Report shows that AAA games for iPhone and iPad aren't a hit with users

Playing desktop style AAA games in the form factor of a smartphone just sucks, its awkward and clunky, unless you have a handheld cradle or controller mount.

Nobody wants to spend 50 dollars on a game that will stop functioning with an iOS update 2 years from now. Even online purchases on console work for ~10 - 15 years.

I experimented with streaming PC games to my iPhone via SteamLink. Nifty concept, but playing traditional PC/console style games on a phone isn't much fun. Your thumbs obscure 1/3 of the screen and the UI elements are often too small to reliably tap. You really have to design the mobile experience independently of the desktop/console experience, and then account for the fact that the two markets are often very different.

I'd be interested to see the breakdown for something like Genshin Impact, which was a true cross-platform release. Mobile gaming is huge in China so there's strong incentive to make it a first-class citizen.

Paying big prices for old AAA games on a substandard UI isn't a winning proposition. Most people already have those old games on Steam or their console if they want them. While we're on that topic, using the App store generally sucks compared to Steam and isn't cross-platform, so people are WAY more likely to buy a game on Steam instead.

The article seems to overlook one factor, which is that all of these releases previously came out on other platforms, so a lot of the people who might be interested in playing them already had an opportunity to buy and play them on a better gaming platform.

I do think the price point is likely to be an issue, as suggested by the article, though. The price for RE4 seems to be quite steep based on what's in the store listing (and they go out of their way to hide it, presumably so you'll try the free part first) - it looks like it's ~$40 right now, and based on some news articles I dug up, it was originally $60. That's a big up-front price for a phone game, even if it's really an AAA console experience. And you can't plug it in to your TV and undock the joycons like you can with a Switch title.

Does anyone know whether titles like RE4 iOS have crossplay on macbooks? Or would you have to buy it twice?

The thing is….

If I want to play a AAA game, and can afford it, and the latest fancy iPhone to play it, then there is a good chance I have. Gaming PC or Console only it on!

And for people that can’t afford or don’t have a Gaming PC or console, it seems unlikely they want to drop $100 on a game for their iPhone that can’t even run it!

Also, you can get the latest XBox or PS5 for a 3rd of the price of the latest iPhone Pro required for the latest AAA games!

There just isn’t basic product market for at the price points demanded by publishers :-/

People played Fortnite on iOS and iPadOS because it was free and synched to their main accounts!

It's not fashion I'd say. But it's a lot better than cloud gaming on phones.

I have one of those attachments for my Xbox controller where I strap my phone in. The last two games I've finished has been from my bed, using the Steam Link app, and it's been great.

A flip side is 2007scape mobile. The mobile client makes grinding easier whilst on the toilet, driving, operating heavy machinery, etc

Would be great if you could play a AAA game for just a small additional fee (to basically cover porting costs) if you already own it on a different platform.

Yeah I'm absolutely not surprised. Controls are terrible and you're going to drain the phone's battery. You can make it a little better if you buy accessories, but then you need to carry those accessories around and it doesn't solve the battery issue.

It makes a ton more sense to just get a standalone device and play games on that instead.

Incidentally, the release of the Delta emulator drove more attention to mobile gaming than all those AAA games combined.

How exactly are they measuring this? Apple won’t release those numbers; they’re between the App Store and the developer.

could it be that AAA games in general are more AAA because of budget and less because of the fun? Take crab champions, silly little indie game you can pick up for 14 dollars, which will bring you more hours of fun than a lot of AAA titles of the same genre.