I count myself among the lucky owners of a tablet. It has become indispensable in my daily life and is a true enrichment for me. I organize my notes with it, browse the web, and write my articles for my studies or My MMO. Including the one I’m writing right now.
Alongside all the pointless stuff, I also play games on it. Innovative games provide the necessary entertainment during my boring lectures. This includes games like Candy Crush, Clash of Clans, or Angry Birds, which many are already familiar with from their smartphones. But I’ve also engaged in a few Hearthstone duels in the lecture hall. Additionally, amidst all the choices, there are real gaming hits for tablets. Thus, they have quickly established themselves as a gaming platform. And I am far from the only one gaming on flat devices with touchscreens.
One in ten Germans play on tablets
Approximately 8 million people in Germany regularly play on tablets. That’s more than one in ten Germans (11 percent). This information comes from the game association BIU (Federal Association of Interactive Entertainment Software). According to their data, about 62 percent of tablet players play several times a week or even daily on their devices.
“Tablets have established themselves as a gaming platform in record time. Fast processors and graphic chips, high-resolution screens, and a continually growing range of different game apps are fostering the desire to play in more and more people,” says Dr. Maximilian Schenk, managing director of BIU. I can only agree with the growing selection: I was quite surprised when I found GTA III and Final Fantasy in the app store.
I also find it particularly interesting that one in five tablet players is between 40 and 49 years old, and 16 percent are 50 years and older. According to Dr. Maximilian Schenk, this can be attributed to the simple and intuitive control via touchscreen, which many people can handle right away, even those who have rarely or never played before.
Game apps for tablets and smartphones have developed into one of the most important growth drivers for the digital gaming market. Alone in Germany, revenue in the first half of 2014 increased by 133 percent compared to the same period last year, amounting to 114 million euros.
Nvidia Shield: Specifically developed gaming tablet
NVIDIA also sees great potential in the business of game apps. With the NVIDIA Shield, the developer of graphics processors and chipsets produces a gaming tablet of superlatives. Not only can you play games, but you can also stream compatible PC games via Wi-Fi. Own games can also be live-streamed on the gaming platform Twitch.
The software technology specifically designed by NVIDIA even enables playing renowned titles such as Final Fantasy XIV on the Shield tablet. And thanks to the separately available Shield controller, you’ll master the complex controls in the game as well. The MMORPG surprise hit from Japan is, after all, compatible with the mobile gaming system and enjoys full controller support, as can be seen in the video:
The Gaming Tablet Shield is available on Amazon.de for about 299€.
An MMO on the tablet?
It sounds strange, but it’s true, as the guys from Gameloft prove. In Order & Chaos Online, true MMO feeling comes to the tablet. The entire style of the game is heavily inspired by Blizzard’s blockbuster World of Warcraft. The fun and addictive factor of “Order & Chaos Online” is surprisingly close to that of its big brother, World of Warcraft, considering it’s a mobile game. The MMORPG is available for Android and iOS, and can even be played on smartphones like the iPhone. You should definitely give it a try.
Conclusion: I believe tablets bring plenty of potential for a good gaming platform. They could potentially bridge the gap between consoles and PCs. Many of us are already using a tablet daily, whether in university, at work, or while reading on the train. They are simply much more convenient than a laptop and offer nearly all the possibilities that a laptop does. I won’t even start on the battery. Therefore, it makes sense to game on our daily companion, doesn’t it?
Especially with a game like Hearthstone, the tablet proves to be an intuitive marvel. I haven’t played Hearthstone on PC since then. But a proper MMO on a tablet? Order & Chaos Online is a good example that an MMO can be managed on a tablet. However, it also quickly shows you the limits of “handling,” at least for my taste. I simply need the haptic feedback of a mouse and keyboard. Quick game situations, like those in PVP, simply can’t be handled with the tapping on a screen. Although there are special gaming tablets with controllers – like the Shield from NVIDIA – the controllers do not support every game.
Could you imagine playing future MMOs on a tablet?
