The world of mobile gaming has undergone a significant transformation in recent years, evolving into a unique design identity that sets it apart from traditional game development. With an astonishing 52% of global game revenue coming from mobile games in 2021, it's clear that this is the largest and most lucrative gaming market.
Designing games for mobile devices requires a distinct approach compared to traditional development, where touch controllers replace buttons in nearly all scenarios. As a result, designers and artists must strive to create engaging gameplay quality, often referred to as playability, during the game design process. The user interface (UI) and user experience (UX) are both crucial components of mobile game design.
The Mobile Game Seen Bigger Than Titanic
The mobile gaming industry has reached unprecedented heights, with an estimated 2.66 billion individuals playing games on their smartphones daily. In fact, even youngsters and the elderly enjoy passing the time by playing mobile games. According to a report, in the first quarter of 2022, a staggering 14.4 billion mobile games were downloaded globally across both app stores, with Google Play receiving an impressive 12.1 billion downloads.
The global coronavirus outbreak has significantly accelerated mobile gaming software downloads, particularly on Android smartphones. The Indian gaming industry is one of the fastest-growing sectors in the media and entertainment industry, expanding to a whopping $2.2 billion by the fiscal year 2021. Worldwide mobile game revenues are predicted to reach an impressive $241.40 billion by 2027, with revenue expected to rise at an average yearly rate of 8.03% (CAGR 2022-2027).
What Makes People Get Addicted to Mobile Games?
Think back to your first experience exploring the world of social media – you might have felt excited and tempted to browse more, right? Your brain gave you a great dose of dopamine, which made you want to keep going. This is precisely what occurs when we play our favorite mobile games.
We're addicted to Candy Crushes, Angry Birds, and Pokémon GO, but what is it about them that keeps us coming back for more? Why can't we just close down the apps? And what can you learn from these enthralling games?
Let's explore the points that make games addictive:
- Challenges & Difficulty: The great majority of mobile games commence really simple to play, and all of the best gaming applications are no exception.
- Catchy Visuals & Hypnotic Sounds: Mobile games use appealing colors and music to build a behavioristic loop that boosts the dopamine rewards push.
- The Luck Factor: While many games are skill-based, practically every game contains a major aspect of luck, which contributes to its addictive aspects.
- Freemium: The Psychological Aspect: Last but not least, we must discuss the psychology of freemium games and the influence they have on the present status of the mobile gaming business.
Why is Designing Super Crucial in Mobile Games?
When it comes to mobile game applications, the most critical part of your game is effective game design. When you browse the play store to find a game, what things do you look for the most to analyze the game before installing it? Most probably, Screenshots!
Think about what attracted you to a game in the first place. Of course, the design! You would most likely examine the game's pictures to examine its design, general game storyline, characters, and game story.
It is critical for UX designers to concentrate on gameplay and accessibility. Ultimately, a player-centered game design is vitally essential. The mobile gaming experience and player experience must be addressed during UX design. If an element or function does not contribute to any of those experiences, it should be altered or erased.
Now the question arises: What are the benefits of effective game UX design?
- The design tempts players to anticipate future extensions.
- The bigger the payment, the better the design. As a result, design is responsible for a large portion of the money earned by the game app.
- It may keep gamers entertained for hours.
Mobile Game Design Process Simply Explained!
Mobile game design is the skill of building a user-friendly gaming system with visually appealing graphics. The user interface of a game is the first thing people see when downloading your game, therefore it's the main appeal for attracting players.