We are a nation of gamers. According to Statista, in 2016 mobile gaming generated $35.6 billion in U.S. dollars with an average of 2.8 million active users. Let that sink in for a minute. $35.6 billion!
If you want your business to benefit from our country’s gaming obsession, you need to make sure your game has at least these six essential elements.
Fun
This is a no-brainer. Who wants to play a boring game? So what can make a game fun? One of the elements App Developer Magazine lists as important is elasticity — the game stretches as it goes. The player starts the game thinking it is easy to play, but as the player levels up, the game gets harder and harder. It challenges the user without seeming impossible.
A Good Story
You need something to keep the user interested. According to Jonay Suárez of Wibbu, a good story gets the user involved and engrossed in the game. What is a story? A story can be as obvious as rescuing someone from an evil king, or it can be more subtle like character development. No matter what the format, the user needs to be a part of the game in order to keep them coming back.
Beautiful Animation
We have come a long way from the blocky, pixelated games of the last century. Animation should be a mirror to what we see in real life with the added benefit of taking us away from reality. Clunky or low-quality animation can frustrate the user and lead to them uninstalling the app.
Quality Sound
Think of your favorite video games. Can you hum the theme? Do you remember the characters’ voices? In an article in the Journal of Psychology & Psychotherapy, Jiulin Zhang and Xiaoqing Fu found that music in games can immerse the user in the game. The sound signifies important game elements like a plot change or danger. Consider companies like Agora for mobile games design to add music and real-time voice to your game.
Rewards
Other than amazing sound and great stories, a great mobile game has benefits to the user. Offer rewards that your users cannot get just by playing the game. For every referral, give them more lives, coins, points, or coupons to use in your online store. Let the user market for you and get new players without you having to spend a lot of money on advertising.
Cross-platform
If your game is available for the iPhone, it needs to be available for Android and other platforms. Users can feel slighted if an app is available for one platform but not another. Be careful not to exclude any of your key customers, because if they cannot play, they won’t pay.
These by no means are the only elements you need to build a successful mobile game for business, but these are a good start. The key word is immersion. Use elements that will immerse users and build loyalty with your brand.
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