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#Game Design
Making a Hit Idle Game – Eight Lessons from Kolibri Games
In October, we held our second Making Hit Casual Games event, focusing on idle games (aka ‘clicker’ games). We wanted to know what made Kolibri Games’ Idle Miner Tycoon so successful. So we invited Kolibri’s Director of Business Development, Nate Barker, to tell our audience what lessons they learned from making their debut hit – and how they put them to use in developing their next big game, Idle Factory Tycoon. If you couldn’t be there in person, here’s Nate to fill you in on all the idle games wisdom you missed: So what is an idle game? There are lots of different ways to answer this question. But here’s our answer: An idle game is a spreadsheet with an interface. It’s not a very fun-sounding description, but it’s accurate. The mathematics behind idle games are mostly similar. You start...
#Game Design
Bam, Splat, Kapow: How to use Sound Effects to bring your Mobile Game to Life
It goes without saying that to make your mobile game successful you’ve got to have great visuals. They don’t necessarily need to be super sophisticated or complicated – but they’ve got to look good. So once you’ve sorted out your gorgeous gameplay, you might be tempted to sit back and relax. But there’s something else you shouldn’t forget – the sound. We’ve already talked about the importance of getting music right (and how to use it as a core mechanic). So in this post, we turn our attention to sound effects, and how simply adding these can make a real difference to gameplay. Are sound effects really that important? Yes. Sound effects are crucial for adding atmosphere and building emotion. If your player is walking through a scary, damp cave, for example, some dripping water sounds or distant footsteps can...
#Game Design
Making Hit Idle Games Event – Homa Games, Kolibri & GameAnalytics
It’s been a couple of months since our first event back in June, but the Arcade R(E)volution is back, and this time we focused on the idle genre. Accompanied by publishing giants, Homa Games, and Idle experts, Kolibri, we presented an evening full of insights, stats, stories, advice, and lessons. All on how to create hit idle games. If you made it that evening, brilliant! Thanks so much for coming. And if you sadly missed it, no worries. We recorded the entire evening, saved the decks, and put together some key takeaways. So you can get the low-down on what’s happening in the idle world, all of which you can find below. But before you dig in, we just wanted to share some information with you about the Arcade R(E)volution, and when you can expect to find the next one…...
#Game Deconstructions
What we learned: Idle Miner Tycoon and Idle Factory Tycoon – Kolibri
Having created one of the most popular idle games on the market, Idle Miner Tycoon, Kolibri shared with us their latest game, and how they built on what they learned from their first title to create their next big hit, Idle Factory Tycoon. And if you fancy watching the other talks from our event, you can check them out here: The Latest Trends for Idle Games – GameAnalytics The Story of Idle World – Homa Games Hyper-Casual vs Idle: The Latest Trends in Mobile Games
#Game Deconstructions
The Story of Idle World – Homa Games
Idle publishing experts, Homa Games, agreed to shine a light on one of their biggest hit games, Idle World (reaching over 4 million downloads worldwide), as well as what it takes for an Idle game to get published in today’s market. Psst… If you’re craving some more insights about idle games, check out Homa’s latest article: Arcade Idle: 5 Tips for Testing Creatives, their games spotlight on Tiny Cars, as well as their takeaways from their Arcade Idle Game Jam. And if you fancy watching the other talks from our event, you can check them out here: What we learned: Idle Miner Tycoon and Idle Factory Tycoon – Kolibri The Latest Trends for Idle Games – GameAnalytics Hyper-Casual vs Idle: The Latest Trends in Mobile Games
#Data & Analytics
The Latest Trends for Idle Games – GameAnalytics
Using data from our portfolio of up to 100,000 mobile games, our Director of Customer Operations, Ivan Bravo, kicked off our event with an industry update, sharing the freshest insights and KPIs for the idle category. If you fancy watching the other talks from our event, you can check them out here: The Story of Idle World – Homa Games What we learned: Idle Miner Tycoon and Idle Factory Tycoon – Kolibri Hyper-Casual vs Idle: The Latest Trends in Mobile Games
#Game Deconstructions
How Miniclip’s 8 Ball Pool uses Skill & Chance Based Gratification
Editor’s Note: This article was originally published by Om Tandon, Founder/Games Consultant at UX Reviewer.com. You can find the original version of this post here. Launched way back in 2010 on mobile, 8 Ball pool has been a consistent performer on top-grossing charts in US and UK app stores. Whilst it did show signs of ageing and slowing down, losing ground to newly sprung sporting rivals like Golf Clash a year back, the relatively recent addition of new features has uplifted the core and meta loops of this iron horse. 8 Ball pool has made up for the age gap and continues to be a dominant force in the sports arcade category. Game design and UX wise, 8 Ball Pool is a game of excesses – a melting pot of skill and chance based gratification that is apparent in every aspect...
