Mobile gaming is a hugely popular market with a revenue generation of approximately 40.6 billion U.S. dollars in the year 2017 alone. It is a burgeoning industry with highly innovative and graphically advanced games that can keep you hooked for hours at end. Moreover, 62 % of smartphone owners download a game within a week of acquiring a new phone.
However, developing an app is not an easy feat, especially in the current intensely competitive market. It takes a substantial amount of time and budget. In fact, numerous developers are unable to cover even the initial expenditure that goes into producing and launching the app. Therefore, if you have an intriguing idea for a gaming app, you need to implement a few steps before you start the development phase:
Research your market
Before you dive into the app development mode, you need to conduct an in-depth analysis of your target market. There is a plethora of gaming apps, and only a small percentage is able to scratch the surface and make an impact on its audience.
According to older statistics, around 80% of the developers do not earn enough to convert their app into a sustainable business.
Start with figuring out if there are other games similar to your idea. Research about their popularity, discover their strengths and weaknesses and read their reviews on social media and app stores.
Once you have accumulated a wealth of information about your prospective competitors, you can avoid the obvious mistakes made by them. The research will also enable you to understand if your gaming idea has a potential to succeed and if it will stand out amongst the crowded platform.
Refine your idea
You may have been brainstorming about a new gaming app, or the idea may have struck you unexpectedly. Either ways, you have to refine your initial intuition to produce an innovative and engaging app.
Most gaming apps are manufactured by refining an existing idea since it is easier than coming up with a completely new game. Candy Crush became a phenomenal success even though the basic idea was not exactly brand new. What made it a trending game is that it is polished and accessible. It is not overly complicated yet highly addictive. Hence, you should evaluate the rough draft of your gaming app to determine ways to make it more appealing to the masses.
Focus on the designing of the app as well, since the aesthetics are a big draw for gaming apps. Choose a layout that is user-friendly and suits the format of your game. AirG spam free apps are great examples of amazing games with sleek designs that focus on providing the best experience to the players.
Learn programming
There are different software that can help you construct your gaming app. However, it is highly imperative to learn a programming language.
Programming language enables you to create complex, multi-dimensional games. You can begin by learning C# that is relatively simple and easy to grasp. It is an object-oriented programming language, which is widely popular amongst the developers.
Select your platform
Each platform including Android, iOS, Windows, etc. use different languages. Due to monetary constraints, you may not be able to develop an app for all the different platforms at once. Therefore, choose a platform that has your target demographic. Most people prefer to launch their gaming app on the iOS platform initially since it has more number of profitable players, better chances of downloads, and increased chances of revenue generation.
The monetizing strategy is another important variable for app development. Your intentions for creating a gaming app can be simply to pursue a hobby, or you may want remunerations from your venture. Either ways, it is recommended to consider different monetization models since app development is time-consuming and very expensive. Following are some common ways to earn money from your app:
In-app purchases: This kind of model is also known as freemium model. It is the most common method where the apps are free to download. However, certain features and levels are locked, and the players have to purchase them for further accessibility.
In-app ads: Numerous games feature ads and earn money via this route. It is a common yet tricky way to monetize your app since unrelated or annoying ads can make you lose players and be counterproductive. On the other hand, it imposes no cost barriers on the users. Therefore, select your featured ads after special emphasis on their content.
Paid apps: Also known as Premium apps, users have to pay a nominal cost to download the app. However, it is advisable to opt for this option only if your gaming app offers a unique and superior experience compared to the competition. Ideally, offer a free trial or demo to convince the players to pay for the extended versions.
Choose a technology
It is very essential to make the technical decision early on, as opting for a development process will have significant implications for later development and maintenance. There are three types of development processes to create your gaming app:
Native apps development is ideal for heavy-duty tasks such as gaming. It involves using languages native to the device’s platform such as Android or iOS. These apps also deliver great performance, as they are coded specifically for individual platform.
Hybrid apps use the same code base for different platforms. They can access the features of their home devices and the games can run on all platforms.
HTML5 development process uses standard web technologies. It offers easy updates, works well for different platforms, and has low development cost. However, these apps cannot access the native device functionalities like camera, location, etc. and have limitations such as session management. To summarize, this process is ideal for simple games with no advance or complicated features.
To develop an innovative gaming app, you should have a vivid imagination and acute understanding of what you want your game to deliver. Furthermore, you should also decide on the monetizing model and development process, before you can commence the creation of your app.
ABOUT Alycia Gordan
Alycia Gordan is a freelance writer who loves to read and write articles on healthcare technology, fitness and lifestyle. She is a tech junkie and divides her time between travel and writing. You can find her on Twitter: @meetalycia
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