Mobile gaming is the most popular type of gaming. It’s easy to access, and players don’t need excessive equipment. According to Admob, 62% of smartphone users install games within a week of buying a smartphone. There is a huge market for mobile games, and the field of mobile game development is competitive. According to GameAnalytics, mobile gamers increased by 46% by the end of April 2020 due to the pandemic.
Developing a Mobile Game is a big project. Breaking it down into smaller tasks is pivotal. While there is no fixed pathway to successful mobile game creation, these tips will give you an idea of the project’s breakdown.
- Make an Awesome Game Plan
Your game plan can make or break the game. The gaming market is competitive, and creators are pushed more and more to create unique content. The plan doesn’t necessarily have to be very complicated; for example, the game Among Us by Innersloth is a simple game. There are multiple players, and one or 2 of them hunt the others, and the players have to figure out who the hunter is to win. By July 2021, Among Us had gathered a revenue of $86 million.
- Choosing an Appropriate Development Platform
Using a gaming development platform is not mandatory, but developing a game without one is challenging. Development platforms save time and allow developers to focus on small details of the game. Popular gaming development platforms are Unity, AppGameKit, Cry Engine, Unreal Engine and Titanium.
Different platforms have different signature features, and you must choose one that suits your needs best. For example,
Unity has remarkable customer service, and it uses C# and Javascript as programming languages. It supports both 3D and 2D game development. Unity also has online tutorials in multiple languages.
Unreal Engine supports creating games that include shooting best. It is convenient to develop big games on Unreal.
- Create the Game’s Graphics.
There is a wide range of graphic styles. Choosing a style that suits your game is an important task. Graphics can be 2D or 3D, but most importantly, they should be signature to the game. The Angry Birds graphics are signature to the game and can be recognised by anyone. This has helped create a brand name for the game, and developers can monetise this by selling merchandise.
- Creating a Prototype and Testing the Game
Developers should thoroughly test the game before it is launched for the public to enjoy. You must test the prototype among the target group for your game. It can be males living in the US of age 18-35 who casually play mobile games daily.
When carrying out prototype tests, the question should give you insights into the public’s opinion on the game. They will help you improve the final product.
Some sample questions are,
- Did you enjoy the core features of the game?
- Were the levels too easy or too difficult?
- Did you notice any glitching during gameplay?
- Did you find anything distracting?
- While exploring the game, did you find anything confusing?
- Were there any features you didn’t use/ sparingly used?
- How likely are you to play this game after its launch?
Based on the responses you receive, you can fix bugs or problems you’ve found. There is no such thing as too much testing. You can use many ways to obtain these responses, such as online surveys, personal interviews, A/B testing, and expert review. Each has its pros and cons, and you must choose which method/s you use according to your needs and budget.
Online surveys, while fast and easy, give you limited feedback. Similarly, A/B testing gives you clear results, but the responses aren’t detailed. Personal interviews are more time consuming but allow you to ask follow-up questions and collect detailed responses. Game experts will give you in-depth, specific feedback, but their personal preferences may influence their answers.
- Launching the Game!
After you have perfected your game, it’s time to launch it. There is no specific time that’s best for releasing a game, so just go for it! You can pre-launch your game on streaming platforms and social media to create a buzz. You can invite professional gamers to try out your game and create a blog on the journey of building your game, from an idea to a reality.
Do you have a brilliant idea for a new mobile game? We provide mobile game development services. We would love to hear your thoughts!