2015
Company
Documents about 2015
One game developer discusses the road to 10 million downloads
The journey of independent mobile developer Tuomas Erikoinen, operating under the studio name Part-Time Monkey, illustrates a high-velocity, iterative approach to game development that resulted in 15 million total downloads.
- Independent developer Tuomas Erikoinen achieved 15 million total downloads by prioritizing rapid prototyping and platform featuring over paid user acquisition.
- The studio's most successful title, Space Frontier, reached 10 million downloads through a collaboration with publisher Ketchapp, while Breakout Ninja secured over 2 million downloads.
- Development cycles are kept short, ranging from two weeks to three months, utilizing proprietary Unity tools to automate UI, level design, and in-app purchase management.
The GDC 2015 Live 2D Animation Demo
The creation of high-fidelity 2D animation for fighting games requires a meticulous balance between traditional artistic principles and the rigid technical constraints of gameplay mechanics.
- High-fidelity 2D fighting game animation requires a 30fps workflow where frame holds are precisely adjusted to align with combat timings for optimal responsiveness.
- Dynamic impact is generated through manual simulation of secondary motion, such as hair and cape movement, to compensate for the lack of procedural physics in 2D engines.
- Visual clarity during high-speed sequences is maintained by utilizing classic animation techniques like torso twisting, limb delay, and smear frames to bridge key poses.
Neue Gesichter bei Daedelic: Germany
Hamburg-based developer and publisher Daedalic Entertainment announced in November 2017 a restructured, five-person communications team covering marketing, PR, community management, and social media.
- In November 2017, Hamburg-based Daedalic Entertainment established a new five-person communications department to expand its international market presence.
- The department is led by Director of Communications Tim Krause-Murroni, who reports directly to CEO Carsten Fichtelmann.
- The team includes Sandra Hübner as Head of PR, Lisa Mallory overseeing social media, and marketing assistants Marie Müller and Mounir Aouina.
Toon Blast and the Death of Saga
Peak Games' decision to remove the Saga map from Toon Blast, its 2017 follow-up to the hit Toy Blast, is presented as evidence that the pure Saga model is fading in casual matching games.
- Peak Games abandoned the traditional linear 'Saga map' UI in Toon Blast to prioritize live events and social features, signaling a shift away from the model popularized by Candy Crush.
- The decline of Facebook integration as a primary driver for social virality and player retention has forced casual puzzle developers to adopt guild and clan systems similar to mid-core games like Clash of Clans.
- Engagement and competitive events, such as 'Star Chests' and 'Crown Rush,' have become the primary drivers of revenue growth and player retention, replacing the passive progression of the traditional Saga map.
Three Years of Tilt Brush
Tilt Brush originated as a serendipitous byproduct of a virtual reality chess experiment, where debug trails were repurposed into a functional 3D painting tool.
- Tilt Brush originated as a two-day prototype created from debug trails in a VR chess experiment, demonstrating the value of repurposing game development assets.
- The project successfully transitioned from an independent studio to a Google-backed product by applying agile gaming workflows like particle rendering and rapid iteration to non-gaming VR.
- To scale development after the 2015 Google acquisition, the team launched an Artist in Residence program involving 60 professional creators to stress-test features and inform product direction.
Top Mobile Games of Q3 2017: Candy Crush Re-Crowned U.S. Revenue King
Global consumer spending on mobile games across Apple's App Store and Google Play reached roughly $12.5 billion in Q3 2017, up 26 percent from $9.9 billion a year earlier.
- Global consumer spending on mobile games reached $12.5 billion in Q3 2017, representing a 26% year-over-year increase.
- Apple’s App Store generated $8 billion in global gaming revenue (up 29% YoY), while Google Play generated $4.5 billion (up 22% YoY).
- Candy Crush Saga became the top-earning mobile game in the U.S. for the first time since Q1 2015, with worldwide revenue growing 97% year-over-year to $271.4 million.
