Why I Want More Mobile Games to Come to Consoles

There’s always been a strict divide between mobile games and console games, but that barrier has been quietly breaking down in recent years. Most modern phones can now handle console games like Resident Evil 4 and Assassin’s Creed Mirage, while mobile games like Genshin Impact and Asphalt Legends Unite are giving some console games a run for their money.

Even though plenty of modern console games are receiving mobile ports—especially indie titles—the same can’t be said for the reverse. While the majority of modern mobile games are mindless time-wasters or predatory microtransaction machines, there are still plenty of console-quality experiences that are long overdue for a console upgrade.

Too Many Games Are Trapped on Phones

Although there are many valid concerns surrounding video game preservation—especially in the age of digital-exclusives and online-only experiences—there’s also no denying that games have also become more accessible than ever before. New games typically release on multiple consoles and PCs, with some games eventually receiving console-accurate mobile ports. Even console exclusives can usually be accessed on other platforms through game streaming or backward compatibility. Plus, plenty of retro games are making a comeback through remasters and remakes.

Mobile games rarely receive the same treatment. Usually, they remain exclusive to their respective app stores until they’re inevitably delisted or taken offline. For many modern mobile games, it’s usually the latter, as live-service games are often shut down within months of their launch. Even single-player games are always at risk of being scrubbed from app stores. Sega’s recent purge of its mobile classics catalog is just one of many examples of mobile gaming’s limited lifespans—though all of those games were ports of preexisting console titles. Sure, you can still play some games by keeping them installed on your device, but newer smartphones aren’t known for their durability or longevity.

But I’ll be honest, the main reason I want mobile games on consoles is that I really hate playing games on my phone. I don’t have a problem with straightforwardly simple games or experiences clearly meant for a touchscreen, but anything that tries to emulate console experiences just makes me wish I could play those games on an actual console. Playing a 3D action game or a fast-paced shooter with touchscreen controls is nowhere near as precise or satisfying as using a controller, and it immediately sucks the fun out of games that I would have otherwise loved. Even turn-based RPGs like Persona 5: The Phantom X lose my interest once they have me navigating the same complex menus and 3D environments that you would normally find in a console game.

To be fair, most of these problems stem from my personal preferences. For many other players, touchscreens are perfectly fine for these types of games. There are also ways to circumvent these issues, such as connecting a controller to your phone or playing on a device with a larger screen. However, I don’t play many mobile games in the first place, and I’m not planning on buying a brand-new controller or tablet just to try a game that I will probably uninstall after a few hours. But if these mobile games were available on consoles, where I could enjoy them with the comfort of a controller and a big screen, I’d be more willing to give them a fair chance.

I’m not the only one who feels this way, and you can see the proof for yourself by looking at the recent successes of mobile game developer MiHoYo. Since the release of Genshin Impact in 2020, MiHoYo has consistently launched its games on both mobile devices and consoles. Understandably, this has also allowed the studio’s recent releases to reach a wider audience than most other mobile games, and has even led to Genshin Impact becoming one of the most profitable games of all time. Obviously, console ports are a win-win for everyone, but they’re still disappointingly rare.

Console Gaming Is the Best Option for Many Players

Any mobile games with the graphics, size, and complexity of a console release are likely to have similarly high hardware requirements. For most high-budget phones, running games like Genshin Impact or Zenless Zone Zero isn’t a problem. Not everyone is up-to-date with the latest devices, however, and that’s before we get into the problem of needing to clear space to make room for the 20+ gigabyte file sizes of many mobile games.

Some lower-end devices are still capable of running these games, but it usually comes with a severe hit to their visuals and performance. That might not matter as much for turn-based games, but it does render real-time action games with fast, twitchy combat like Punishing Gray Raven and Devil May Cry: Peak of Combat practically unplayable. The frequent frame stutters, lengthy freezes, and occasional crashes constantly bring their action to a grinding halt.

You can make the argument that these games aren’t meant to be played on older devices, and that all these problems could be fixed by upgrading to a newer phone. However, considering the fact that these games live and die based on their active player counts, the lack of a console release feels like a missed opportunity. Even mobile games that you wouldn’t expect to ever see on consoles, such as Fallout Shelter and Clicker Heroes, are still thriving outside their mobile releases. I’m not asking for consoles to be flooded with every mobile game on the app store—they already have enough shovelware as it is—but more mobile games could benefit from bringing console-inspired experiences to the platforms they’re best suited for.

