6 Secrets of Making Gaming Apps Successful
Mobile gaming is a tried and tested business but at the same time, it is also an over-saturated market. Statistics suggest that the mobile gaming industry had reached more than US$40.6 billion revenue mark by the end of 2016. In fact, 75% of the revenue generated from iOS app store comes from gaming apps! However, at the same time, more than 50% of gaming apps never achieve the mark. At the top are only a few successful ones that take the maximum of this huge revenue stream.
A good gaming app reaches millions of players and publishers are willing to pay to get their titles/brands in form of these users. Be it through app store promotions, social media ads or in-app purchases, gaming apps have become the sensation of the entertainment domain. Gaming titles with high awareness immediately get higher ownership and consequently make more money for the developers. If you have been looking to develop a gaming app, here’s how to make the most of the opportunity.
Make it free
When it comes to the end users, we don’t really would like to pay for playing a game, especially when we know nothing of it. If you are coming up with a paid mobile game, it’s highly unlikely that no one will ever buy it and your app just gets scrolled through. The competition is high and there are always alternatives, even if you have integrated features that free apps won’t. The idea is to start selling your app for free and try and make money out of in-app purchases. Once you get an audience that is addicted to your game, you can always sell points, virtual gold, ladder boards and more. The opportunities are endless but you will have to wait for the right time.
Build a community
Single player game doesn’t really make the cut if you want to make revenue through a gaming app. Engage your audience by putting them in front of each other. Multiplayer games like Clash Royale make things interesting because there is real competition and people can spend to win challenges, even if it is from a stranger. It is not just enough to have a community but the idea is also to keep it engaged. Use the power of social platforms like Facebook, Instagram and Twitter to connect to the billions of users and spread the word. Let people know what the game is about by publishing regular tips and tutorials. You can engage the audience by a real-time reward system. It’s all about how much you can engage your players and how willing are they to continue in the game and cross milestones set by you!
Make it familiar
The best of the apps are always a takeaway from games that have already made a mark in the past. Clash Royale for instance is similar to Clash of Clans and both of them to the game scenario of award winning games like Age of Empires. Users already have the intuition of how the game progresses and this makes is easy from the ‘go’. The same also helps in potential exposure and promotions because developers can somewhat piggy back on the success of past titles. Another great example to put here would be that of Trivia Crack. The basics of the puzzle game have been taken from the classic Trivial Pursuit, a Christmas favorite. The mobile game is just a twist of the same and users are already familiar and thus are willing to try.
Keeping it simple
Looking at the basics, gaming apps are made for past times. This is when the user is traveling or just spending time in his office desk while waiting for the golden hour. Consequently, an app that’s complicated is not one that would make the cut. While users love to be engaged, they also hate something that is out of their understanding. You should be developing a gaming app that doesn’t require too much of brainstorming, unless of course it’s a quiz app or something similar. Easy can also be challenging! Take the game of “snakes” for instance. The goal is simple but keeps the users on his/her feet. In fact, the simplicity of the game is what keeps the user glued to it.
Make it look pretty
Visuals have become crucial. Even if you are coming up with a simple puzzle game, you need to ensure that the game elements are colorful and follow a story. While pretty looking graphics alone won’t make the cut, they are certainly a necessary compliment to a successful game. It is the visuals that will attract the users in the first place. The degree of engagement follows to make the app popular. Visuals are also important when you look at the marketing aspect of your title. If you want people to get curious and get clicking on your links, you need to make things attractive.
Going cross platform
Limiting your game to just a single platform, be it iOS or Android is not the best foot forward, at least when it comes to gaming apps. There is no such age barrier when it comes to the user base of an iPhone – even teenage kids are using them. On the flip side, there are quite expensive and feature laden models of Android phones that young professional executives like to carry. If you are limiting your game to a single platform, you certainly are losing out on a huge user base. Double the platform always translates to double the exposure.
Things move pretty fast in this world. A game that is successful today might lose out to a better alternative the next week. The idea is to keep on improvising and find new ways to engage your audience. While we had said that most successful games piggy back on the success of already famous titles, it is also reasonable to say here that if you can come up with a really unique idea, you get a similar chance too. As long as your game is easy to understand and engaging, it will go on to rock!