In the rapidly evolving world of technology, mobile games are a force of innovation and influence. As we venture into 2024, the industry stands on the brink of significant growth and key changes. This study delves into emerging trends shaping the world of mobile gaming, offering a sneak peek into the developments that gamers and industry stakeholders can expect in the coming year.
Hyper-casual games lead the way in growth
Hyper-casual games continue to dominate the mobile gaming industry, topping the download charts in the United States for several consecutive years. Known for their lightweight design and instant playability, games like Block Blast and Royal Match are available across a wide range of devices. Their simplicity translates into shorter development times and user-friendly interfaces. The market is witnessing a surge in gaming companies focusing on hyper-casual games, whether through independent development or the acquisition of existing games, intensifying competition for new users. If you're interested in hyper-casual gaming trends, check out the best hyper-casual games. Analyzing the strategies of top apps is a smart move to understand best practices. High rankings attest to their effectiveness in attracting attention and converting visitors
Puzzle games are innovating to attract
Puzzle games have taken a creative leap, adding layers to gameplay and story elements to attract a wider audience. This development is a response to the challenge of standing out in a saturated market dominated by giants like Candy Crush. Now, games like Homescapes and Project Makeover incorporate home decor and narrative, appealing not only to match-3 enthusiasts but also to those interested in design and story-driven games.
Rise of independent app stores
Legal rulings, including the outcome of the Epic v. Apple case, have compelled major app stores to allow developers to sell cross-platform applications. This opens up new opportunities for developers to monetize their apps with lower commissions and more payment options, bypassing traditional store fees. One of the first third-party app stores on iOS is gearing up to launch in the European Union. Setapp Store is in beta and costs $9.99 per month, with an official launch planned for April 2024.
Revival of Cross-Platform Gaming in Mobile Games
Cross-platform gaming continues to be a strong trend gaining momentum over the years. The essence of cross-platform lies in its ability to connect different hardware platforms, allowing gamers to play games on PC, consoles, and mobile devices. This interoperability is highly valued for its convenience, offering players the freedom to enjoy their favorite games anytime, anywhere, seamlessly transitioning between devices.
The demand for cross-platform gaming is growing, and industry analytics from Newzoo underscore that one in four players engages in gaming across different platforms, freely moving between consoles, PCs, and mobile platforms.
Confirmation of the growing popularity of cross-platform gaming is the emergence of Google Play Games for PC. This beta service, launched in 2022, enables players to dive into their favorite Google Play games on Windows computers. It supports game continuity across different devices, providing synchronization and game progress saving. In 2023, the service experienced explosive growth, expanding its availability to over 120 countries and including a library of over 3,000 games, including numerous blockbusters.
New Intellectual Properties Enter Mobile Gaming
2023 marked a significant milestone in the development of mobile games with the extraordinary success of "Monopoly GO," developed by Scopely in collaboration with the franchise owner Hasbro. Not only did this game achieve remarkable revenues of $1 billion, becoming the most significant mobile game launch of the year, but it also demonstrated the potential of using established intellectual properties (IP) in the mobile gaming sector.
While there have been several adaptations of the iconic board game Monopoly, "Monopoly GO" stands out against the backdrop of well-known IPs. The game mechanics may utilize proven formulas in the mobile gaming industry, but its distinguishing feature is the use of the familiar theme and characters of Monopoly, which resonate with a wide audience.
Last year also underscored the cultural influence of well-known IPs, as evidenced by the global excitement surrounding Barbie. While not directly related to mobile gaming, the phenomenon highlighted the significant impact that familiar IPs can have.
Looking ahead to 2024, the trend of integrating well-known franchises into mobile games is expected to gain momentum. More IPs may enter the mobile world, capturing the attention of both players and non-players alike, leveraging their recognizability and existing fan base. This strategy promises not only to attract a ready audience but also to provide a rich narrative and visual backdrop upon which developers can create engaging gameplay experiences in mobile games.
In the realm of mobile gaming, the use of well-known intellectual property (IP) has become a strategy of paramount importance. In 2023, there was a surge in the adaptation of popular IPs into mobile games, accompanied by emerging trends reshaping the landscape. This report meticulously examines the trends that dominated the global IP gaming sphere in 2023.
Dominance of Role-Playing Games in Mobile IP Games
Among all mobile games based on intellectual property (IP), role-playing games (RPGs) generate the highest revenue, accounting for 36% of the total revenue from all IP-based mobile games worldwide. The monetization strategy of these games often revolves around collecting beloved IP characters and interacting with them.
Against the backdrop of the popular anime series Fate, the game Fate/Grand Order leads in revenue among RPGs based on video game IPs. Similarly, "Uma Musume Pretty Derby," another mobile game based on a popular anime, effectively leverages the gacha-character monetization model.
In the United States and Europe, the most downloaded mobile games are based on video game IPs, followed by games adapted from tabletop IPs. In Asia, the situation is different: anime/manga ranks second in popularity among media IPs, reflecting the region's unique consumer preferences.
European Markets: A History of Diverse Intellectual Property Preferences
In the European market, IP video game titles typically hold dominant positions, with the exception of France. In France, mobile games based on anime IPs have surpassed video game IP-based games in revenue, with the two highest-grossing mobile anime IP games belonging to the "Dragon Ball Z" franchise. Spain and Italy also demonstrate a higher share of revenue from anime IPs, significantly more than in the United Kingdom and Germany. Within the European Union and most of its member states, video game intellectual property remains the most profitable category of IP media.
In most European countries, the second and third highest-grossing types of IP media are anime/manga IPs and IP tabletop games, respectively. However, the United Kingdom deviates from this trend: tabletop game intellectual property generates more revenue than anime/manga intellectual property. The fourth highest-grossing category of IP media varies by country; in the United Kingdom and Germany, it is television IP addresses, while in France, Spain, and Italy, comic book/American comic IPs occupy this position.
Diverse Monetization Models
The mobile gaming industry continues to rely on in-app purchases and subscription-based models, with an increasing integration of in-game advertising. Subscription models are varied, offering different benefits such as battle passes and ad-free experiences. Reward-based video ads and "offer walls" are becoming increasingly popular, boasting high engagement rates and user opt-in percentages, providing an effective monetization model alongside in-app purchases.
Conclusion
In 2024, the gaming industry will continue to follow the trends set in 2023. It is expected that neural networks will introduce new innovations, further streamline game development processes, and advance the personalization of gaming experiences to new heights.
Cross-platform games and those offering casual entertainment without requiring complex mental efforts will enjoy great popularity. Additionally, the importance of the social aspect in games will remain: gaming communities and chats, where players can exchange emotions and impressions from the game, will remain important elements of the gaming experience.