#Marketing & Publishing
Apple Arcade: What This Really Means For Mobile Game Developers (Updated)
Editors note: We originally published this earlier this year when Apple Arcade was originally announced. As promised, we’ve updated this post with the latest info about Apple Arcade (latest update October 11th 2019). Updated text will be in italics. A lot has happened since we last reported on Apple Arcade – the launch has finally happened, games have been confirmed, and we’ve had a taste of what’s to come. To keep you guys up-to-date with what’s going on, here are a few things that have come to light since April 2019, and what this means for mobile game developers. Here’s what we cover (feel free to skip to something in particular, if you’d like): Will Apple Arcade be an industry shake up? What we know about Apple Arcade so far What this means for developers Some useful resources Will Apple...
#Game Deconstructions
Mario Kart Tour – What It Can Learn From QQ Speed And PopKart Mobile
Editor’s Note: this post was originally published by Kalle Heikkinen, Chief Game Analyst – China. With over 400 games analyzed under his belt, Kalle has a solid understanding of what works and what doesn’t in the mobile game market. You could argue that Casual Racing has not been one of the sexiest spaces to follow on mobile in the West, particularly grossing-wise. Engines are revving up though, thanks to Mario Kart Tour drifting into the market last month. While making bets on MK’s success, it’s good to remember that adaptations of the genre have been able to find success in other markets. Casual Racing’s current market share in the US. The section on the left shows the subgenre’s market share in the overall market, while on the right you can see different games’ market share inside Casual Racing. Already in...
#Game Deconstructions
5 Awesome Indie Games Released in September
This month, the focus across the internet seems to be on colorful and vibrant games, all full of humor in order to distract us humans from the noise happening outside the world of video games. And with the release of Apple Arcade, there have been tons of new titles on mobile, as well as a bundle of awesome console games to keep us distracted. I’ve been having a great time exploring the new games through Apple Arcade, as well as the new releases on the Apple Store. I’ve also turned my attention back to my Nintendo Switch as well this month, so there is definitely a lot to cover in this post. But as always, I’ve cherry-picked my top 5 favorite indie games from September, and took the time to explain what the developers did so well. 1. Untitled Goose...
#Marketing & Publishing
China’s Approval Process: Getting Your Game The Green Light
Our friends at JoyPac recently wrote us some tips about how to get your game published in China. In this second installment, JoyPac’s Falko Böcker looks at the details of China’s ever-evolving process for granting publishing licenses. Publishing games in China is a complicated business. The State Administration of Press & Publication (SAPP) decides who can get a license to publish games, and their approach is very much ‘quality over quantity’. They’re limiting the number of developers who can publish games in their territory, and they’ll only greenlight games of a high standard that they see as healthy entertainment for Chinese gamers. The rules have changed recently, and are likely to keep changing in the future. So we’re going to run through what it takes to get a license, and explain how we go about navigating this tricky process. So...
#Ads & Monetization
3 Things You Need To Know When Using Licensed IPs In Mobile Games
Editor’s Note: this post was originally published by Joel Julkunen, Head of Game Analysis at GameRefinery. In his role, he leads GameRefinery’s analytics department and has a major role in developing algorithms and statistical models used in the company. Third-party brands and IPs have solidified their place in the mobile games industry, often providing (or at least promising) that crucial extra boost for your title. In the US, a whopping 30% of top 100 grossing games are currently based on a 3rd party IP, and when zooming out to the top 200, the figure holds at almost 25%. In other words, IPs play a significant role in mobile game revenue generation and based on the variety of IP types utilized, there are license owners all across the board joining the party. US top 200 grossing IP utilization from the GameRefinery...
#Game Deconstructions
Key Lessons From Developing Roller Splat – Voodoo & Neon Play
In this post, we’re looking at Roller Splat from Neon Play, and why it works so well (now achieving over 49 million downloads worldwide). Before we do that, we first want to say a big congratulations to the whole Neon Play team. They’ve published a few games with us at Voodoo now and we’re so proud of them – they do a fantastic job. We think Roller Splat is really interesting. That’s because it reflects the kind of studio Neon Play is and its mindset, which is why we’ve decided to focus on it today. The secret to Neon Play’s success Obviously the market for games like Roller Splat is a difficult one. It’s very hard to produce a single prototype, churn it out and have it succeed. But Neon Play succeed because they keep prototyping until it works. If...
