No items found.
Mobile games, once a niche segmentof the gaming market, have surpassed console and PC games in both popularityand revenue. As of April 2024, there were more than 700,000 mobile games on theApple App Store and Google Play Store, while the worldwide mobile gaming marketexceeded $102 billion. The market is projected to grow at a compound annualgrowth rate (CAGR) of 10.4 percent until 2030. In 2023, mobile games accountedfor 49 percent of all gaming revenue, ahead of console (29 percent), PC (21percent), and browser PC (1 percent).
Consumers prefer mobile gamesbecause they're free to play, easily accessible, and can be played on the go.For developers, they're easier and quicker to create than most in-depth consoleand PC games. Yet, despite the strength of the market, not every mobile game isguaranteed to succeed. Below is a list of things for creators to consider whendeveloping mobile games.
The Most Popular Game Engines
After coming up with a potentiallyinnovative and engaging idea for a game, developers should start thinking aboutthe game engine they'll use to build their concept. There are many differentgame engines, or software with resources and tools used to build games. Unity,Godot Engine, and Unreal Engine are among the most popular. Each one has itsown strengths.
Unity, for example, is great for adiverse range of mobile game genres with support for 2D and 3D games. It boastsan easy-to-understand user interface with an abundance of tools in its store,allowing for a cost-effective build with optimized development cycles. It alsoallows for cross-platform development with a single codebase. Unreal Engine ismore capable of handling complex projects and Godot Engine's benefits includelow processing demands, a comprehensive customization toolkit, and aneasy-to-use drag-and-drop system for visual scripting.
Design and Coding
Graphic design and coding are thecritical next steps in mobile game development. Visually appealing graphicswith a consistent art style, including for the characters, different levels,backgrounds, and user interface, are important to make a game stand out andachieve a high percentage of player retention. Because mobile screens are smaller,developers should make the most of their available space while avoidingclutter. Graphics and text should be clear and easy to read, while color can beutilized to create a mood and guide the player's eye. Files should also be assmall as possible so that the game runs smoothly, even for players with limiteddata.
Coding is the longest and mosttedious process for game development, but it's crucial to make sure the gameruns as planned and doesn't have any bugs. Developers who aren't proficient incoding can use pre-built libraries or hire programmers to code the game. Thecode should be modular, easy to read, and tested thoroughly.
Cost of Game Development
Depending on the type of mobilegame, graphics, and features, developers can expect to spend anywhere from acouple thousand dollars to millions of dollars. Puzzle games, with minimalvariation in graphics and repeat levels, might only cost around $5,000 todevelop, whereas multiplayer games with interactive elements and extrafeatures, such as chat or messaging, push notifications, and voice integrationcan cost significantly more.
Games are also more expensive ifdeveloped for multiple platforms, i.e. Android and iOS. In addition,development costs for Android apps run higher if the game is to be compatiblewith older devices. Other costs to consider include the development team,testing, maintenance, and marketing.
The Importance of Marketing
Marketing is an importantconsideration both during and after the development of a game. With so manymobile games on the market and more being released each day, it's crucial togenerate buzz about upcoming games to earn a profit. Marketing budgets, in somecases, can be as much as 30 percent of the entire game budget. An effectivemarketing strategy, meanwhile, should include app store optimization (ASO),social media promotion, and influencer support. ASO is particularly vital, asorganic downloads help reduce user acquisition costs. Developers can make theirgames more visible in app stores by localizing the content, using theappropriate keywords in the game title and description, and includingattractive trailers and screenshots.
Monetization Strategies
Most mobile games make money fromin-app ads or in-app purchases. Ads, selected from one of many available adnetworks, usually appear between breaks in gameplay. There are many differenttypes of ads, including ones with interactive gameplay elements and rewardedvideo ads, which allow players to earn in-game rewards for watching an ad.In-app purchases include in-game currencies, cosmetic items, and new levelsthat can be unlocked for a fee. A subscription model is another option in whichusers pay monthly fees to play a game.
Metrics for Measuring Success
There are many different metricsto determine the success of a game, including daily active users, lifetimevalue of users, average revenue per user, and retention rate. Other key metricsinclude average transaction value, cost per install, and session length. Thesecan also help in identifying areas in need of improvement for future updates.
