Video games have been around for decades. According to Statista, nearly half a million Android mobile games are available on the Play Store, while App Store is home to 300,000 iOS gaming apps.
The mobile gaming industry has come a long way. From the very first mobile games like Tetris and Snake to modern tactical games like Call of Duty and Among Us, so much has changed!
Due to the unprecedented growth of the gaming industry, hundreds of mobile game development companies and indie game developers are working tirelessly to put their gaming apps on the internet. But that doesn’t mean every game is a success. In fact, only 5 -35 percent of the games can barely break even, let alone the profits.
So what makes a mobile game smash success? What factors are crucial in building super hit mobile games? And how do free mobile games make money in 2022? Let’s go over each briefly.
Success Recipe of Mobile Games
App Store alone publishes around 500 iOS mobile games daily. And standing out in such cutthroat competition is no easy feat. Game developers implement the following strategies to ensure the success of their gaming apps:
1. Cognitive Flow
Game development companies must induce cognitive design flow to set challenging game levels for everyone. Successful mobile gaming apps are designed to enhance the user experience and create a stable revenue stream for the game to thrive.
2. Design Theory
Mobile game developers should design the games for a layman. Games like Candy Crush, which are easy to learn and play, tend to get higher downloads and fame than other complex mobile games. One-handed games with progressive tutorials for leveling up generate are usually more successful in generating revenues.
How Do Free Gaming Apps Make Money?
Surprisingly, free mobile games tend to generate more profits than paid gaming apps. While paid mobile games solely depend on the download fees, free mobile games don’t. Below are the 7 money-making models a game development company could use to make money:
1. In-App Purchase
The in-app purchase model has been highly successful for many years. In this model, game publishers put gaming apps for free on the internet to get maximum downloads. Once players are hooked to the game, they are introduced to special in-app purchases.
These purchases can be coins, gems, or instant level-up cards for any character. Games like Clash Royale easily make over $1 million from in-app purchases daily.
2. Advertisement
The advertisement model is the most popular money-making model in free mobile games for generating revenues. In this model, game publishers allow third-party companies to market their products or services on their apps.
The advertisement model is slowly fading away since it interrupts the player and irritates them. The most common ad types are display ads, pop-up ads, banner ads, and video ads.
3. Freemium Model
Freemium model is much like in-app purchases but with a slight difference. In the freemium model, the user has to upgrade to the premium version to unlock advanced levels and characters. This model is more prevalent among non-gaming mobile apps.
Games like Apex legends mobile, Asphalt 9, and Clash Royale use the freemium model to generate massive profits.
7 Mobile Games You Must Try in 2022
If you want to kick away the boredom and try something new this year, we have got you covered!
Below is a list of seven epic online mobile games that you must try in 2022.
1. Puzzles & Survival
Puzzles & Survival is a strategy game involving zombies. The goal is to escape the dungeon filled with zombies by blocking their escape route using tiles. The player has to endure a zombie apocalypse with hundreds of zombies marching toward him.
2. Elvenar
Elvenar is an epic fantasy game involving empire building and strategy. It involves turn-based strategic battles and waging war against other powerful empires. This game is a must-try if you’re a fan of strategy and building games like clash of clans.
3. Sun Rise Village
Sunrise Village is a beautiful story-based game involving a character who’s fed up with city life. In this game, the player has to start a new life from scratch on a farm in the sunrise village. His new life involves growing fruits and vegetables for trade and purchasing land and buildings to expand his operations.
4. Epic Seven
Epic seven is a true masterpiece and a treat for anime lovers. This game helps build team coordination and leadership qualities. It has some cool anime characters with turn-based RPG battles as the story progress. Furthermore, Epic seven depicts some really epic anime scenes during the battles.
5. Pokémon Go
There’s no game as attractive as Pokemon Go that keeps people returning for it. Pokemon Go is a location-based game involving augmented reality. Despite being launched back in 2016, Pokemon Go is still breaking records in 2022.
6. Among Us
Among Us is an epic online team game that got wildly popular among gamers in 2021. The game starts with preparing your spacecraft for takeoff with your crew members. Be on the lookout for the imposter, unless it’s you, in which case kill your squad without mercy.
7. Clash Royale
Clash Royale is an epic real-time battle game from Supercell. It has over 100 different characters with certain capabilities and an elixir range. The game follows a simple battle between the kings spawning troops on a two-lane battlefield. Whoever defeats the enemy’s king wins.
Wrapping Up
Mobile gaming is a billion-dollar industry that’s projected to grow even further. With gaming-friendly devices in everyone’s reach, it’s estimated to grow even further. There’s an opportunity for entrepreneurs to become the next big thing in the gaming industry.
If you think you have a game idea that can disrupt the mobile gaming industry, now is the right time. Hundreds of competent Android and iPhone app developers in Miami, Houston, New York, and Chicago can help you get your mobile game up and running in a few months.
