Porting a game from a console or PC to a mobile is a common and often necessary tactic in the modern age of game development. Ports help a company reach new customers, sell more units, and raise the profile of the work they’re proud of. It can also create issues when poorly managed, with results that harm the player experience and developer reputation.
This is due to the complexities and differences of the varied platforms, and the challenges their hardware represents. Nowhere is this challenge more pronounced than in the mobile space, where most of the famous stories of amazing or poor-quality ports originate. So what exactly are the issues here, and why do so many games and developers struggle to make the leap?
Visual Style and Substance
The first big hurdle that many developers will face when porting from the PC or consoles is the limited processing potential of mobile devices. This is …