip, while still being a phone.
Another reason why mobile gaming has been more lucrative and accessible this generation has been thanks to high-speed internet and storage space becoming more affordable. Service providers like Optus have been investing heavily in their networks, allowing gaming on your phone to have high-speed downloads and reduced latency, letting you stay competitive in those clutch matches online. These also allow developers to push the envelopes of graphic fidelity in the game, as players can download these heftier-sized games and play them on the go without serious lag issues or a drop in quality without a network connection.
Mobile gaming has made a nice home in the live streaming space and is steadily rising on Youtube.
Samuel Matthew is a professional Esports player and Twitch streamer who has been experimenting within the mobile gaming space for a while now. After representing professional Esports on this season of Channel Nine’s Beauty & The Geek, Sam has mostly been focusing on his livestreaming career and looking to innovate the space.
We asked Sam to tell us more about their career in livestreaming and how they are incorporating mobile into their daily gaming habits.
Tell us a bit about yourself and how your passion for gaming turned into your career.
I started playing games when I was very young on the Playstation 2; I always wanted to play online but couldn’t due to the internet capabilities where I was growing up. Eventually, I was able to get an Xbox 360 and play call of duty online which is where I immediately fell in love with online gaming.
It wasn’t until 2016 or 2017 that I bought a PC and started to play Counter-Strike, it was then that I started a small team and started competing in online and in person tournaments. Over time the hobby just grew, and I started to do volunteer work, which then turned into paid work. It was just a series of long and hard work to get to where I am today, although I don’t play competitively anymore, I still absolutely love the game and everything it has brought me in life.
Has the gaming community embraced you after your appearance on Beauty + The Geek?
I’ve been a well-known member of the Esports community for quite a number of years now. When I first got the call up for Beauty and the Geek I was trying to figure out what the reception would be like, I had an idea that I would get some hate but mostly positive reception. Once I was announced, it was amazing to see the whole Esports and gaming community getting around it all, the support was amazing and I’ve had multiple people tell me that they tuned in every night to watch. It was honestly such a surreal experience.
I remember growing up and the Australian internet was not equipped to handle live streaming. Do you think Australia has been adapting more to Livestream culture since infrastructure upgrades?
I remember learning about streaming while I was still in high school, I had awful internet and could barely even download a game update let alone stream one. As technology has grown, Australia has seen the creation of countless content creators. It’s crucial to have a high quality and stable connection to be able to produce the content you want to create for people, i’m interested to see how far streaming and content creation can evolve over time.
A ton of video game studios are investing heavily in mobile gaming. Do you see a future where all the biggest triple AAA games are on mobile?
Although mobile games are continuously evolving, I don’t see them catching up to proper PC or console triple AAA titles. This is due to how much power you can fit inside a phone, technology will always be getting better and so will gaming, however, PCs will always have stronger technology for gaming than mobiles will.
I can only see mobile gaming getting bigger and better though.
Do you use your phone to game on the go? How else do you use your phone to connect with the community?
I don’t always play games when I’m on the go as I mainly like to play PC games, but what I always do is watch Esports tournaments on twitch, gaming content via Youtube and everything within those categories. I always make sure I have a big screen, or a high refresh rate so I can watch and not miss anything important. Phones like the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold4 are perfect for this type of stuff as you can have two screens running allowing you to multitask or if you’re like me, a massive screen to watch things on.
How has the gaming community changed from when you were growing up?
The gaming community was much smaller when I was growing up, it had the classic stereotype of basement dweller of their mum’s basement. Over time though it has grown, it’s not seen as it used to be and can now be seen as a healthy hobby. I think the time has a way of changing things for the better in a lot of cases and that’s definitely the case here as well.
What streaming platform do you prefer to use and why?
I prefer to use Twitch as my streaming platform, it’s easy to use and manage and it caters to my audience and my needs.
How do streaming apps like Streamlabs OBS run on mobile?
Streamlabs OBS on mobile runs extremely smooth, you will need a decent phone and a decent internet connection (Optus network would be the best for this). Thankfully technology has grown and almost anyone can stream on Twitch now, they can create fun and unique content from the comfort of their phone.
What are some quality of life changes you’d like to see for Mobile Gaming that’d make your job easier?
There are numerous changes that could be made, however, I would say that mobile gaming is fine as it is. If you want things to be easier, then you should prioritise a fast phone with a good screen and fast connection. Worry about the things you have and overtime technology and mobile gaming will grow into bigger and better things.
You can catch Sam live on Twitch at TheThamShow for some great Counter Strike gameplay.
And if you’d like to learn more about the Optus network click here.
Leave a Reply