It’s the start of the new year, which means it’s time to take a look at what the top mobile gaming trends are likely to be for 2018. As an avid mobile gamer, I always like to keep on top of the latest trends, and I’m always curious to discover how many of this year’s predictions will carry over from the previous year.

What was hot in 2017? Some of the most notable trends included the rise in synchronous multiplayer, mobile game streaming, mobile eSports and AR games. This year, some of these same sectors are predicted to become even more popular, including AR games and mobile eSports.

With that in mind, here are the top 5 mobile gaming trends to watch for this year:

1. Mobile eSports will continue to gain popularity

In a few short years, eSports blasted to popularity, with no signs of slowing down. According to this article by the Holmes report, the growth of the eSports industry is rapidly increasing year-over-year, with advertising, media rights, merchandise sales, sponsorship opportunities, and revenue increasing by double digits annually.

More importantly, while PC games like League of Legends (LoL) and Counter-Strike: Global Offensive continue to rule the eSports space, mobile games like Vainglory and Clash Royale are also making a mark in the eSports arena. Some would argue that the advances in mobile eSports really hit a new high back in December 2016, when the TCL Chinese Theater in Hollywood hosted the first Vainglory World Championships.

The surge in popularity of mobile eSports isn’t surprising considering how mainstream mobile devices have become. More and more gamers (myself included) have opted to make their smartphone their primary gaming device. Combine this with the fact that a game like Vainglory is intriguing, easily accessible, requires less equipment (far less expensive) than a PC game like LoL and is easier to learn, and it doesn’t take a genius to figure out that the future of eSports could easily be dominated by mobile.

2. More cross-platform PC/mobile games

Although the numbers haven’t officially been released, a 2017 Newzoo report expected smartphone and tablet games combined to bring in 42% of the gaming market’s global revenues in 2017. This projection is far higher than the forecasted 31% for PlayStation 4 and 23% for PC games.

With mobile being more affordable and having a much larger reach compared to PC and console gaming, as well as the improved developments of technologies like augmented reality (AR), mobile gaming will only gain more ground in the global gaming industry. This is why we’re going to see more brands starting to make their video games traditionally available for PC and consoles available for mobile too.

Minecraft, the indie sandbox video game, is a perfect example of this. Not only can the popular game be played offline and with others over WiFi, but it’s available for Xbox One, Windows 10, and mobile. Another great cross-platform game example is Crashlands. The story-driven crafting game can be played on your PC and be resumed on your mobile phone.

Additionally, another gaming sector where cross-platform gaming is becoming more prominent is within the iGaming industry. More mobile-friendly gambling sites are popping up, making their casino games available across both desktop and mobile platforms, catering to the growing number of players who prefer to access their favorite games on the go.

3. Harry Potter could be the next Pokémon Go craze

Niantic, the geniuses behind the insanely popular Pokémon Go AR game that became a craze back in the summer of 2016, are reportedly working on a new AR game: Harry Potter: Wizards Unite. Just like its Pokémon predecessor, this game is expected to use both augmented reality and location-based features.

Beyond this, very little is known about the game, which is being co-developed by Warner Bros. Interactive and the company’s new subsidiary Portkey Games. That being said, due to the incredible popularity of the Harry Potter books, movies, merchandise, and theme parks, there’s a very good chance that this new game could become just as popular as Pokémon Go, which to date has passed 1.2 billion in revenue and has been downloaded more than 752 million times.

Harry Potter: Wizards Unite is set to launch this year and is likely to further bolster the augmented reality sector.

4. VR will continue to become more mainstream

Virtual reality (VR) experiences have been improving over the past couple of years, and this means we can expect to see even more adoption of VR in 2018. According to a report by Grand View Research, by 2025, the global VR in gaming market size is expected to reach over $45 billion.

More developments are being made in the industry all the time. This includes the introduction of new headsets and improvements to existing hardware designed for mobile VR, like Google Daydream and the Samsung Gear VR. In fact, Samsung recently showed off that its headset could deliver a whole new explosive experience at the recent CES 2018 held in Las Vegas.

If you’re someone who’s into VR or is thinking about jumping on the mobile VR bandwagon to try out this immersive entertainment experience, 2018 is likely to be the best year yet for this tech.

5. More games with Bitcoin

Cryptocurrencies, particularly Bitcoin, are starting to capture the attention of more than just tech geeks. With the Bitcoin price having reached a record-breaking high of nearly $20,000 back in December, the desire to invest in Bitcoin has soared.

