Mobile Game Development

Top Trends in Mobile Game Development in 2024

Mobile game development refers to creating games that can be played on smartphones and tablets. It involves designing, coding, and testing games specifically for mobile devices. With the rise of powerful smartphones and tablets, mobile gaming has become immensely popular worldwide.

Introduction

One surprising fact about mobile games is that people of all ages enjoy playing them. Mobile games have separate fan bases across different age groups. Thanks to the evolution of mobile devices and app development, numerous mobile games are now available online. People love playing these games on their smartphones and tablets.

Mobile game development trends have increased since the launch of mobile games. The classic example is the Snake game on old Nokia phones. These games are available on both major mobile platforms, iOS and Android. Users can download, install, and play games from their respective app stores.

What is Mobile Game Development?

Mobile game development is the process of creating mobile apps dedicated to gaming. If you understand mobile app development, grasping the concept of mobile game app development will be easy. It involves developing mobile apps that users will use solely to play games on their mobile devices (iPhones or Android phones).

Several steps are involved in developing a mobile gaming app: planning, production, testing, and launch. The goal is to engage customers by including advanced features, eye-catching graphics, and fantastic themes, as seen in most popular mobile game apps.

Your overall objective should be to offer users a next-level gaming experience and ensure they enjoy a seamless experience while playing the game.

Key Stats: Game Development Trends

Here are some key stats that highlight the popularity and growth of mobile game development trends:

  • In 2021, Asia had the highest number of mobile gamers worldwide, with 1.29 billion users, accounting for 48% of the global mobile gaming population. Europe was second, with 551.7 million mobile gaming users.
  •  The mobile games segment is expected to reach $172.10 billion in 2023 and $221.70 billion by 2027, with a CAGR (2023-2027) of 6.54%.
  • Worldwide mobile gaming app users are projected to reach 2,323.9 million by 2027.
  • The USA is the top revenue generator for mobile games, with $46,070 million expected in 2023.
  • The mobile gaming content market is expected to surpass $173.4 billion by 2026.
  • In 2022, mobile games generated revenue of $92.2 billion, accounting for 50% of the global gaming market.

By 2025, mobile games are expected to contribute 71% of Google Play Store revenue, with blockchain development making a significant contribution. These statistics highlight the mobile gaming industry’s massive popularity and growth potential.

Key Stats: Mobile Game Development

List of Top 10 Mobile Game Development Trends for 2024

The mobile game industry is progressing rapidly due to the considerable demand for unique mobile games worldwide. During the global lockdown, 75% of mobile activity was gaming, contributing to the rise of mobile game development trends in 2024.

Here are some of the top trends to follow if you are looking to develop a mobile game app:

Mobile Cloud Gaming

Have you heard of GaaS (Gaming as a Service)? It is one of the most trending concepts in gaming app development and falls under the umbrella of cloud computing solutions. Mobile cloud gaming allows users to play games without relying on device resources, a core specialty of cloud computing. It is a hot trend to watch in 2024 for mobile game app development.

Blockchain-Based Games

Blockchain development is a trending technology conquering various market segments, including healthcare, banking, finance, and gaming. The advantage of blockchain is that it provides a secure gaming environment where gamers can communicate and conduct transactions safely without fear of cyber theft or bullying.

NFT Game Development

NFT stands for non-fungible tokens, which store digital assets as tokens on the blockchain network. The advantages of NFT game development include uniqueness, versatility, transparency, and safety. Top examples of NFT games include Axie Infinity, Alien Worlds, and The Sandbox.

Mobile eSports

Although not a new trend, eSports remains popular for gamers who want to showcase their skills to a worldwide audience through live streaming platforms like Twitch. It is estimated that gaming streaming will cross one billion viewers by 2024.

Cross-Platform Mobile Gaming

With cross-platform app development technology, gaming companies can launch the same game on different platforms, allowing users on various platforms to enjoy the game. This makes cross-platform mobile gaming one of the popular mobile gaming trends to watch out for in 2024.

Crypto Gaming

Most gaming companies are interested in investing in crypto gaming, which uses cryptocurrency for secure and traceable transactions. Crypto gaming allows gamers to transfer characters, skins, and weapons to other games or players, ensuring high security of data and player information on the blockchain network.

Gaming Socialization

Like traditional socialization, gamers want to chat, communicate, call, and share their thoughts. Due to shifting gameplay trends, gamers have become more interactive. You can leverage this trend by including social features in your app to offer a unique experience to gamers.

The Metaverse Gaming

The metaverse is expected to be a game-changer in the upcoming decade and one of the fastest-growing mobile game development trends. In metaverse gaming, users will not only play the game but also live as the characters on the screen, offering a unique experience of the AR-VR world.

AI-ML in Gaming

Artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) are game-changers for the gaming industry. AI development is the perfect technology if you want to develop a responsive, adaptive, and challenging game. For example, AI-based chess games allow you to lose or win against a computer in a chess match. Using AI and ML in game development can enhance user engagement and provide a next-level experience.

Wearable Technology

Wearable app development has been trending for a long time, and the gaming industry is leveraging it through AR-VR games. In gaming arenas and VR gaming zones, you will find wearable devices like VR scopes and body sensors that transport users into the virtual world. The demand for home gaming wearables is rising, and we will observe rapid advancements in wearables for gaming in the upcoming years.

How to Develop a Mobile Game in Easy Steps

Instead of searching everywhere, developing a mobile gaming app by following some valuable steps is best. Here are some steps you can follow to implement any of the mobile game development trends and build your next gaming app:

Game Plan

All popular games have one thing in common: they follow a unique game plan that engages users from start to end. Whether it’s a puzzle game or a racing game, develop a game plan based on your target audience and decide on its central theme.

Hire Game Developers

Developing a mobile game app requires deep expertise. As a business owner, you can only perform some tasks yourself. Hiring game developers with expertise in gaming software and apps is better. Before hiring, ensure they have the skills to transform your game app idea into reality.

Graphics & Designing

Most game developers focus on creating 3D games that convince users to be part of the game. While you can initially start with a 2D game, try to follow at least one latest trend. It will create interest among users and help with promotion.

Backend Development

Backend development is as important as graphics and UI development. It determines the seamless execution and robustness of the app. The hired gaming app developers will construct your app’s backend, but you must ensure it aligns with your game plan. Once developed, could you take a trial run to test it?

Testing

Testing is crucial because any glitch can ruin the game experience. Test the app thoroughly to identify primary and minor glitches in your newly built gaming app. Once testing is complete, the next step is brand promotion.

The Final Thoughts

According to business research, the gaming industry will reach $138.63 billion at a CAGR of 17.1%. This decade will experience a different kind of gaming as metaverse, blockchain, and cryptocurrency technologies continue to advance. It is the right time to launch a game with the help of a mobile app development company. 

It will be a significant contribution from your side to the gaming industry, where you can expect good revenue for your business. The mobile game development trends mentioned above, such as cloud gaming, NFTs, crypto gaming, metaverse, and AI/ML, will be game-changers. Keeping up with these trends and incorporating the latest technologies will help you create an engaging and successful mobile game that appeals to modern gamers worldwide.