Mobile games have become the biggest and most accessible form of entertainment and relaxation for billions of people worldwide, including in the UAE, according to research by mobile advertising platform AdColony.
The industry surged during the early stages of the Covid-19 pandemic, when people started looking for new hobbies, AdColony said.
“No one can deny that we are living a stressful life and we are all looking for a fun escape. That is where mobile games are stepping in and make us forget our problems at least during the session time,” the report said.
The global mobile gaming market is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 11 per cent to $272 billion by 2030, up from $98bn in 2020, according to ResearchAndMarkets. The category is already bigger than the PC and console gaming markets combined, contributing about 57 per cent of the $173bn in global video games revenue last year.
Big Tech companies have also sought to tap into the opportunity, such as Apple and Google, while in September, Netflix acquired its first game studio.
Sony and Microsoft, makers of the PlayStation and Xbox consoles, respectively, have also increasingly shifted to a cloud-based platform that allows users to access games from their mobile devices.
About 77 per cent of adults in the UAE are playing mobile games, with 56 per cent of them male, the AdColony research found. The perception that mobile games are solely for children is also irrelevant, with 53 per cent of respondents saying they are aged between 30 and 49.
Thirty-eight per cent spend more than 10 hours a week playing mobile games, while 48 per cent said they play at least two to three times per day. About 62 per cent said they play mobile games because it makes them relax and relieves stress, with 59 per cent also saying they find it entertaining.
Other activities are associated while playing mobile games, with 53 per cent saying they watch TV at the same time. This is followed by listening to music (50 per cent), checking social media platforms (48 per cent) and watching or streaming movies or TV series (42 per cent).
Mobile games have also developed into a mainstream platform for advertisers to capture audience attention and users have varying responses to this.
Twenty-eight per cent of respondents to the AdColony survey said they do not spend money on mobile games, while 68 per cent prefer to watch ads in return for game advantages rather than paying money. About 84 per cent said they like ads that reward them more than traditional video ads that do not offer any rewards.
“To expand new horizons and possibly new customers, brands need to arrange their media spending in accordance with the popular way. With a lot of different mobile advertisement models, rewarded advertising where the gamers watch the advertisement to gain lives, coins, or any free in-game material is very important,” the report said.
Fixtures
Tuesday - 5.15pm: Team Lebanon v Alger Corsaires; 8.30pm: Abu Dhabi Storms v Pharaohs
Wednesday - 5.15pm: Pharaohs v Carthage Eagles; 8.30pm: Alger Corsaires v Abu Dhabi Storms
Thursday - 4.30pm: Team Lebanon v Pharaohs; 7.30pm: Abu Dhabi Storms v Carthage Eagles
Friday - 4.30pm: Pharaohs v Alger Corsaires; 7.30pm: Carthage Eagles v Team Lebanon
Saturday - 4.30pm: Carthage Eagles v Alger Corsaires; 7.30pm: Abu Dhabi Storms v Team Lebanon
What is graphene?
Graphene is a single layer of carbon atoms arranged like honeycomb.
It was discovered in 2004, when Russian-born Manchester scientists Andrei Geim and Kostya Novoselov were "playing about" with sticky tape and graphite - the material used as "lead" in pencils.
Placing the tape on the graphite and peeling it, they managed to rip off thin flakes of carbon. In the beginning they got flakes consisting of many layers of graphene. But as they repeated the process many times, the flakes got thinner.
By separating the graphite fragments repeatedly, they managed to create flakes that were just one atom thick. Their experiment had led to graphene being isolated for the very first time.
At the time, many believed it was impossible for such thin crystalline materials to be stable. But examined under a microscope, the material remained stable, and when tested was found to have incredible properties.
It is many times times stronger than steel, yet incredibly lightweight and flexible. It is electrically and thermally conductive but also transparent. The world's first 2D material, it is one million times thinner than the diameter of a single human hair.
But the 'sticky tape' method would not work on an industrial scale. Since then, scientists have been working on manufacturing graphene, to make use of its incredible properties.
In 2010, Geim and Novoselov were awarded the Nobel Prize for Physics. Their discovery meant physicists could study a new class of two-dimensional materials with unique properties.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Essentials
The flights
Whether you trek after mountain gorillas in Rwanda, Uganda or the Congo, the most convenient international airport is in Rwanda’s capital city, Kigali. There are direct flights from Dubai a couple of days a week with RwandAir. Otherwise, an indirect route is available via Nairobi with Kenya Airways. Flydubai flies to Kinshasa in the Democratic Republic of Congo, via Entebbe in Uganda. Expect to pay from US$350 (Dh1,286) return, including taxes.
The tours
Superb ape-watching tours that take in all three gorilla countries mentioned above are run by Natural World Safaris. In September, the company will be operating a unique Ugandan ape safari guided by well-known primatologist Ben Garrod.
In the Democratic Republic of Congo, local operator Kivu Travel can organise pretty much any kind of safari throughout the Virunga National Park and elsewhere in eastern Congo.
Despacito's dominance in numbers
Released: 2017
Peak chart position: No.1 in more than 47 countries, including the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia and Lebanon
Views: 5.3 billion on YouTube
Sales: With 10 million downloads in the US, Despacito became the first Latin single to receive Diamond sales certification
Streams: 1.3 billion combined audio and video by the end of 2017, making it the biggest digital hit of the year.
Awards: 17, including Record of the Year at last year’s prestigious Latin Grammy Awards, as well as five Billboard Music Awards
F1 The Movie
Starring: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem
Director: Joseph Kosinski
Rating: 4/5
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Tips to stay safe during hot weather
- Stay hydrated: Drink plenty of fluids, especially water. Avoid alcohol and caffeine, which can increase dehydration.
- Seek cool environments: Use air conditioning, fans, or visit community spaces with climate control.
- Limit outdoor activities: Avoid strenuous activity during peak heat. If outside, seek shade and wear a wide-brimmed hat.
- Dress appropriately: Wear lightweight, loose and light-coloured clothing to facilitate heat loss.
- Check on vulnerable people: Regularly check in on elderly neighbours, young children and those with health conditions.
- Home adaptations: Use blinds or curtains to block sunlight, avoid using ovens or stoves, and ventilate living spaces during cooler hours.
- Recognise heat illness: Learn the signs of heat exhaustion and heat stroke (dizziness, confusion, rapid pulse, nausea), and seek medical attention if symptoms occur.
Chef Nobu's advice for eating sushi
“One mistake people always make is adding extra wasabi. There is no need for this, because it should already be there between the rice and the fish.
“When eating nigiri, you must dip the fish – not the rice – in soy sauce, otherwise the rice will collapse. Also, don’t use too much soy sauce or it will make you thirsty. For sushi rolls, dip a little of the rice-covered roll lightly in soy sauce and eat in one bite.
“Chopsticks are acceptable, but really, I recommend using your fingers for sushi. Do use chopsticks for sashimi, though.
“The ginger should be eaten separately as a palette cleanser and used to clear the mouth when switching between different pieces of fish.”
Cryopreservation: A timeline
- Keyhole surgery under general anaesthetic
- Ovarian tissue surgically removed
- Tissue processed in a high-tech facility
- Tissue re-implanted at a time of the patient’s choosing
- Full hormone production regained within 4-6 months
Ferrari
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How to help
Send “thenational” to the following numbers or call the hotline on: 0502955999
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6025 – Dh20
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