For this reason, it won’t be surprising if in 2018 there’s a rise in games like Bitcoin Billionaire. These games are designed for you to rake in Bitcoins to help you build up your massive fortune. Although these idle clicker apps are certainly not the most stimulating games out there, for those of you who are looking for ways to earn Bitcoin, it’s an option. Just don’t expect to get rich off playing these games.

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While the five predicted trends listed above certainly have a good chance of coming true, only time will tell what the future truly holds for mobile gaming in 2018. No doubt, it’s sure to be exciting!

What do you think about my predictions? Do you agree or disagree? What do you think will be the biggest mobile gaming trends of 2018?

Today, ESL announced that they will bring a dedicated eSports event to E3 this year in the form of the E3 ESPORTS ZONE. This event will be the first time that E3 will showcase live competitive gaming on the show floor. The E3 ESPORTS ZONE will present pros and players from the mobile MOBA Vainglory and the upcoming FPS Quake Champions.

The first day of the event, June 13, will highlight the Vainglory Collegiate Starleague Finals. For the final two days of the exhibition, Quake Champions will take the stage in the form of pro matches. Additionally, the E3 ESPORTS ZONE will reveal additional information about the future of

Additionally, the E3 ESPORTS ZONE will reveal additional information about the future of Quake Champions competitive scene as its developers discuss the game in greater depth. The stage itself will boast more than 300 seats for spectators in addition to being streamed live.

You can find out more about ESL’s plans for the E3 ESPORTS ZONE here.

Can you imagine waking up one day and finding yourself $2.8M wealthier?

That's the reality for the Cloud9 Esports, Inc. organization after receiving this sum from an unknown investor, according to this U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission filing by the Esports organization.

C9 was created in 2012 after CEO Jack Etienne bought the League of Legends team from Quantic Gaming for $10,000 USD. Since then, C9 has grown its brand and expanded into other competitive titles such as CS:GO, Hearthstone, Overwatch and Smite.

With all the recent investments being made into the Esports scene, mainly by NBA franchises and associates, it was only a matter of time for Cloud9 -- a prominent name in Esports -- to receive some interest.

Cloud9 has won its fair share of splits in the NA LCS. While they have proven their status in North America, they have yet to show any promise on the LoL international stage.

We will have to wait and see how these newly acquired resources will be put to use.

Mobile gaming is something that has really come to the fore-front of the gaming industry over the years. Most hardcore gamers wrote off mobile games as just a fad and expected it to fade away into the background. With the mobile market not shrinking, but actually growing and has become a staple of the gaming industry, now might be a time to look at where mobile gaming might be heading.

The Industry

Both Konami and Nintendo have made moves and statements that have expressed their interest in mobile gaming. With the Nintendo Switch coming out within the next year or so, we can see that Nintendo has an investment in mobile gaming.

Though mobile gaming is a relatively big thing here in the West, the East's mobile gaming market is even bigger and more prolific. The market over there is rapidly expanding and there are always new games that attract new players. Over in the west we have many mainstays but we haven't had too many new hits outside of a few. Many of the hits on the app-stores are several year old apps or ports of games from other systems. Quite a few of the trending free games are simply clones of other top apps.

One thing that has come to my attention is the emerging e-sports market for mobile games. Clash Royale, Vainglory and Hearthstone(technically also a PC game) are just some of the mobile games to have tournaments. Though mobile games are known for being short and simple experiences, they are capable of being complex enough where there is a market when it comes grabbing viewers.

Different Platform Different Games

With mobile gaming being a different medium than traditional gaming, it is only natural that some developers take advantage of the medium and technology that it brings with it. Pokemon Go is obviously the elephant in the room when you are looking for a new type of game genre to become popular. After it originally released, many companies were trying to emulate the popularity of Pokemon Go by creating their own augmented reality games.

Many people bring up the similarities between VR and AR games and wonder whether the two will encroach upon the other's market. Both are very similar, but at the same time they have different appeals. VR focuses on putting you in an entirely different world, while AR focuses on enhancing the real world as you move around. The two will overlap but probably won't cannibalize each other.

Where is it going?

The thing about the mobile gaming industry is its wide variety of games. There are games that are super casual and pick up and play, and then there are the really intense games that might require you to learn the game and its meta. There are many different pockets of mobile gaming to take a look at and it is difficult to tell where the mobile gaming industry is heading.

