Category
Mechanics & Features
9 min read
#Guides
Who are the top mobile game backend providers?
A robust backend infrastructure is the engine that powers all top-grossing mobile games. It enables engaging gameplay experiences and handles essential functions such as user authentication, multiplayer capabilities, LiveOps, leaderboards, cloud storage, and much more. However, there are numerous mobile game backend providers (also called backend-as-a-service) in the market. By the end of this article, you’ll have an understanding of who they are, and how they differ from each other. Should you build or buy your backend tech? Most of the companies you see in the top-grossing gaming charts use bespoke backend technology that they’ve built in-house. This allows for customization and total control of the backend tech stack, but it requires hiring a team of engineers – a time-intensive and costly process. The vast majority of game developers, however, do not have the time, human resources, or money to...
7 min read
#Game Deconstructions
6 games that successfully layer in meta mechanics
As we’ve mentioned before, the hyper-casual market is being forced to change. With more competition, higher CPIs and tightening margins, developers need to increase their retention if they’re going to continue making money, now more than ever. And to do that, they must layer more mechanics and elements into their games. We’ve explored how and why developers can – and should – shift from hyper-casual to hybrid-casual. But if you’re still struggling to see how that might be possible, let’s look at a few games that have used meta mechanics to make their game more engaging. Here are six games that have a short, simple and satisfying core loop, but have layered in meta features to increase their retention. Let’s dive in. 1. Archero: How to add progression systems well Developed by Habby, released 24th March 2019. This was one...
11 min read
#Game Design
Six features that turn a hyper-casual dud into a hybrid-casual hit
Cracking the hyper-casual market is more challenging than ever. Why? Quite simply, there’s too much competition. This simultaneously drives up the cost of getting new players and makes it easier for players to churn. And that’s particularly problematic because – with higher acquisition costs – studios need higher retention rates if they’re going to make a profit. But a new genre has emerged: Hybrid-casual. Studios have realised that if they’re going to keep retention high, they need to layer in more features and aspects of meta-game. The tact is to keep the core gameplay short, simple and satisfying, but add meta-features that encourage players to keep coming back. Features like progression systems and collectibles that add more depth to the core game. (You can read more about why the shift is happening in our other post on the topic.) In...
9 min read
#Marketing & Publishing
Hybrid-casual: the secret sauce to higher retention and better engagement
Hybrid-casual is a fairly new concept to enter the gaming world. You may have heard the whispers around the industry and a few hybrid-casual games already entering the app stores. But it’s starting to make its mark in the market. Players are starting to spend more time in games (with time spent in apps up 80% from 2019 to 2021). And in response, Developers and studios alike are turning their attention to this new type of game development and reaping the benefits (if done correctly). So what exactly is hybrid-casual? How does this differ from hyper-casual? And what do you need to do to get started? That’s what we aim to cover. Let’s dig in. So, what are hybrid-casual games? It’s when you mix together the simple core gameplay of hyper-casual, with the features and monetization models of mid-core. The...
7 min read
#Mechanics & Features
Flex Run 3D: how to make your first hit in nine months
Editor’s note: This article was originally published by the clever clogs at Voodoo. You can read the original version here. In December 2020, two young programming students called Harvey and Mathis founded Blue Monkey Studio. By September 2021, only nine months later, their first hit game had entered the charts. Flex Run 3D reached number 1 in the Android charts in 39 countries, including the US, and number 2 on iOS US. But what’s the story behind this super speedy success? How did they go from hyper-casual beginners to the top charts in just nine months? The two co-founders, Harvey and Mathis, joined us at the recent Voodoo Live event in Paris to reveal exactly how they managed to bag their first hit game in such little time. Read on to find out more about Flex Run 3D and their three key secrets to success....
4 min read
#Mechanics & Features
How to Encourage More Snacking and Less Feasting
In early 2021 some clever bods* at a university wrote a research paper about how individual game mechanics affect player attrition (i.e. how many players your game loses over time). It was called ‘Serious Snacking: A Survival Analysis of how Snacking Mechanics Affect Attrition in a Mobile Serious Game’. While that title might make it sound a bit daunting, the paper has some really useful tips on ways to successfully keep people coming back to a game over a long period of time (called ‘snacking’). And luckily, we’ve done the reading so you don’t have to. Why is snacking good? Some games are designed for long single-play sessions (called ‘feasting’). But for most casual and hypercasual games played on mobile devices, short daily interactions with people coming back regularly are going to be most profitable for developers. So the more...
