The force of the tide of mobile gaming is too much to fight, so, in a spark of inspiration and perhaps some ‘if you can’t beat them, join them’, Opera GX Mobile is to be launched on iOS and the Android operating system. The launch marks the creation of the first mobile browser designed for gaming. According to developers at Opera GX, the browser is the only one of its kind that connects gamers with the ‘digital ecosystem’ surrounding video games. But what will the browser do and why do we need it?
You can now take the world’s first gaming browser with you when you’re AFK!🏃
Announcing Opera GX for iOS: https://t.co/RqGA1iM2rO & for Android: https://t.co/VvjUPdRGyA😍 Be among the first to test out the beta version! pic.twitter.com/hiRK7GnL1C
— Opera (@opera) May 20, 2021
What Is Opera GX Mobile?
The platform aims to be a one-stop-shop for all manner of gaming activities. Players will be able to connect with streaming site Twitch, YouTube, and even Reddit to help build gaming communities, ask questions, and create buzz around games. Vibrations and haptic feedback will be included, as will an option to ‘fast track’ certain sites or platforms within Opera GX Mobile. The GX Corner will provide a rundown of daily news. Interestingly, the platform also features an ad-blocker.
How Important Are Mobile Entertainment Options?
A platform to consolidate gaming in one place for mobiles could be beneficial. The gaming community is spread out over a number of platforms (depending on how intensively people are involved with gaming). The catch-all platform could provide a good springboard for those who are yet to become seasoned gamers. This could work well given how many more casual gamers exist on mobile than in console or PC gaming.
Mobile gaming has continued to thrive and now accounts for more than half of all global gaming revenue, so it is clearly the medium where most gamers spend their time. We can see just how influential it is with the range of non-mobile gaming franchises that have migrated to mobile. 2016 saw the world change when Niantic’s Pokémon Go launched on mobiles, a move away from the typical format. Similarly, Crash Bandicoot also spun onto mobiles with Crash Bandicoot: On the Run, the scrolling game that mimics the gameplay of the original platform games.
Nefarious by name nefarious by nature, don’t run outta time 😉 to beat N. Tropy, climb the leaderboard and win more rewards in Season 2 pic.twitter.com/fn0YK7j5ZN
— Crash Bandicoot: On the Run (@CrashOnTheRun) May 7, 2021
Other aspects of online entertainment also prove just how important mobile accessibility is. For instance, online casino gaming site Casushi provides a wide range of slots and games that can be accessed via mobile devices. Optimizing its core content for those who play on mobile shows the site understands how important on-the-go gameplay can be. The style of gaming presented by the slots is conducive for mobile devices and befits the way that people actually want to engage with it.
So, with mobile being such a powerful tool for digital engagement, it’s no surprise that Opera GX would want to launch a mobile-specific browser. The more people who use the browser for gaming uses will further reinforce the importance of mobile gaming. As other major sites – i.e. TikTok – have shown us, people are eager for the next big thing. So, with mobile gaming being so prevalent, maybe this next big thing is Opera GX Mobile.
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