8 Striking Characteristics of a Successful Mobile Game App

Mobile game development has, over the years, emerged as a leading app niche globally. 

Mobile apps integration in game development has led to significant changes in the market. It has also provided substantial growth opportunities for mobile game app developers. 

However, when it comes to evaluating what makes a mobile game app successful, it comes down to several aspects;

• Game app features 
• Monetization strategy
• Technologies used
• User acquisition vs. target audience, and more

So, today, we are going to talk about all these aspects that define the success of a gaming app. 

If you are also looking for some insights, read below. 

So, let’s get started. 

Features of a Mobile Game App 

The feature stack of a gaming app decides half of the success and credibility of the app. 

So, what are the essential features of a game app?

Below mentioned are some of the salient game app features. 

• It should be Simple 

Games that generally do well in the market have one thing in common. 

They have simple gameplay. 

And that means they are easy to understand and play. 

For instance, Subway Surfers, a popular offline android game, has fairly simple gameplay where you have to run over trains while dodging the officer and the dog.

So, when you are developing a game app, make sure it has simple gameplay. 

• Social Media Integration

Nowadays, everything revolves around social media. 

Henceforth, when developing a game app, make sure to connect it with social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and more. 

Since people like sharing their progress and achievements on their profiles, providing direct social media integration would help your users achieve that conveniently. 

This way, people would stick to your game. 

Also, you would get a substantial marketing model to reach more audiences. 

• It Should Offer Control 

Game players enjoy games where they are in charge of everything that’s happening in the game. 

So, give a compelling effect to your game; you must give the control to users. 

This way, they would feel more included and attentive during the play. 

Also, it would help them enjoy the game even more. 

In addition to this, it helps them discover and involve in the game in an extended way. 

• It Should Offer Personalization

game players enjoy a level of personalization in their games. 

So, when developing the gameplay of your game, focus on adding personalized features and effects. 

For instance, referring to the gamers by their name, or letting them create their avatar, can be some personalization examples. 

Also, there are several games that let users add their choice of features, effects, and more to the game. 

This enhances the interaction and engagement level of the players in the game. 

• It Should Constantly Acknowledge Players 

We all must have played Candy Crush Saga once in our lives. 

And, dare I say, we all love it when it says “sweet,” “delicious,” and “tasty,” isn’t it?

That’s because we love appreciation, and these words lure us into believing that we are playing great. 

Games that continuously praise their players ensure;

• Greater connectivity and engagement
• More gaming hours
• And a strong user acquisition. 

So, when if you are a mobile game app developer, you must always focus on adding acknowledgment features to your game. 

Let’s now move on to another aspect of a successful game app. 

Monetization Strategy

Whether you are a mobile game developer or an iOS app development company in Los Angeles, developing and launching a successful mobile app definitely includes a monetization strategy. 

A monetization strategy is that you earn money from your app. 

There are several monetization strategies to choose from, for instance; 

• In-app purchases
• Advertisements
• Freemium model
• Subscription model, and more. 

Choosing the right pricing strategy for your mobile app is a difficult task. 

However, collaborating with an experienced iOS app development company in Los Angeles can help you make the right choice. 

It is because it depends on several important factors; 

• The type of app 
• Your target audience
• The features and complexity of your app
• Your existing competing apps/ services
• Whether your audience is willing to pay this much amount 

And many more. 

However, it is one of the essential aspects of a mobile app. 

So, when developing a gaming app, you must wisely choose your monetization model. Since it can help you in;

• Generating revenue 
• Strengthening your user acquisition
• Gaining a competing edge in the market 
• Increase number of downloads and daily active users

Technologies Used in Game App Development

There is no doubt that this is a technologically advanced era. 

As the mobile app continues to trend and become a constant need, technologies like AR and VR, AI, robotics, etc., also become common. 

Subsequently, businesses and app investors opt for developing technologically sound and hardwired digital solutions. 

The same goes for mobile game apps. 

Game apps that are developed using the latest technologies win a competitive edge. 

It is because not every gaming app includes a leading technology. 

And this is the reason technologies like AI and ML and AR and VR are trending in game development. 

There are several game app examples that are popular because of the technologies they incorporate.

For example, Pokémon Go is based on AR technology. 

It lets users collect Picacho by augmenting the real-life scenarios into Pokémon booths via their phone cameras. 

Subsequently, 2022 is the year of top advances in gaming technologies. 

Therefore, when investing in game development, make sure to choose a trending yet related gaming technology that can take you miles ahead. 

User Acquisition vs. Target Audience

Another important factor that defines the success and credibility of the game is user acquisition. 

Acquired users can be defined as the percentage of people that are daily active users or consistent users of your mobile app. 

These people are generally a significant share of your target audience.

So, we can say the greater is the percentage of acquired users from the target audience, the better and more competent your game is. 

It is because more people are playing or enjoying your game. 

So, how can you achieve it?

A few of the important metrics are mentioned above. Apart from that, you can always focus on other stuff like; 

• Marketing your game app adequately
• Opting for specific platforms to reach the right audience
• Chalking out an easy registration method 
• Offering features and incentives that keep your users hooked.

And many more. 

This way, not only would you be able to strengthen your userbase, but you will also gain a competitive edge in the market. 

For instance, several games today offer similar functionalities, but only a few of them make it our favorites list. 

It is because these games focus and prioritize users rather than other stuff. 

Also, they make sure to keep their gameplay simple and convenient for users. 

Wrap Up 

Developing a game app is never easy. 

It requires plenty of management, strategy, and attention to detail. 

From feature stack and functionality to technologies used and gameplay, a good mobile game app includes everything. 

So, if you are interested in developing a gaming app, there are several aspects you must focus on. 

And 8 essential characteristics of a game are mentioned in this article.