Mobile gaming is booming, with global revenues surpassing $196B during the Covid-19 pandemic. This growth has fuelled by the massive user appetite for unique and dynamic games.
Gaming as a service (GaaS) is one of the hottest game development trends to watch for 2023. This is an emerging platform that delivers games over the internet, requiring no download or installs.
Gameplay Trends
Mobile games have long been able to leverage a variety of trends such as social media and the latest technology. This has allowed them to become extremely popular, for example, a game like Niantic’s Pokemon Go has had a massive impact on the gaming industry.
This has encouraged developers to continue creating innovative games, which capture the attention of users. This will allow them to generate high revenues and installs.
A recent study by Facebook showed that 49% of players are influenced by the game genre when select a new title. This emphasizes the importance of relevant and granular genre classification. This allows developers to make better decisions when penetrating new markets, adding features and exploring launches in different platforms. It also helps in a more efficient discovery process by gamers. The most popular genres are hyper-casual and simulation games. These games are simple to play and don’t require a lot of complex graphics. However, they are addictive and fun to play.
Socialization
Mobile gaming has evolved into an immersive experience that provides players with new socialization opportunities. For example, many games have chat or voice features to enable gamers to interact with one another. This has become especially important during the pandemic when people are feeling isolated from their peers.
The ad-supported games that feature energy timers and ‘pay or grind’ mechanics were found to have higher levels of ‘vulnerability’ than the free-to-play games (p0.05). However, these findings are not necessarily generalizable because the sample was surveyed during the height of the pandemic.
Metaverse
The metaverse is a virtual replication of our world. It combines cutting-edge technology and captivating gameplay. It is revolutionizing the gaming industry. It is also making its way into other sectors such as fashion, education, and real estate.
This technology allows users to travel through the digital space and explore their interests. It may eventually replace traditional tourism. It will also provide access to immersive classrooms and remote educational opportunities.
However, there are several challenges that need to overcome in order for this technology to widely accepted. For example, the metaverse must be able to offer a realistic environment that can walked through by the user. It must also be able to track and verify ownership of assets in the virtual world. Lastly, it must be compatible with multiple platforms and devices. The development of these features will require significant investment and collaboration between different companies.
AR/VR
A growing number of developers are integrating augmented reality and virtual reality technology into mobile gaming. The VR-based release of Valve’s dystopian sci-fi classic Half Life: Alyx is a notable example.
Augmented reality integrates game content with a player’s environment in real-time without requiring a special headset. Pokemon Go is a popular AR example that uses GPS, the phone’s clock, the camera, and gyroscope to create a location-based setting for gameplay.
Expert AR/VR specialists possess software programming, 3D modeling, UI/UX design, and video/audio production skills plus an obsession with the constantly evolving technology. They have a proven track record of successful project delivery, seamless active support, and a consistent client satisfaction rate. Entrepreneurs looking to hire these professionals can find them on leading outsourcing platforms like Clutch and GoodFirms, in LinkedIn and other networking communities, at conferences, and in local meetups. The best ones also offer flexible staff augmentation services to help businesses grow their teams and accelerate development.