The growing dominance of mobile over other gaming platforms like console and PC is something that has attracted plenty of media attention and discussion over the past year or two.
However, a statistic that might have slipped under many radars is that mobile gaming in Australia is absolutely exploding. Worldwide, mobile accounts for more than 60 percent of gaming. But in Australia, an incredible 85 percent of gamers cite mobile as their platform of choice.
The advantages that mobile gaming brings has been discussed ad nauseum elsewhere, and we will not go into them yet again here. However, there are also some downsides to playing a game on your mobile that cannot be ignored. Once again, the Australian market is leading the way when it comes to sales of accessories that address these issues, and the rest of the world is following close behind. Let’s take a look at what’s hot Down Under in the world of mobile gaming accessories, and why.
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A phone grip staves off carpal tunnel syndrome
Holding your phone in the landscape position so your thumbs can work their magic can lead to soreness in the hands and worse. Carpal tunnel syndrome is a pressure on the nerves in your wrist that can cause tingling, numbness and pain across the hands and fingers. The trouble with it is that while you can treat it at home, it takes an age to disappear, and once you’ve had it once, it is liable to flare up again given the slightest encouragement.
A phone grip is a simple solution to what can turn into a serious problem. Manufacturers like SUNCHI, GameSir and COOBILE all have good-quality grips available. Even if you go for the most expensive you can find, you will struggle to pay more than $20, so it is definitely a worthwhile investment.
Casino gamers always bring their own power
Gaming on the go is great, right up to the moment you glance at the screen, miles from anywhere, and see the battery is suddenly down to three percent. Even the most innocuous-looking games can have a surprisingly harsh impact on your battery, and in the gambling-mad Australian market, it is a particularly significant issue for online casino players.
After all, if the phone powers off during most games, it is an annoyance. But when playing online pokies for real money in Australia, it could be disastrous, especially if you were on the verge of hitting the jackpot on your favorite pokie game! A power bank is an essential accessory, whether you play casino games or some other type. There is an extensive choice out there, and again, you will get change from $20.
A controller makes mobile FPS games a whole lot easier
Developers have done an amazing job in porting games from console to mobile without fundamentally changing the overall experience. But still, with genres like first person shooters, trying to run, look around, aim your weapon and fire, all from a touchscreen, can be fiddly, to put it mildly, especially if you are accustomed to playing with a controller.
Games like Call of Duty: Warzone Mobile, which soft launched in Australia a few weeks ago, are a perfect example. Some players have happily mastered the touchscreen controls, but many have found that a mobile controller that attaches to the handset makes the games far easier and more intuitive to play.
Razer is, of course, an established brand in the mobile gaming space, and its Raju Mobile controller has been a big seller in Australia. It’s a little more expensive than the other accessories we have looked at, costing about $80, but it is well worth considering if you are part of the mobile FPS gaming revolution. Cheaper options are around for half the money, but try before you buy, as you get what you pay for.