In 2010, the number of smartphone mobile game devices, including iOS and Android platform, reached 250 million, with 750,000 new devices detected daily, much larger than the combined numbers of the NextGen console such as Nintendo Wii, Microsoft Xbox 360 and Sony PlayStation 3. There are more than 300 million user’s sessions across all games and apps on smartphone platform (based on Flurry Analytics). The revenue of mobile gaming topped about $6 billion in all over the world, increasing 19% percent from 2009 (based on Garner Inc.).  

From all the information above, we can see how the mobile gaming market is developing nowadays. With the advantage of mobility, mobile players are able to enjoy gaming anytime, anyplace. You may see that your friends at school are excited about aiming and shooting to destroy the evil pigs in Angry Birds, or using various kinds of plants to fight back the zombie’s invasive attacks in Plants and Zombies. Catching up the rising tide of this potential market, World Cyber Games Inc. decided to choose Asphalt, the racing mobile game developed by Gameloft, to become the official mobile game title from 2008 with Asphalt 4 version.

Today, RGN will bring to you the interview of Jared Beins ‘slyfoxlover’, the Asphalt 4 Champion of World Cyber Games Grand Finals 2008 at Germany and to be the representative at WCG for Singapore 3 years in a row. Now he is trying to be one of the two Singaporean representatives who are going to participate in the WCG 2011 Asian Championship.

RGN: Could you briefly introduce yourself?

Slyfoxlover: Hi, I’m Jared Beins, 22 years old, currently studying for my Certified Accounting Technician at Singapore Accounting Academy. I play mostly shooting and racing games.

RGN: How did you approach the mobile gaming competition scene?

Slyfoxlover: It was by pure luck back in September 2007. There was the Games Convention Asia going on, and Nokia had a contest for the fastest lap time on Asphalt 3. I won it, and got a Nokia N95 as the prize. The next year, during WCG 2008, they announced the Samsung Mobile Challenge in Singapore with Asphalt 4 as the game. Being familiar with the game mechanics, I decided to go for it, and won the competition to go to Cologne, Germany. From then on, mobile gaming has been my specialty.

 

RGN: That's fantastic! What was your achievement at Germany?

Slyfoxlover: I won the Gold medal, winning US $10,000 and a Samsung laptop. It was also the first Gold medal for Singapore.

 

RGN: At WCG 2010 Singapore Qualifier, you had the final match with Jackson Tham, do you still remember how the match went?

Slyfoxlover: Can't remember clearly, but I think I was a little sloppy with my turns, while he was perfect and consistent. It was a good match and we had great fun.

 

RGN: Did you participate in SAMSUNG Mobile Challenge this year? How is it going now?

Slyfoxlover: This year, there was no local stage tournament whatsoever. There is only an online qualification stage where the top 2 of each country will move on to play in the regional tournament (that is, the Asian Championship, the Pan American Championship and the Samsung Euro Championship). I am currently 2nd on the scoreboard at this time, and I am working hard to get 1st to secure my position.

 

RGN: What is your favorite phone for gaming?

Slyfoxlover: Sony Xperia Play, because it has familiar PlayStation controls that make playing mobile games easier.

 

RGN: Players need to have Samsung Galaxy S II to participate in competition. Do you think you will get familiar with this phone easily?

Slyfoxlover: I sold off my Xperia Play to get the Galaxy S II, so I could qualify as well as train on the phone. I like the new phone so far. It is fast and responsive for everyday use.

 

RGN: That's great! Besides Asphalt 6, are you interested in any other mobile games?

Slyfoxlover: I do like the occasional puzzle game or two to keep the brain moving. Zuma's Revenge and the Bejeweled series are my big recommendations. My biggest addiction is on the Angry Birds series. So cute, yet so angry, it's really fun to destroy stuff with them.

 

RGN: Do you enjoy playing PC games or console games? What do you think the differences are between mobile games and other platforms?

Slyfoxlover: I play on both of those, console being just the Xbox 360 because those games are much faster in a sense that they are optimized to squeeze out as much power from the machine the game is running on. (eg. 3D menus, 60 frames per second, etc.) Mobile games don't normally look as good since the developers have to take into account the hardware limitations present. It gets much harder with the fact that different cellphone companies may or may not use the same type of hardware as one another.

The really good thing about mobile games though is that they don't require complex installation procedures. It is only a matter of "download & play" and it will always be inside the phone, ready to play, with short loading times.

 

RGN: Does practicing mobile game take you much time?

Slyfoxlover: I roughly do 2-3 hours of practice time, but I can sometimes go through the night practicing the course Online, playing with other people from other countries.

 

RGN: Do you think mobile games will become an eSports game in the future?

Slyfoxlover: A serious eSports game, not really, but as a supporting event, yes. Anyway, I will be very happy, if it gets recognized as an eSports game.

RGN: Thank you for spending your time!

SAMSUNG Mobile Challenge is one part of the largest international gaming events, World Cyber Games, started from 2008. This year, mobile gamers from 27 countries are going to participate in this tournament. 

The Asian qualifier has started from September 5th to October 17th (just updated). Gamers will need to have the Samsung Galaxy S II, log on to Samsung Apps and download the official mobile game tittle this year, Asphalt 6. The two highest scorers in each country will be invited to participate in the WCG Pan Asia Championship 2011 to get a chance to compete at the WCG Grand Final 2011 from December 8th to 11th in Busan, Korea and win the prizes of $65,000 in total.  

For more information about SAMSUNG Mobile Challenge 2011, please visit the official website.