Is mobile gaming “real” gaming, though? With roughly 3.5 billion smartphone users worldwide and 2.5 billion using those devices to play games, it was only a matter of time before esports organizations and game publishers began to cash in on this growing audience. “Lite” versions of popular esports titles such as Call of Duty Mobile, PUBG Mobile and the just-announced League of Legends: Wild Rift allows gamers to play and compete on hardware they already own, which lowers the barrier to entry for mobile esports.

In addition, cloud gaming is blurring the lines between what we used to consider casual vs. hardcore gaming experiences. These services are typically limited to Android devices, but Microsoft announced that that it is planning to bring Cloud Gaming with Xbox Game Pass Ultimate to iOS in 2021.

Mobile esports attracts more than just users — these games bring in the money, too. PUBG Mobile topped mobile game sales in November 2020 with a whopping $2.6 billion. A majority of esports industry revenue is generated by sponsorships, so following the money usually offers a good indicator of where things are headed.

The world’s largest telecommunication brands are not only investing in esports as a partner but creating their own teams and competitions, as well. AT&T was a founding partner of ESL Mobile Open, for example. Deutsche Telekom, the parent company of T-Mobile, owns a stake in SK Gaming, which fields a professional Clash Royale team. SK Gaming is a joint venture between T1 and Comcast. ESL launched a 5K mobile tournament with Vodafone in 2019.

Newzoo predicts that it will take another four years before 5G hits the mainstream when at least half of smartphones will be 5G-ready. In the meantime, telcos and phone manufacturers are planting the seeds of loyalty with esports sponsorships that double as product demonstrations.

The inaugural Vodafone 5G ESL Mobile Open finals were played on the Huawei Mate 20X 5G smartphone. Thanks to a partnership with Samsung, Team Queso competes using a Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra 5G. Verizon went a bit further by establishing an entire 5G training center for Dignitas, which fields multiple teams including one for Clash Royale.

As we look to the new year and count the days until we can attend live esports events, keep an eye on mobile — it has a bright future ahead.

Photo courtesy of Activision