Over the years, the mobile gaming industry has grown beyond the expectations of the industry experts. It now accounts for more than 50% of the global revenue earned from gaming. As per the latest mobile game statistics, the number of players has gone over 3.1 billion and this makes up for almost 40% of the world population. The reports show that more than 50% of the mobile gamers are female and that the average age ranges between 33 and 45 years. Based on the current gaming industry statistics, it is estimated that the revenue will increase to $94 billion by 2024.
So, what makes this industry such a great success and which trends should you be looking for in 2021 and beyond?Â
Reasons for the popularity of mobile games
- Freemium games
Most of the mobile games are free to download with in-app purchases. This allows people to download them without paying anything from the App Store and Play Store. Based on their choice, they can pick from hundreds of options available.
- Portability
3G internet services have made smartphones accessible to almost everyone. The reasonably priced data plans offered by multiple providers has only helped boost the popularity of mobile games. These devices are portable and we always carry them with us. So, whenever we want a small break or something to take our mind off of stress, it becomes convenient.
- Entertainment
Mobile games are entertaining, to say the least. They take players to a whole new world of adventure and hence, engross them on any given day.
- Sense of accomplishment/achievement
Most of these games are level based. So, when players move up, they get a sense of achievement.
- Multiple genres of mobile games
Some of the popular genres that game development companies find profitable across the globe are casual, puzzle, action, simulation, arcade, and massively multiplayer online games, also known as MMORPG.
Producing such games is not an easy task. Mobile gamers look for innovativeness and this can be accomplished only by improving on the current options. Here are a few tips to help create such popular games in 2021
2021 mobile gaming trends you should know about
- The effect of social media platforms on mobile games is creating communities and helping players from different parts of the world to connect with each other and enjoy the whole experience even more.
- Though the average age of mobile gaming players is estimated to be between 33 and 45, game development companies are creating apps that appeal to people of all ages.
- Players are more open to in-game ads and also understand the importance of rewarded ads. Since they get to play the games for free, they have come to terms with the fact that gaming companies need to make money and ads are one of the major contributors for the same. So, the screen time for these is increasing slowly, albeit surely.Â
- Using gaming analytics, designers and developers are able to understand their target audience and create better games. Based on the data available, players are given whatever they are interested in, which results in an increase of revenue.
In addition to the above, there are several game tech marketing strategies that are being employed by gaming companies. Using these technically-rich tools, they are able to identify the specific needs of their target audience and create games based on that.
Let’s come back to mobile game statistics again!
If we consider India as the market, the number of users increased from 200 million in 2016 to 325 million in 2021. The market share is expected to reach $174.4 billion in the year next year with a CAGR( Compound Annual Growth Rate) of 25.5% between the period 2018 and 2022.
Going by these figures, it can be rightly said that the Indian mobile gaming industry is booming! In fact, many players are not shying away from spending money in in-app purchases as well. The market is growing steadily and the gear is shifting from the young players to people in their 30s and 40s. Many companies are creating inclusive games that meet the needs of all generations.Â
The rise of casual mobile games is yet another reason for this success. It takes up about 14.2% of the market share. There is a lot of scope to explore in this arena and using the latest mobile gaming trends, game development companies can create immersive experiences for every gamer!
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