Google console & phone games - a revisit necessary?

[gf78]

I know years ago, it was decided that phone games weren't going to be in the database. But I think with the upcoming Google console(s), maybe we should reconsider. There are numerous reasons why we should have a category for mobile games. I'll list some.

1.  Mobile games have come a long way graphically. The current handsets pump out graphics that surpass the Switch, PS3 & 360.

2.  There are many, high-quality games for mobile. We are past the point of blah-fare like Farmville and have great titles like Darkness Rises, Bright Ridge, Bendy Run, Another Eden, etc.

3.  Many titles on mobile are also available on consoles & vice versa. Why should one person's Oceanhorn count because its on Nintendo's eShop, but the next guys doesn't because its on Android?

4.  Many of our favorite series & publishers are on mobile. Rayman, Mario Run, Final Fantasy, Elder Scrolls, Diablo...should these games be ignored because they are mobile titles even though they are part of some of our favorite series?

5.  With the ever-growing prevalence of download-only games on all the major systems as well as streaming services like Xbox Games Pass, mobile games are on equal footing.

6.  Mobile has a variety of controllers & attachments just like consoles. You can even use your Xbox One and Switch Pro controllers on your phone now. Many mobile games have added controller support. How is playing Walking Dead or Rayman with a controller on a mobile device any different than on a Switch?  There really is no difference.

7.  We include free to play games in the console games databases. Warframe, Blacklight. Etc. have entries. How is a mobile game with IAP any different?

Please, discuss and thank you for considering the possibilities that extending categories for Android & IOS games would bring to many members collections.

[alkira]

I concur. I searched for forum posts mentioning "iOS" or "iPhone" because I noticed there wasn't a searchable category for them. Normally I would understand the reservation, but I was actually looking to add my digital copies of Final Fantasy I, II, & III to my collection here since I purchased them on the App Store years ago. It may be an unconventional way to play the games, but what can you do. I don't want to make the mistake of a later repurchase of software I already have a license to, so I'd like it included here for that reason. Of course, that would also open the floodgates to lots of trash making it into people's collections here, but that's their prerogative isn't it?

[tripredacus]

We can consider making the N-Gage section into one for Mobile Phones, and then able to put sub-categories for iOS and Play Store in there. Do we have any other existing categories for these types of items?

[alkira]

Far as I can tell, there isn't a more suitable category for games like this purchased on mobile devices (but I only joined a few days ago). A mobile category subdivided by platform, not device (except in cases of devices like the Nokia N-Gage which use proprietary carts), would be pretty good. I guess so long as people can accurately express the extent of their license, in the case of digital games, that's all that matters. I only care about listing Final Fantasy as an iOS / App Store game, no one really cares what device I'm playing it on at the time.

edit. I did just notice that some Android titles exist in the Other>Other category.