Mobile reports and market data
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LVP's Paul Heydon on investment, eSports, mobile MOBAs, and Europe's advantage
The mobile gaming investment landscape in 2016 is characterized by rapid growth, with mobile emerging as the fastest-expanding sector within the broader gaming industry.
- Europe is a net exporter of mobile gaming revenue, leveraging lower overhead costs and competitive salary structures compared to Silicon Valley to achieve superior capital efficiency and higher returns on investment.
- The mobile gaming sector is the fastest-expanding segment of the industry, driven by the successful monetization of mobile MOBAs like Clash Royale and the emergence of professional mobile eSports leagues for titles such as Vainglory.
- High-profile acquisitions, including the deals for Supercell and Activision-King, have validated the sector's profitability and are expected to fuel further reinvestment into game development.
FTUE: MMA Federation
MMA Federation, a turn-based martial arts brawler developed by 360 Studios, utilizes a unique card-based combat mechanic that differentiates it from traditional real-time fighting games.
- MMA Federation by 360 Studios differentiates itself from traditional real-time fighting games by utilizing a turn-based, card-driven combat system that prioritizes strategic anticipation over rapid reflexes.
- The game employs a mandatory, linear tutorial that restricts player agency to ensure users understand the interface and core mechanics before accessing advanced features like training or move progression.
- The core gameplay loop is built on a tactical system where players select offensive, defensive, and grappling maneuvers, functioning similarly to a game of chess.
20 words no one in the mobile games industry should use
The mobile games industry relies heavily on a lexicon of jargon that often obscures business realities rather than clarifying them.
- The mobile games industry relies on jargon to mask poor strategic thinking and a lack of genuine innovation, which distances developers from player experiences and business health.
- Terms like 'whales' and 'users' dehumanize players by reducing individuals to mere revenue sources or abstract data points.
- An over-reliance on metrics like 'lifetime value' and 'key performance indicators' creates a false sense of precision that often justifies business models based on luck rather than sustainable design.
Oscar Clark's Rocky Horror Show Mobile Game Dev Pecha Kucha
The development of free-to-play mobile games is a complex, often unpredictable process that mirrors the chaotic creative journey depicted in The Rocky Horror Picture Show.
- Long-term mobile game success depends on shifting focus from user acquisition to nurturing player engagement and building a loyal community.
- Developers must balance creative passion with disciplined, data-informed decision-making to navigate the unpredictable nature of the mobile market.
- Aggressive monetization tactics that prioritize short-term revenue over player enjoyment risk alienating the audience and cannibalizing the game's long-term experience.
Roadhouse announces Iron Maiden: Legacy of the Beast
Roadhouse Interactive, in collaboration with Phantom Music Management, is developing a mobile role-playing game titled Iron Maiden: Legacy of the Beast.
- Roadhouse Interactive is developing 'Iron Maiden: Legacy of the Beast,' a mobile RPG that integrates the band's 40-year history and mascot, Eddie, into an interactive experience.
- The project is built on a collaborative model where Phantom Music Management and Iron Maiden’s sound engineers work directly with the Vancouver-based development team to ensure brand authenticity.
- The game is designed as a standalone, high-quality RPG that functions as a living product, with ongoing updates and events synchronized with the band’s global touring schedule.
GotW: BattleHand
BattleHand, a card-battling RPG developed by the London-based startup Another Place and published by Kongregate, serves as a notable entry in the mobile gaming market.
- BattleHand is a mobile card-battling RPG developed by London-based startup Another Place and published by Kongregate, targeting the mid-core Western market.
- The combat system utilizes a turn-based, team-oriented structure that incorporates elemental affinities—such as earth, water, and fire—to dictate tactical advantages.
- The game differentiates itself from competitors through a steeper difficulty curve and a design philosophy that prioritizes core gameplay mechanics over metagame-driven progression.
FTUE: Downtown Showdown
Downtown Showdown, a mobile title from Japanese publisher COLOPL, serves as a case study in the adaptation of city-building mechanics for Western markets.
- COLOPL is utilizing 'Downtown Showdown' as a strategic vehicle to adapt Japanese city-building design sensibilities for Western markets in Europe and North America.
- The game hybridizes traditional urban simulation mechanics with competitive, combat-oriented progression systems similar to 'Clash of Clans'.
- The monetization model relies on standard free-to-play mechanics, specifically using premium 'diamonds' to bypass construction timers and wait times.
IAP Inspector: BattleHand
BattleHand, a fantasy-themed card battler developed by Another Place Productions and published by Kongregate, utilizes a monetization model that blends standard industry practices with unique narrative-driven engagement strategies.
- BattleHand prioritizes manual gameplay by requiring players to complete dungeons before unlocking auto-battle features, contrasting with the automated progression models of competitors like Star Wars: Galaxy of Heroes.
- The game utilizes a multi-currency system comprising keys for energy, gold as soft currency, and gems as hard currency.
- A daily gem subscription service is offered for approximately $13.99, a price point that may hinder its effectiveness as an entry-level conversion tool compared to lower-priced market alternatives.
Machine Zone, Supercell and King spent $200M on US TV ads in 2015
The mobile gaming industry experienced a significant shift in marketing strategy during 2015, characterized by a rapid expansion into traditional television advertising.
- US television advertising spend for video games reached $630 million in 2015, marking a 47% year-over-year increase driven primarily by mobile-only studios.
- Machine Zone, Supercell, and King collectively spent nearly $200 million on US TV ads in 2015, with individual spends of $93 million, $60 million, and $41 million respectively.
- Top-tier mobile developers are utilizing a 'brute force' marketing strategy, leveraging calculated player lifetime value data to justify massive investments in broad-reach traditional media.
Return To Adventure Mountain 2015
The year 2015 served as a period of significant professional transition and creative output for an independent game developer based in Phoenix, Arizona.
- In 2015, a Phoenix-based independent developer shifted to rapid prototyping of small-scale titles following the dissolution of a previous business partnership.
- The developer released a diverse portfolio of experimental games throughout the year, including Wizard Golf RPG, Rogue Drop, Drill Planet, and Ride Share Z.
- Wizard Golf RPG achieved international press coverage, though the developer reported that it failed to reach significant commercial success.
FTUE: Clash of Gods
Clash of Gods serves as a Westernized adaptation of the Chinese mobile title Papa Three Kingdoms.
- Clash of Gods is a Westernized adaptation of the Chinese mobile title Papa Three Kingdoms, replacing original aesthetic themes with Western and Egyptian mythology to target global markets.
- The game’s FTUE suffers from significant friction, including a confusing tutorial and an initial battle that results in an unexpected defeat for new players.
- The core gameplay mechanics—featuring card-based systems, complex formation management, and automated combat—are rooted in hardcore Chinese design philosophies that conflict with Western preferences for intuitive, streamlined onboarding.
Did mobile gaming peak in 2015?
The mobile gaming industry reached a significant inflection point in 2015, as data indicates a one percent decline in total game session frequency compared to 2014.
- Mobile gaming experienced a 1% decline in session frequency in 2015, marking the first contraction for the category while the broader mobile app sector grew by 58%.
- The 2015 decline follows a multi-year deceleration, as mobile gaming growth slowed to 30% in 2014, consistently underperforming categories like productivity and news.
- Flurry data, derived from tracking 2.1 billion devices across North America, Europe, Japan, and Korea, indicates that the industry's early-stage explosive growth phase has concluded in mature markets.