Handset makers look to gamers

Barcelona: Smartphone makers hope video games will help them stand out in a crowded market with dwindling sales, but analysts warn that handsets don´t have the power or the screen size to lure hardcore players.

Video games on smartphones have taken off in recent years and accounted for nearly half of the global video game market in 2018, according to a report from French telecoms research group Idate.

"Most analysts predict the mobile game industry is moving towards a focus on casual players. ´Hardcore´ gamers that care about displays would probably much rather play on a dedicated portable console," said Fitch Solutions analyst Cristina Liberal.

The purchase by China´s biggest gaming group Tencent of a majority stake in Finnish mobile game maker Supercell in 2016 highlights the growing focus on the mobile video game market, she added.

Smartphone video game competitions are now held, especially in China where Tencent launched its widely popular mobile strategy game "Honor of Kings" in 2015.

And popular games such as "Clash of Clans" and its successor "Clash Royale", which were developed by Supercell, are now a regular part of the esports scene where they can be played on mobile phones.