Raport Bieżący Nr 84/2017
The management of PlayWay S.A. outlines a strategic roadmap for game releases scheduled for the six-month period following November 2017.
- PlayWay S.A. is executing a multi-platform expansion strategy through mid-2018, targeting PC, Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and mobile markets.
- Key upcoming releases for the six-month period following November 2017 include Agony, House Flipper, Uboot, and Ultimate Fishing Simulator.
- The company is porting established titles, specifically 911 Operator and Gold Rush: The Game, to console platforms to diversify its distribution.
Elvenar Macht Mobil
Hamburg-based developer InnoGames launched the mobile version of its fantasy city-building title Elvenar for iOS and Android in early November 2017, as announced in a Gamecity Hamburg news item dated November 2, 2017.
- In November 2017, InnoGames expanded its 2015 browser-based title Elvenar to iOS and Android to reach a wider audience.
- The mobile version features full cross-platform functionality, allowing players to synchronize existing browser accounts with mobile devices.
- InnoGames optimized the Elvenar user interface specifically for touchscreen interaction to facilitate the transition from browser to mobile play.
The Second Mobile Cycle
Mainstream tech media has declared the mobile cycle over and moved on to chat bots, AR/VR, and voice devices, but a second mobile cycle has quietly taken hold.
- The mobile app economy has transitioned from a first cycle defined by freemium games and in-app purchases to a second cycle characterized by subscription-based services and diverse content.
- The Top Grossing charts are no longer dominated solely by games; they are now split evenly between gaming titles and subscription-powered services.
- Subscription models allow apps to generate significant revenue at a more moderate scale, as evidenced by Tinder, which maintains a top-five grossing position with approximately 25 million monthly active users compared to the hundreds of millions required by top-tier games like Clash of Clans.
Can Mobile Gaming Companies Go Public Again?
Mobile gaming's relationship with public markets shifted markedly between the Zynga and King IPO era of 2012 to 2014 and autumn 2017, and Eric Seufert argues that the once-prevailing belief that public investors are structurally hostile to mobile games has become outdated.
- Public market sentiment toward mobile gaming has shifted from hostility to acceptance, evidenced by Rovio Entertainment’s 2017 IPO, which achieved an enterprise value exceeding $1 billion.
- The industry has moved beyond the 'hit-driven' model that caused early public failures like King, which saw its stock price drop significantly after its 2014 IPO before being acquired by Activision for $5.9 billion in 2015.
- Mobile gaming companies have matured their business models by mastering sustainable user acquisition, effective monetization, and the integration of brands to improve retention.
10 Tips for Monetizing with a Mobile Game in 2017
Mobile game monetization in 2017 is framed as an underexploited opportunity: a market projected at $40.6 billion in revenue by year-end was driven by fewer than 1.9% of players, up just 0.4 points from 2014.
- As of January 2016, less than 1.9% of the total mobile player base generated the entirety of game revenue, highlighting the critical need to optimize conversion for non-paying users.
- High-priced virtual items can trigger high churn rates, as evidenced by the 75% average churn rate for new players within 30 days; developers should instead use lower entry-level price points and personalized offers for engaged users.
- Successful monetization relies on long-term retention, which is driven by frequent content updates, such as the strategy used by King with Candy Crush, which features over 2,680 levels.
Games from Germany: Market Share Remains Stubbornly Low
German-developed games captured just 6.4 per cent of computer and video game sales in Germany in 2016, according to figures released by the BIU, the German Games Industry Association, on 21 September 2017 alongside its first consolidated Annual Report of the Computer and Video Games Industry.
- The total market share of German-developed games fell to 6.4% in 2016, down from 7% in 2014 and 6.5% in 2015.
- German developers’ market share for smartphone and tablet games experienced a significant decline, dropping from 7% in 2015 to 4.2% in 2016.
- In the PC and console segment, which represents the largest portion of the market, the German-developed share fell from 0.6% to 0.5% in 2016.