Mobile internet users and games

On April 1, 2011, in Flash, GameNext, Social Networks, by Gregor
0

Today Facebook announced that it now reaches 250 Million Mobile users, that is a increase of 150 Million until February 2010. Together with this, Facebook also announced a improved UI for Mobile Users as stated on TechCrunch.com. Mobile Phones have become an important device for online users. But Gaming-vise mobile access to Facebook is still limited, as the most popular device the Apple iPhone does not support Flash.
Most mobile gamers usually purchase apps through the different platforms and play the apps on their phone. The famous Angry Bird game as one of the first Mobile-to-Facebook games will be available on FB soon. RIO, the developers of Angry Bird from Finland, is still facing difficulties in the transition progress as Mobile Apps and Facebook Apps are two different areas.
Easier would it be if ones Smartphone supports Flash. In this way the gaming experience could be even more improved, as you can access a lot more casual games directly through Facebook and even play them for free. For Game Developers this will mean they will have to adjust, just as Facebook did, to two different markets using one channel. Mobile games will be the future of games in my opinion, as they are easy to access, fit most people time schedule of a short game for distraction and are quicker adjustable and less complex, so in result of that more affordable. What do you think will be the next Generation of Gaming? What role will Game Developers play? Please join our discussion on LinkedIn in the GameNext Group and share your thoughts.

Tagged with: • • • • •
 

Competition among Facebook games

On March 11, 2011, in Company, GameNext, Social Networks, by Gregor
0

Recently we at TribePlay thought a lot about how the Facebook gaming market will develop. Obviously the competition is getting stronger and stronger. There are hundred of emerging games on Facebook and at the same time hundreds that are going down. Among the top 85 game and app developers, 79 % are currently developing Facebook games or social apps, according to a study from Viximo.
The competition on Facebook games is really intense, advertisement is costly and not really effective through the nature of a Social Networks. When you have a look at the top developers, you of course have Zynga, who dominates the market, and you have a couple of developers who all have MAU of around 20 to 30 Million. Luckily we have a diverse portfolio to be not too depended on Facebook.

Tadhg Kelly wrote a terrific article in which he uses the term “Red Ocean” for the Facebook social game market, a term which describes a highly competitive market with everyone chasing the same kind of costumers using the same kind of methods. I found his point of view really interesting. Kelly says that most Facebook developers do not differ in categories like Gameplay, Play Area, Financial Model, Branding, Cross Promotion, Reward-Drivers. From developers like Zynga and EA to Indie developers, everyone tends to use the same techniques from development to marketing. Also he is criticizes the lack of innovation of most Facebook games. I remember last year there has already been a some discussion on this topic.
So it seems that game developers still haven’t learned from their past mistakes and everyone keeps on copying each others games. Of course there are some innovative games coming up from time to time, but you must admit that for the majority of games and developers Kelly’s points are true.
What are the reasons for this? Because everyone is doing it? Or are it the consumers, who do not demand different games? In the end I guess it is both, but still there must be a way to create innovative, fun games, with humorous elements, which can get a solid fan base and create decent revenue. We at TribePlay try to balance these elements. Of course we are also creating casual games, that are targeted at a broader audience and have only an impact within a certain time frame. But with innovative Virtual Worlds like Eccky I believe, TribePlay also created more “sustainable” and user friendly games. Virtual Worlds are much more expendable and communicative than classic social games. One can add new features, new mini-games and let the players decide what they want to do. I believe in the long run, social games will have to expand their features, as I wrote it in my previous piece. To compete in these “Red Ocean” of social Facebook games, you have to come up with new approaches. Game developers have to get back to its roots, and think of creative ways again to create games. In the end the users will reward it, if is a balance between their needs(distraction for a short period of time) and the fun part of gaming. Do not be frightened by Zynga, when doing so… :)

Tagged with: • • • • •
 

Social games

On March 3, 2011, in Company, GameNext, Social Networks, by Gregor
1

Facebook games and other social games are truly on its way forward. Recently there where a couple of studies, emphasizing that the time of hardcore gamers are over and this decade will be the one of causal gamers. Indeed Social Games reach a wider audience, than “Classic” Games, according to the findings of Flurry, Social Games are mostly played in the age group of 18 to 49 years. Also among the so called casual gamers, women are the larger group of players, compared to men.

But what does this term Social games mean? And are Social Games really different from the old, usual… Games?

One of our competitor, the Norwegian company Playfish, describes Social Games as the following:

Social games are games designed to be played together with friends. [...] This is in some ways a return to the roots of games. You play with the same people you would play cards, board games or go bowling with in the real world. Sharing the game experience with friends makes it more compelling and fun.

Clearly, this is how most people receive the term Social Games. We use the technology given by Social Networks, to play games together. But how social are this games really? Is it Social when you have to invite another 200 so called friends to get into the next level? There is an interesting article on this topic on WhatGamesAre, about the selfishly social aspect in Facebook games. This topic seems to be making the round in the game development scene, as also on currently on-going Game Developers Conference, there was a discussion whether Social games are evil? I think evil is always a strong word, and to describe Zynga’s Farmeville as evil is not exactly getting the point, but still there are a lot of improvements that can be made to lay more emphasis on the Social in games.

Virtual Worlds already provide a more social aspect to gaming, because they let you meet people in games and together you can play certain games, chat or just walking around with the virtual space. As the technology is getting better, also this Virtual World get more advanced in their game play and design. Also Mobile integration can add to more Social aspects of gaming. Communication is a strong tool to connect players, beyond the classical multiplayer experience. We at TribePlay believe, that the next generation of games will have to take this aspect into account. Lets see what the future brings…

By the way, try this cool game, not really social, but fun anyway: Interlocked.

Tagged with: • • • • • • •