Game Development and Marketing Tips Every Game Developer Should Follow

Those times are already gone when building a mobile game and launching it in app market was enough. With thousands of mobile games being published every year, it is the fire of competition that every developer faces now and a few actually become able to ensure profitability with their game apps. 

Some recent statistics in this respect can serve as an eye opener to this competition. Today, 80% of mobile apps are just considered as fillers as they are never discovered or seen by the users at all. A whopping 22% of mobile game apps are just withdrawn because they just fail to generate any profit for the developer company. So what can you do to make your game a success? Well, here we are going to provide some really effective tips for game development and marketing that every game developer should follow. 

Know how the game will work 

While building a game first if all ensure style and art that make it easily memorable and recognizable. Just consider seeing someone playing Angry Birds or Subway Surfers. From the game art to the sound effects, everything should be easily recognizable instantly. On the other hand consider the majority of games that lack the look, feel and sound elements that make a game instantly recognizable. 

Select game engines and software 

Depending on your game concept and the kind of features you want in it, you can choose your game engines and software that suits the game best. If you require a highly powerful and versatile game engine with capability for building both 2D and 3D games, Unity game engine can be a good choice. you can start making your game, you need to know which software package you plan on using to develop it. A very influential game engine that has the abilities to create both 2D and 3D games is Unity. UDK or Unreal Development Kit is another powerful game engine with high graphic capabilities. 

Choosing the game engine depends on whether it is going to be a 2D or 3D game. For creating assets for 2D games, you need to use software like Photoshop while for creating 3D game assets you need software like Maya or 3ds Max. Game development also depends on the developer skills. If you are an ambitious would-be developer with programming knowledge but less exposure with the actual development projects, building simple 2D games with a unique idea can be a better choice. If you are a novice in programming but have a good game idea that you like to bear fruit, tools like GameSalad can be a great choice. There are tools that can allow you creating a beautiful game with just drag and drop actions. 

Simplicity and Intuitive Design 

Learning to play a game quickly is a very important aspect of game design. The users should intuitively get an idea of how to play the game and get engaged with the game in just seconds. Gaming experience should be highly visual with eye-candy graphics to stand out in appearance and allow easy engagement. In this respect, maintaining minimalistic stripped off view with least clutter is often helpful than a lot of visual clutter around. 

Focus on one platform and consider porting it later for another 

The same old debate on whether you should publish your game on iOS or Android is likely to engage every developer. There are few things that you need to understand on a priority basis. First of all, initially you should focus on one platform and then port the experience for another. Understanding the difference between these two platforms is crucial at the initial stage. If you are focused on monetizing your game first, it is advisable to opt for iOS as it offers higher earning potential. On the other hand, Android offers bigger reach to game players across the vast majority of devices.

Ensure applauding the victories

Gamers like to be applauded every here and now for the small feats they achieve while playing a game. Most players get bored over time playing a game and you seldom have chances to appreciate them. By applauding their game playing feats from time to time you boost their morale to fight for more score or next levels and keep them engaged. 

Ensuring fun and entertainment continuously 

Games should be fun to play and the fun element should be continuous. Game players get bored with a game quickly and with so many game options, they can easily leave a game for something new and more entertaining. This is why it is important to deliver fun with elements like music, sound effects, jokes, funny gestures, instructions, praise, etc. 

Attract attention in gaming events

If the game budget is not very sound, you should take full advantage of the game events to garner visibility for your game. These events allow buying a vendor table for giving a demo of your game or can book free of cost appointments in the event to showcase your game to the attending press people and industry professionals. This is a good way to create buzz around your game at a small cost. 

Ensure a robust social media presence for your game 

Social media can help your game quick visibility and buzz.  First of all, maintain dedicated a social page for your game on both Facebook and Twitter. Secondly, make email lists to establish connections with your close people and all your peers. With your peer group established, boost them to spread the word about your game. Offer prominent links of your game app and the game web page across social media platforms and pages. You can boost engagement by publishing innovative game teasers and small trailers from time to time. Know where most of your target audience and key followers are spending their social time and accordingly make your posts there. 

A Game Trailer is Must 

A video like all other web-based activities plays a superb engaging role in game marketing as well. Make a small trailer of the game showcasing key attributes of the game and publish it social channels and all over the web. Game trailers quickly introduce a game with a clear idea of what it is about.