7 min read
#Marketing & Publishing
How to Use Collectibles in Mobile Games to Keep Players Coming Back
It’s easy to think of collectibles as frivolous add-ons to mobile games, and games in general. But when you get them right, collectibles can make your game more enjoyable, more sustainable, and more lucrative. Here’s a rundown of the key things to consider when you integrate collectibles into your game. What do we mean by collectibles? There are many different ways you can use the term. But let’s go with this as a general definition: Any bits of content that aren’t essential to progression through your game. That’s pretty broad. But it needs to be. Collectibles can include any of these things (and many more): Cosmetic items, like skins Heroes and characters Upgrades and power-ups Resources Achievements Informative items that expand your game’s lore Playful items that bring an amusing surprise In this blog, we’ve covered a few reasons why...
7 min read
#Game Design
Adding Subtitles to Your Mobile Game – Dos and Don’ts
Subtitles might be one of the last things you think of. But they shouldn’t be – because they really do matter. Here are our thoughts on why, and some tips to help you get them right the first time. Subtitles are a must in today’s mobile games. And not just for gamers with hearing impairments. They’re important for lots of other ‘life’ reasons – people use them if they’re playing a game on public transport, because they have crappy speakers, if they’re trying not to disturb flatmates/children/significant others, and so on. While the numbers for mobile games aren’t really available yet, it’s clear that people playing on consoles are using subtitles – when Ubisoft tracked subtitle use on Assassin’s Creed: Origins, they found that 60% of players play with these switched on. And this is for a game that most...
6 min read
#Game Design
Making a puzzle game? Avoid these 5 common mistakes
The puzzle game genre is arguably one of the most popular genres on the market, and has been around since the first smartphone was created (remember Cut the Rope?). There are hundreds, if not thousands of puzzle-like games on the app stores, all of which offer their own unique take on the genre. We’ve previously released articles on mistakes to avoid when you are creating a F2P game, but this time I want to focus my attention to puzzle. What makes a good puzzle? How can you make your game stand out? And most importantly, what mistakes should you avoid when working on yours? Here’s what I found… 1. Avoid breaking natural progression Progression tactics are a great way to get your player up to speed without overwhelming them. (Afterall, you wouldn’t start a newbie on a grandmaster level of...
11 min read
#Mechanics & Features
Nine Tips when adding Social Elements to your Mobile Game
It seems like forever since the lockdown has been put in place. And with so many people stuck indoors missing their friends and families, it appears that they’ve turned to multiplayer games to connect with others. If you follow this blog, then you know that I not only love playing mobile games, but also finding out what makes them brilliant. And considering what’s happening in the world right now, I thought it would be useful for developers to learn a thing or two from a couple of the best multiplayer games out there. Let’s begin. 1. Too Many Cooks Developer: Finifugu & Friends Launch date: April 2nd, 2020 Price: Free, with in-app purchases Available on: iOS & Android I have been following Too Many Cooks for a long time now. I absolutely love this genre, and in my opinion, there...
17 min read
#Mechanics & Features
14 Best Hyper-casual Gameplay Mechanics
As Voodoo has put it, the key to a successful hyper-casual game is making sure it’s short, simple and satisfying. When working towards this, there are a lot of different mechanics you can use and combine for your gameplay, so we thought we’d explore which ones do the best, and why. These mechanics are the building blocks of game design. The more you know, and the more you experiment with them, the more engaging your games will become. Please, use this list as a base for inspiration, but don’t be afraid to combine multiple mechanics. We’ve seen that many fusion games with a fresh twist often perform best. Do your research Researching similar games can help you find what works and what doesn’t (as well as discovering your own niche). We’ve launched GameIntel, a new and improved mobile intelligence offering...
6 min read
#Mechanics & Features
Using Hybrid Genres to Broaden Your Mobile Game’s Audience
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. Is blending multiple genres into a single package a success formula or a recipe for disaster? Are there ways to cater to a bigger audience across the casual-mid-core spectrum? GameRefinery has been following the market for so-called hybrid games closely, such as titles that are mixing elements from multiple different game genres to create a hybrid genre like Idle RPG. All data and examples in this post are gathered from the GameRefinery service, check it out here. If you’re interested in researching over 200 in-game features, their popularity, and implementations or checking out feature deconstructions of hundreds of games, you might...
12 min read
#Game Deconstructions
Harry Potter: Wizards Unite – How Gameplay And Features Compare To Competition
Editor’s Note: this post was originally published by Erno Kiiski, Chief Game Analyst – US at GameRefinery. In his job, he’s played and analyzed hundreds of titles on a feature level, giving him a strong sense of the current western mobile game market. So, without further ado, we’ll let him take the lead. The AR/Location-based game market was pretty much born with the release of Pokémon GO back in the summer of 2016. Some games had made use of the technology before, but everything jumped to a whole new level when everyone across the world was chasing Pokémons. It was a phenomenon with visibility unmatched by any other mobile game thus far. Now GameRefinery has a follow up from Niantic in the form of Harry Potter: Wizards Unite. But how does it fit in with Niantics own Pokémon GO and...