Pixels runs in a browser, which I initially thought was enough. Then I tried using it on my phone. It's not enough. The interface wasn't built for a small screen and it shows. Hotbars that work fine with a mouse become frustrating with a thumb. The map requires precision taps that a touchscreen doesn't reliably deliver. I gave it twenty minutes before switching back to my laptop.
Here's why this matters beyond my personal frustration. The next wave of Web3 gaming growth isn't coming from desktop users in developed markets. It's coming from mobile-first users in regions where a phone is the primary and sometimes only device. Pixels' current browser setup reaches one audience well. The audience that will actually scale the game is waiting on a different screen.