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There'a a lot of investment for social mobile game companies says Retora
The mobile gaming sector is currently experiencing a significant surge in capital investment, driven by a strong industry-wide pivot toward social mobile experiences.
- The mobile gaming sector is experiencing a significant surge in capital investment driven by a strategic industry-wide pivot toward social mobile experiences.
- Industry events throughout 2013, including GDC, E3, Casual Connect, Slush, and Game Connection Europe, confirm that mobile social gaming is the primary driver of current market activity.
- A high volume of B2B meetings at major international gatherings reflects an intense industry-wide effort by both startups and established entities to secure partnerships and funding.
Why 5 million mobile downloads in China per month isn't a big number
The Chinese mobile gaming market represents a unique, high-volume landscape that requires specific strategic considerations for international developers.
- In the Chinese mobile market, 5 million downloads per month is considered a baseline figure rather than a sign of success, with 30 million monthly downloads being the threshold for a truly significant hit.
- Data costs are a major barrier in China, where a 5GB data plan costs 17% of an average monthly salary, compared to 1.5%–1.7% in the US and Korea, necessitating strict game file size optimization.
- Western developers should prioritize finding a local publishing partner for Asian markets, as self-publishing is high-risk and requires the scale of companies like Supercell to succeed independently.
Monetizer: Lawless
Lawless is an on-rails first-person shooter developed by Eight Pixel Square and published by DeNA for mobile platforms.
- Lawless utilizes an on-rails, light-gun gameplay mechanic to bypass the technical challenges of implementing traditional FPS controls on mobile devices.
- The game shifts the core challenge from player skill to the statistical strength of equipment, utilizing an upgrade loop modeled after CSR Racing.
- Monetization is driven by a dual-currency system of cash and premium 'crime coins,' with in-app purchase bundles ranging from $0.99 to $49.99.
15 predictions for the future of mobile games in 2014
The mobile gaming industry in 2014 is characterized by a shift toward increased professionalization, social integration, and cross-platform development.
- The mobile gaming market is shifting toward professionalization, where rising user acquisition and live operations costs are creating higher barriers to entry that favor large-scale publishers over small indie studios.
- Development strategies are pivoting from casual titles toward midcore and hardcore gaming experiences, driven by an influx of talent from the traditional console sector.
- Social integration is becoming a primary requirement for retention, with developers prioritizing in-game communication and features that allow players to share gameplay moments to drive organic discovery.
Apportable's Tisa Vo on the need to go cross-platform
The mobile gaming industry is undergoing a fundamental shift in development strategy, moving away from the traditional iOS-first approach toward a model that prioritizes simultaneous cross-platform releases.
- Mobile game developers must shift from an iOS-first strategy to simultaneous cross-platform releases to remain competitive in an increasingly fragmented market.
- Integrating cross-platform development tools at the start of production prevents the technical debt and resource strain caused by post-launch porting.
- Prioritizing simultaneous launches on both iOS and Android is essential for maximizing audience reach and neutralizing the risks of ignoring significant global user segments.
Monetizer: Heroes of Dragon Age
Heroes of Dragon Age represents an attempt by Electronic Arts to adapt the established Dragon Age console franchise into the mobile card-battling genre.
- Electronic Arts adapted the Dragon Age console franchise into a mobile card-battler using 3D graphics to differentiate the title from 2D, text-heavy Japanese competitors.
- The game suffers from high initial user friction caused by lengthy download times and a mandatory, non-interactive tutorial that restricts player agency.
- The monetization model utilizes a dual-currency system of gold and gems, employing reciprocity by gifting initial currency to encourage early store engagement.
Applifer's Oscar Clark on the impact of monetisation on mobile game design
The mobile gaming industry is undergoing a fundamental shift in design philosophy, moving away from aggressive, revenue-centric models toward a focus on player engagement and long-term retention.
- Mobile game design is shifting from aggressive, revenue-centric models toward a philosophy that prioritizes long-term player engagement and retention.
- Monetization is increasingly integrated directly into core game design rather than functioning as a separate commercial layer.
- Social connectivity and user-generated content have become primary drivers for game discovery and community building in the post-console era.
Monetizer: CSR Classics
CSR Classics, developed by Boss Alien and published by NaturalMotion, functions as an expansion to the original CSR Racing, utilizing the same rhythm-based drag racing mechanics while shifting the focus to classic vehicle restoration.
- CSR Classics utilizes a dual-currency model of soft cash and hard gold to drive monetization, with top-tier hard currency bundles priced at approximately $100 for 16,500 units.
- The game mitigates friction from pay-to-skip mechanics by framing wait times for upgrades and deliveries as thematic shipping or customs delays.
- Monetization is anchored in psychological triggers like reciprocity and scarcity, starting with an initial soft currency grant to normalize shop interaction before introducing real-money purchases.
The future of F2P mobile gaming with Kabam's Andrew Sheppard
Kabam is strategically pivoting from its historical focus on strategy-based mobile games toward higher-fidelity, immersive, and interactive experiences to meet evolving consumer demands.
- Kabam is shifting its development focus from strategy-based games to high-fidelity, 3D, and AAA-quality experiences to align with evolving consumer demands.
- The company is diversifying its portfolio beyond traditional strategy titles into genres like tower defense and synchronous multiplayer action, as seen in upcoming releases Dark District and Blast Zone.
- Leveraging intellectual property through partnerships with major studios like Warner Bros. and NBC Universal has proven successful, with the Fast & Furious 6 tie-in achieving 33 million installs.
Monetizer: Tank Nation
Tank Nation, a debut title from US-based startup Wormhole Games, is a turn-based artillery game that blends traditional trajectory-based mechanics with a free-to-play resource management economy.
- Tank Nation by startup Wormhole Games utilizes a hybrid model that combines skill-based artillery combat with free-to-play resource management.
- The game employs a dual-currency system featuring 'Bolts' for soft-currency component upgrades and 'Gems' as the hard currency for real-money purchases.
- Developers implemented a tiered pricing model for Gems, offering better value ratios to incentivize larger real-world financial transactions.
Monetizer: Batman: Arkham Origins
Batman: Arkham Origins, a free-to-play mobile brawler developed by Warner Bros., serves as a case study for integrating console-style production values with established mobile monetization mechanics.
- Batman: Arkham Origins employs a dual-currency model featuring upgrade points for character progression and WayneTech points for premium boosts, stamina, and cosmetics.
- The game utilizes tiered pricing bands in its store to incentivize larger real-money transactions by offering increased value at higher spending levels.
- The economic model creates a psychological distinction between currencies by presenting upgrade points as abundant, low-value assets and WayneTech points as scarce, premium resources.
The Game Industry of Finland: 2013
The Finnish game industry experienced a period of rapid expansion between 2009 and 2013, establishing itself as a significant global player.
- The Finnish game industry experienced explosive financial growth, with core turnover rising from 87 million euros in 2009 to an estimated 800 million euros in 2013.
- The sector achieved a compound annual growth rate of 39.5% between 2004 and 2013, significantly outperforming the global game market.
- By the end of 2013, the industry comprised over 180 companies, with more than 50% of these entities founded within the previous two years.