One direction that mobile gaming has always been going in is the direction of short pick-up and play experiences, these  have always been around and will always be around but things are changing I feel. Many of the more popular main stay apps that I have been seeing have been aiming at retaining an audience. Constantly providing players with content and having them come back is something that most developers want. The longer they stay, the more they invest.

The other thing that I can say about mobile gaming is that it is becoming more complex. Whether it be in the west or it be in the east, mobile gaming has become more than just cow-clickers and quick 5 minute games that we play on the toilet. 

Play With Friends And Have Fun

Remember that the purpose you are playing the game is to have fun. If you played a casual match and teamed up with good players, try to add them as friends and start a party.

Join a guild or team to meet new players in your region. Ask other's for opinions and item builds. Maybe suggest the game to your "real-life" friend or relatives who like MOBAs or other mobile games. Watch pro VainGlory games together to have an idea how a pro plays the game.

Don't forget to have fun. You can add me on VainGlory, my IGN is Toxic08. Cheers!

Learn the Awesome Stutter Step

While stutter stepping is for advanced or intermediate players, this should be practiced as early as possible. Shinkaigan has an awesome video explaining and teaching how to stutter step above. 

I have a slightly different version of stutter step from Shinkaigan, here's how I do my stutter step:

1. Tap the ground
2. Tap the target
3. Wait for a moment for the attack to happen (sound and visual) and THEN repeat

Learn New Heroes

Don't treat buying heroes is just for collection. Try as many heroes as you can and learn how to use them. By the word "learn," I mean know the hero's strengths and weaknesses.

Make sure you've tried all the heroes available on every Free Hero Rotation. It does not only give you an experience with the hero, it also gives you an idea how to can counter them.

Learning the Element of Surprise and Escaping

Bushes are a very useful feature in the game. Just like in League Of Legends, they serve as hiding places where players outside the bush can't see you. You can use the bush to hide when teleporting or when trying to gank the enemy. If used properly, they can be really useful.

Here is a Subzerolink1221's guide to Bush tactics:

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Agressive:

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1.Never Head to another bush without not letting your team know.
So if every enemy hero disapear on the mini map,do not head to a bush without yourteam, instead head to the bush next to it.

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Doing this will make the enemy wonder where you are and where the rest of you are,so they'll probably go searching in other bushes. Or they'll move around in the bush there in and you'll atleast see a glimps of a enemy, or they have already read this thread and they probably know what your going to do.

Fleeing:

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1.Do the opposite of the enemy.
So head to the nearest bush since you've got low health, wait for the enemy to head to the bush,then head to her/his direction and activate your boots. This way your enemy will have to turn around and head to you,you will have 0.7 seconds to activate the boots and run.Then he/she will go for you, so repeat this again and head to your base while doing this.

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Only do this tactic if you have a kind of perk that is related to "Shadow's empower me" perk from Krul.

Note: Do be careful while doing this over and over again,your enemy might expect you doing it again.

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Know the Specific Details of Jungle and Minions

The jungle is very vital for the team. If the enemy invaded your jungle, your team will have less gold and experience. So, here are the most important things every beginner should know about the Jungle and Minions.

This specific details about minion is provided by Doovy in VainGlory forums:

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  The first lane minion spawns at 0:26

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  It takes (give or take a second) 24 seconds for the leader (first in line) lane minion to spawn after the previous leader lane minion has spawned.

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  All jungle camps spawn at 0:45

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  All jungle camps take 50 seconds to respawn

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  Dual jungle camps (camps with two monsters) will only respawn if both monsters are killed

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  The 50 seconds for dual jungle camps to respawning only begins after both minions are defeated

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  The furthermost dual jungle camp from your base (on your side of the jungle) has a small creep, which appears to have less health and less damage than the other jungle creeps

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  All jungle creeps (including Minion mines and, obviously, the Gold miner) are worth more gold and experience the longer they are left alive

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  Big muscular jungle creeps with a green aura give a potion effect to the hero that death the last hit

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  The Minion mines and the Gold miner spawn at 4:00

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  The Minion mines and the Gold miner respawn 10 seconds after being killed

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  Jungle camps can be seen on the map briefly when they spawn

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Note: As the meta changes almost every update, this guide can be outdated. But as the time of writing it is pretty accurate.

