Porting a game from a console or PC to a mobile is a common and often necessary tactic in the modern age of game development. Ports help a company reach new customers, sell more units, and raise the profile of the work they’re proud of. It can also create issues when poorly managed, with results that can harm the player experience and developer reputation.
This is due to the complexities and differences of the varied platforms and the challenges their hardware represents. The challenge of mobile porting is most common nowadays. Some works successfully while other fails. So what exactly are the issues here, and why do so many games and developers struggle to leap?
Visual Style and Substance
The first big hurdle that many developers will face when porting from the PC or consoles is the limited processing potential of mobile devices. This is a reflection of less interior space, which restricts component size and cooling, along with emphasizing battery life. A mobile system will always be less powerful than a static one, as demonstrated so clearly in console gaming by the Nintendo Switch.
The Switch is a strong illustration here of how some games can fall far behind their counterparts. This is because many games push the boundaries too far on other systems to ever be scaled back effectively, and smartphones and tablets can have the same problem. The only real valid solution here is for developers to look clearly at which details can be dialed back, and then release a port that targets the fastest mobile platforms. This worked for the Resident Evil 4 Remake, but again, the results weren’t perfect.
Otherwise, the best games that can be ported to mobiles from these consoles, from a visual perspective, are those that emphasize style over raw polygon count and detail. Games that take this direction often age the best, too, looking great no matter the era, and no matter the device.
Working Within Control Restrictions
Control restrictions are the second-largest issue that appears with porting a game.
On the positive side, we have online casino games, which have come from PCs to be huge and streamlined hits on mobiles. This is because when you play poker on your phone, control and navigation are already simple enough to work perfectly with touch input. Whether collecting bonuses like deposit matches on services like 888 Poker or Party Poker, creating an account, or jumping into a game, the streamlined nature of the titles lends itself to a faultless playstyle.
On the other side, we have titles like shooters or fighting games that require fast-paced and accurate input. Without having touch feedback to rely upon, it’s impossible to perform at a high level in these games, creating an unbridgeable divide between mobile players and those on PC/consoles.
The takeaway here is that, in some instances, games just can’t be ported to mobiles in a way that does their design justice. While this can be disappointing for mobile players, it can be better than being an inferior and massively cut-down version of a game that betrays the original title’s vision. At least there is still a huge library of releases that can make the jump without issues, but this can still be a poor consolation for some.
