If you monitor the business world and focus on the lucrative nature of gaming, you’ll have noticed the rise of smartphone gaming. This form of gaming plays a massive role in the overall revenues the games industry records. Nowadays, everyone has access to a smartphone, making gaming a preference for millions.
Gaming on a portable handheld device is booming alongside console and PC gaming. It isn’t always easy to create a smash-hit release, though. Game developers always aim to nail a particular product, but they’re under pressure given the competitive nature of mobile gaming. Essentially, smartphone gaming’s saturation means specific titles fail to stand out.
For game developers, despite mobile releases becoming a real honeypot, not every title is the new Candy Crush or Pokémon Go. It’s tough. There are some essential tips game-makers should keep in mind, though.
Focus on game monetization before launching.
Although you could have many players downloading and playing your game, it won’t bring in huge revenues if you’ve failed to nail its monetization aspect. Your main goal is to create a great game, but there also needs to be a strong focus on how to monetize the game’s app. Just because a potential player downloads it doesn’t mean it’s been an instant success. Not only do they need to session it for a good few hours, but players must also purchase various items and the like. You, therefore, need to make it easy for them to do so while also making it clear that making purchases improves the game and their chances of success.
Follow genre trends
Given the ever-changing gaming landscape, it’s essential to keep tabs on it at all times to ensure the game you’re considering making isn’t going to become a dud. For example, products like online blackjack are thriving right now, and games like Subway Surfers are being played worldwide, but that could easily change. As such, you must make the right choice here and select a genre that isn’t overly saturated. Likewise, whether you’re an independent developer or working for a giant in the space, your game needs to bring something fresh and exciting.
Speak to gamers
Perhaps during the planning stages of your game or after you’ve created a demo, players can sample it before you embark on the grand vision in more detail. You should always attempt to gain invaluable feedback from gaming communities.
Be it through focus groups or after asking for reviews, never leave feedback unanswered, and pay close attention to the good and the bad. After all, they’re essentially your target market, making their opinions highly important.
Tap into other publishers.
While you might not always want to mix with the competition, speaking to the major players in the space and getting feedback from publishers who have been there and done it, particularly for smaller studios and independent developers, is essential. They might offer solutions, they might give you the extra confidence you need to complete the game, or they could even want to get involved themselves and give your game the spotlight it deserves. If you have industry experts you can turn to, use their expertise to your benefit.
Copies are inevitable
When you’ve nailed your gaming product and produced the next big release everyone wants to play, you should probably expect to see some copies of it. See it as a compliment, though. Sadly, it’s just the nature of the industry, especially as copyrighting a game is tricky.