The mobile gaming market today is more competitive than ever before. There are thousands of games available in the App Store at any given moment, and gaming companies have become larger and more professional over the past few years. For example, King, developer of Candy Crush, is not only one of the biggest gaming companies out there, but has also become the largest game developer on Facebook. Other huge players are Russia’s Zeptolab, and Rovio Entertainment, the creator of Angry Birds.
When developing Revealers we followed five core strategies in order to create a product that’s user-friendly, social, profitable, and that most importantly, could stand up to its competitors in today’s market. If you are a newcomer, we strongly encourage you to master these five concepts before you even try to compete with some of the big players out there.
1. Don’t be boring
Have a clear, focused, and narrative that’s simple and easy to relate to. Don’t complicate your story and go off in different directions ‑ focus on one thing and do it well. The storyline of your game should evoke emotions in your users so they feel connected to it. Your goal is to create an entertaining experience for your users, so have them and their emotions in mind when designing your app.
2. Create a social community
Socializing your mobile game is a great way of adding value to your app. Give your users the opportunity to contribute to the game by generating their own content, and give them space to share it with others and play amongst each other. Focus on quality players rather than the quantity of users. If you cultivate players into hardcore fans of your game, they can become a huge part of player growth as they share their passion through word of mouth.
3. Easy to use, hard to master
Making your game user friendly is a must. You must engage your users right off the bat – from the initial moment after downloading your game. If users struggle with your app in the beginning they won’t even bother to figure it out. Want to keep you your users hooked? Try leveling, making your game hard to master, and rewarding players along the way. These will ensure your gamers keep coming back for more.
4. If it isn’t flawless, do not launch
Don’t launch your game until it is working flawlessly. A lot of times developers just want to get their game out in the App Store as soon as possible. If your app has bugs, you can be sure that users will delete it – there are no second chances to make a first impression. Test your app multiple times with different people and improve it until its operating smoothly. Any features that aren’t quite ready yet can be issued later in an update.
5. Have a monetization plan
Having a great idea for an app is a priority, but if you want to make money you need to figure out how you will monetize. A monetization plan should be initiated before you begin development. Most players prefer to download and play games for free, but there are other ways you can make a profit on your app. For example, you can include in-app purchases such as more lives or ammunition. Die-hard fans are prone to make these purchases. Another method you can try is affiliate marketing – allowing the advertising of other products in your app.
These five strategies can help lead you down the right path to creating a great game. But above all else, there is one golden rule of game development – have fun. If you don’t enjoy the process of creating your game, your players won’t enjoy it either. Make sure it delights, intrigues, and of course, entertains.