Proper Usage Of Pings and Visual Indicators

As Pings are the only way to communicate in VainGlory, every player should know how to use them properly. Don't spam a ping or use it as any form of embarrassing your teammate. Don't be a toxic player.

Basic Ping are:

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• Question mark: Used to tell you about enemies out of vision (can also be used to ask for flaring bushes/certain area) or used by Laner to indicate enemy is missing so beware of jungle fight. (Missing In Action)
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• Caution: Avoid a certain player or area. Can also mean take care for some instances.
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• Go: Attack or Go there or focus a player
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• Come together ping: Group together and wait for an easy kill or come up and gank the lane. Regroup.
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• Running Man: On my way.
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Other Pings are on the top left side and pretty straightforward like the Cheers and OK pings.

Here is a guide from Vaingloryfire.com explaining a specific Visual Indicator Guide.

Know When To Use Minion Candy

Probably one of the most overlooked consumable item in VainGlory is the Minion Candy. Here is the item description of the Minion Candy:

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Empowers nearby friendly minions for 60 seconds and friendly jungle bosses for 30 seconds.

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Its main usage is to buff your minions when pushing and sieging enemy turrets, but it is best used when getting an Ace or after capturing Kraken. But it can also be used in friendly jungle bosses (Goldmine and Minion mine).

Watch Nogstafari's video above shows where he turns a fight and get an ace with a Minion Candy, which costs only 50 gold.

Know the Benefits of Scout Traps

Scout trap plays a major role in VainGlory. It serves as a scout/ward that can reveal a small area around it and also deals damage to enemies who step on it. Here is the item description:

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Place a trap at your feet. Trap grants vision & will explode on contact with enemy heroes after a short delay. Deals splash damage and reveals affected enemies for 5 seconds.

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Scout traps should be provided by Roams but only if you have an extra 50 gold. Buying scout traps will help you if placed correctly.

Commander Alex provides a useful video uses and placement of scout traps above.

Know How To Use Ironguard Contract Properly

Ironguard Contract is the bread and butter first item for Roam/Support role. Here is the item description:

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When a nearby ally kills a minion or monster, you earn 60% of the bounty as bonus gold. If that monster has attacked you, you heal for 120 HP (200 for jungle bosses) and your ally also earns a 30% bonus.

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EpicGeekery provides and awesome Ironguard Contract: The Complete Guide video and I strongly recommend to watch it.

Know What Your Roles Are

First of all, you need to know the roles in MOBA games like VainGlory. Basically, there are two main roles called, "Carry" and "Support". Carry is the killer of the team and "carry" the game to victory while Support obviously supports the carry and the whole team overall. In VainGlory, roles are Lane, Roam and Jungle.

The Lane

The Lane role is one who will control the only lane in the map. The lane offers more gold and experience than Jungle because of the waves of minions. Long range heroes are best in the lane for killing minions, harassing the enemy, and damaging turrets while sitting safe at a distance.

As a Laner, you are expected to be strongest in the early and mid game as you have the most gold and experience on the team. You can help and response to your teammates when fighting in the Jungle. Also, mind the bush, there should be always a scout mine under your bush to reveal ganking enemy heroes.

The Jungle

The jungle is much safer than the lane. You have to control your jungle camps and maybe invade enemy's jungle camp too. After you've finished all the camps, try visiting the lane to help or snipe a kill.

As a jungler, try to have an impact on the game as early as you can.

The Roam

Roam is the equivalent of support in other MOBA games. Make sure you know how to use Ironguard Contract and other consumable items like Scout Traps, Flare, and Minion Candy.

Buy utility items that can help the team, initiate team fights, and you shall not let your carry die.

What is VainGlory?

VainGlory is a multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) released on November 2014 for iOS devices and on July for Android. The game is created by Super Evil Megacorp, which consist of developers from Riot, Blizzard, Rockstar, and more. The game is heavily influenced by League Of Legends especially like the bush, skins, free hero rotation and so on (so, basically, it's a League Of Legends rip-off).

VainGlory boasts precise and easy controls made for touch-screen devices. VainGlory also started drawing some attention in the eSport scene with sponsorships of Amazon and Nvidia recently.

The Jump to VainGlory

Whether you are new in this kind of game or coming from other MOBA elites like Dota 2 and LoL, VainGlory had a slight different mechanics. This list is aimed at both complete beginners and advanced players; if you are already a skilled player, it is still nice knowing the very basics of the VainGlory.