The proliferation of smartphones has seen video gaming break free from the sofa and enter the wider world, opening the medium up to new audiences. But beyond helping people to pass the time, how have mobile games become so popular? And what are the commercial barriers and opportunities?

Smartphones have transformed the gaming world, making it accessible to all ages and demographics. Yet beyond the low price point compared to dedicated consoles, why do people invest so much time in mobile titles? Canvas8 spoke with 20 Britons to discover why they’re catchingPokémonand flingingAngry Birds.

Video gaming has evolved from arcades to bedrooms to mobiles – and it’s now merging into the real world.Heads Up, which emerged fromThe Ellen DeGeneres Show, blurs the boundaries between screens and reality, letting people play a parlour game on their phone and share the results online.

Pokémon Goaccumulated 45 million daily players within a month of launching in 2016 – but that number fell to just five million one year later. Now, branded AR treasure huntSnatchis hoping to keep mobile gamers in the UK hooked to their screens by adding real world prizes to the mix.