Some of these games have PC ports, but these run into the same issues as the original mobile versions. Unless you have plenty of storage space and a high-end gaming PC, you likely won’t be able to run these games at a satisfying level of performance. Again, these problems could be avoided by upgrading to a better device, but I’m not about to tell anyone to go out and buy a new computer just to run a free-to-play gacha game. Besides that, some players simply prefer gaming from their couch instead of sitting at their desktop.

Consoles are the easiest way for many players to access mobile games, but most developers are still neglecting this massive chunk of the market. Part of the reason we haven’t seen many console ports is due to the long-standing stigma against mobile games. Ever since their inception, mobile games have had to be heavily simplified to accommodate the limitations of mobile devices. Even newer games are designed around the limitations of touchscreens and mobile hardware, and the current popularity of free-to-play models means they are usually filled with off-putting microtransactions.

Despite their limitations and questionable monetization practices, mobile games can still be incredibly fun. Games like Zenless Zone Zero and Wuthering Waves have fast and fluid combat systems that shine the most on other platforms. Other games like Honkai Star Rail and Infinity Nikki are brimming with spectacular visuals and dense stories (yes, the fantasy dress-up game has a shockingly decent plot), but consoles are still the best way to enjoy them at their fullest.

Console Ports Make Underrated Mobile Games More Accessible

It’s not just free-to-play games that are getting neglected. App stores are home to plenty of amazing offline games that are locked behind mobile exclusivity or subscription pay walls. Over the past few years, numerous games that were originally Apple Arcade exclusives have received updated console re-releases.

Some of these include high-profile games like the visually gorgeous JRPG Fantasian: Neo Dimension from Final Fantasy-creator Hironobu Sakaguchi, the arcade-shooter Air Twister from Shenmue and Space Harrier-creator Yu Suzuki, and the stylish mystery/platformer hybrid World’s End Club from the writers behind Zero Escape and Danganronpa. Along with these original IPs, some of the other mobile-to-console ports that originated from Apple Arcade’s library are sequels and spin-offs from popular series such as Shantae and the Seven Sirens and the dangerously addictive Pac-Man 256.

Outside these notable releases, console ports have also brought attention to criminally underrated games like the 80s arcade-inspired racer Horizon Chase and the often overlooked Shinsekai: Into the Depths. The console port of Shinsekai was especially important for preserving the game, as the original Apple Arcade version was delisted and rendered unplayable in 2023.

It’s also worth mentioning the console port of Final Fantasy XV: Pocket Edition; the mobile remake of the original Final Fantasy XV. Although that may sound bizarre considering the original XV is also playable on the same exact consoles, Pocket Edition sets itself apart as a streamlined retelling of the original story with a charming art style and simple, yet fun combat. It may not be the definitive version of XV, but Pocket Edition is still a fun game in its own right and a perfect example of why more mobile games should be preserved on consoles.

Console ports don’t always need to be exactly the same as their mobile counterparts. In some cases, they don’t even need to be released as separate games. Mario Kart 8 Deluxe‘s DLC packs included multiple tracks that were originally exclusive to the mobile-only Mario Kart Tour, allowing console players to finally race through updated versions of these courses—even if none of them were as good as 8‘s other stages. The upcoming Octopath Traveler 0 is taking a different approach by adapting the story of the series’ free-to-play mobile spin-off, Octopath Traveler: Champions of the Continent, while thankfully abandoning the original’s gacha systems and microtransactions.

There are plenty of other mobile games that deserve similar treatment. The now-defunct Nier Reincarnation wasn’t a particularly fun game, but its surprisingly emotional story and likable cast could easily serve as the basis for a third mainline entry. Kingdom Hearts Union χ is another delisted mobile game with a similarly important story—mainly because it’s a canonical part of Kingdom Hearts lore and considered required reading to fully understand the plot of the series’ latest entries. The story of Kingdom Hearts is already a convoluted mess (and I’m saying this as a longtime fan), so there’s no need to add to the confusion by trapping one of the franchise’s most lore-essential stories behind a now-unplayable mobile game.

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There are hundreds—if not thousands—of games that go overlooked or never live up to their full potential because they’re stuck on mobile devices. It’s not that mobile games are inherently bad, but their limitations and digital-only availability make it difficult for many players to access them, and even harder for fans to preserve them.

Unfortunately, many players and developers still see mobile games as a lesser form of entertainment compared to console titles. I won’t deny that most mobile games are cheap cashgrabs, blatant shovelware, or whatever those creepy mobile game ads keep trying to peddle. However, there are countless fantastic games and true labors of love buried under the tidal waves of mobile trash. If these games can be brought over to PCs, then there’s no reason for mobile developers to continue ignoring consoles.