#Editor's pick
Game data pipeline: Building vs buying
As a large number of studios, publishers, and game developers are heavily relying on data to guide their decisions, they need to decide between building or buying. But which one is more efficient? To assist you in understanding the Total Cost of Ownership (TCO), we broke down the following key considerations: Setup requirements Cost calculation Team needs and recruitment
#Editor's pick
Mobile gaming benchmarks for Q1 2024
Uncover the industry’s performance with Q1 2024 benchmarks. Explore key metrics like retention rates and session engagement to benchmark your games against industry standards. What’s inside? Retention benchmarks for casual, classic, and mid-core games Session length benchmarks for games launched in North America, Europe, the Middle East, and Asia Session count benchmarks across 15 game genres
#Editor's pick
Grow your revenue with Xsolla Web Shop for Mobile Games
“Xsolla anticipated this seismic shift earlier this year, when we launched multiple products that are being actively used by some of the world’s largest game companies to increase profit and build closer relationships with their mobile and pc players. We’ve now combined these products and learnings into an elegant new solution called Xsolla Web Shop for Mobile Games,” said Chris Hewish, President of Xsolla. Through Xsolla Web Shop for Mobile Games, developers can expect significant revenue growth and can reach new players in new geographies previously unavailable to them. This solution solves many challenges developers face; such as discoverability, declining profit margins, lack of control over the user experience, access to localized payment methods, cross game marketing, more efficient user acquisition, effective collaboration with creators and influencers, and much more. Three industry-changing announcements make this opportunity more timely than ever:...
#Editor's pick
2023 Roblox report: Behind the data with GameAnalytics
Download a comprehensive report of Roblox player behavior and game performance based on GameAnalytics data from 2023. This report highlights critical benchmarks and insights to help Roblox creators optimize their games. What’s inside? Devices analysis Players’ daily session frequency Average revenue spent per user Session length and count benchmarks Retention benchmarks Revenue benchmarks
#Editor's pick
The Game Developer’s Handbook to Mastering Data Solutions
Data is the key to success in the ever-evolving landscape of game development. Explore this guide to transform your data into insights using our turn-key data solutions. What’s inside? Our comprehensive guide explores cost-saving strategies and real-world applications for advanced use cases. Learn how to seamlessly integrate data sources, unlock detailed player insights with Player Warehouse, access real-time data with Raw Export, and ensure data privacy compliance.
#Case study
Developing a #1 VR MMO: Ramen VR’s Journey with GameAnalytics
Discover how Ramen VR used data-driven game development to launch "Zenith: The Last City", which became the #1 bestselling game all major VR platforms—including Meta Quest/Rift, Steam and PlayStation VR.
#Editor's pick
Using AI to Supercharge Your Game Art Design
Discover how tweaking AI tool settings can help you generate varied art styles, produce better concepts, and speed up the process from prototype to final design. With AI on your team, creating unique game art has never been easier or faster.
#Editor's pick
Event Design & Tracking Guide for GameAnalytics
Learn how to create an adaptable tracking plan, enabling you to unlock richer insights and maximize the value of your data within GameAnalytics.
#Editor's pick
How studios use DataSuite to find hit games
Learn how successful publishers evaluate hundreds of games per month, to find the next hit game.
#Editor's pick
Among Us VR dev talks about how to create immersive worlds
VR is all about immersion. It’s about allowing players to lose themselves in more than just a game, but a new world. You have to build VR experiences the right way to make this happen. This goal is always top-of-mind for Schell Games. In this interview, we spoke to Schell Games’ Vice President of Product, Charlie Amis, to learn their story. “For VR, you want to make the player feel like they’re actually in the world you’ve created. This isn’t as true or a high priority in PC and console games. If people start to lose that sense of presence and immersion, then a lot of the reason they put the headset on is hurt. They want to go to another world or be someone new. So you need to help them feel like they’re really there and really that...
#Editor's pick
GameAnalytics H1 Update: New Product Improvements!
It’s been a busy time since February, when the largest update in GameAnalytics history was launched. Read on for more information about what’s changed recently, and new functionality coming to the platform very soon.
#Case study
How TapNation uses DataSuite to increase the LTV of 19 hit games by 50% in only 6 months
Smashing obstacles with Giant Rush While they’ve seen huge improvements using DataSuite across their portfolio, one game stands out in particular: Giant Rush. (And not just because the character is huge.) The title has now reached over 140 million downloads. And, through a series of A/B tests and insights from the data they collected, they’ve been able to increase the LTV by a whopping 200% over six months for this specific title. “It’s because we A/B test every day,” Philippe Grazina from TapNation says. “We ask questions like: When are players leaving the game? For example, the boss in Giant Rush. If we spot that they’re leaving at the same point every time, we know we need to make a change. Small details like that really help.” Through these granular insights, TapNation can iterate and improve on their game step...
#Editor's pick
How to Build a Data Warehouse for Games from Scratch
Over our last couple of blogs around data warehouses, we’ve explained how they let you analyze data from across your portfolio and look at what insights you can gather from them. Now, we’ll dive into how to build a data warehouse. What steps do you need to take and what resources will you need? To figure this out, we’ve rounded up the costs, steps, and tools we think you’ll need to get started. Please note, that we haven’t included the cost of running an engineering department (which you’ll need), which can end up being a lot of $$$. What do I need to get started? Before you start, you’ll need to ensure you have the right people. You’ll likely need a software or data engineer, and perhaps an architect or DevOps engineer. You’ll also need to budget for tools like...