this post was submitted on 13 Jul 2023
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I don't think this is ever an obstacle when one of the most popular games out there is Stardew Valley, which can run on mobile without even straining it. There is a whole ecosystem of indie games that could be run on mobile just fine, but even indie developers are more likely to target PC as the primary platform.
As for ergonomics, that's pretty much a circular problem from games not being made for mobile in the first place. Games designed around touch controls, like Monument Valley, can have pretty good ergonomics. Those trying to emulate buttons and analog sticks, not so much.
Unfortunately, more than anything I believe the real obstacle is the culture created around apps, where users are driven away if they have to pay anything at all, and even a $20 price point is nigh unthinkable. So mobile games all lean towards microtransactions, which often makes the monetization of those games downright predatory, at expense of the fun. They look "free" until they trick the player into spending $100+