The handheld gaming market has experienced a surge in popularity in recent years, thanks to successful devices like the Nintendo Switch and the Steam Deck. However, smartphones, which already have their own selection of games, are not attractive to mainstream PC or console gamers due to hardware limitations. Most high-performance games cannot run smoothly on smartphones without dedicated versions or ports. To overcome this issue, developers often take the least demanding version, usually the Nintendo Switch version, and make necessary changes to downgrade and port it to mobile. Pune-based developer Nodding Heads Games did just that with their acclaimed game Raji: An Ancient Epic for Android and iOS, in collaboration with Netflix.
In an interview with Gadgets 360, Avichal Singh, co-founder and game director at Nodding Heads Games, explained the porting process. He mentioned that Raji was developed using Unreal Engine 4 for all major platforms, and they had always planned to create a mobile version. However, the mobile version is not a direct port of the PC and console versions. While the core visuals and gameplay mechanics remain the same, the control scheme and user interface were adjusted for touch-screen devices. The team also ensured compatibility with the PS5 DualSense controller, although button configuration was a challenge.
Singh revealed that they received numerous requests to release the game on mobile devices, prompting them to start working on the mobile port soon after launching on other platforms. They tested the Nintendo Switch version as a direct port on Android and iOS, which had poor performance due to smartphone hardware limitations. To optimize the mobile version, they made multiple iterations of optimizations, reworking geometry and visual effects to reduce GPU load while maintaining the game’s aesthetics. Textures were downsized to save memory, and parts of the code were rewritten for CPU optimization. The team also added an FPS limiter and graphics quality toggle to cater to different devices.
Reducing the overall download size of the game was another challenge the team faced. The game’s size was reduced from 4GB on the Nintendo Switch to 1.8GB on Android. The optimization process required exceptional effort to maintain the quality while delivering an enjoyable experience on mobile devices.
The article also poses the question of whether today’s mobile devices are powerful enough to run select Nintendo Switch and older PC games with sufficient optimization. It cites examples of successful ports of older PC games to mobile devices, including Raji, which is being offered for free to Netflix subscribers. The Netflix partnership allows more players to experience the game without the need for expensive gaming hardware.
Nodding Heads Games currently has no plans to release Raji separately and is aligned with Netflix’s strategy of becoming an entertainment hub. Netflix Games offers a range of mobile games to subscribers at no additional cost, similar to Apple Arcade. This mobile-centric approach may be influenced by the cost of owning and maintaining current-gen consoles or high-end PCs, particularly in countries like India where there is a demand for mobile gaming fueled by affordable 5G internet and budget-friendly smartphones.
The article concludes with information about Raji: An Ancient Epic being a Netflix exclusive on mobile, including all additional content released for the game. The team also hints at future projects, stating that they will stick to their action-adventure roots while teasing something exciting brewing at the studio.
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