I love games. They are the only things that can help me escape from the hell hole called life. Yes, don’t worry we are app developers just like you, so we know that you can empathize with us. The constant knee-jerking fear of not knowing what is going to happen and will we survive and what is even the point of living etc reasonable intermittent reward, you know the whole shebang.
Anyways, where was I? App developing, gaming, yes, gaming apps. So, since the last decade or so, a few games have stood out from the crowd. They are the ones that everyone and their grandparents play. They are the ones that everyone seems to be talking about for a long.
Our today’s article will be divided into these major components, that is:
-
Games that stood out for adults, and what app developers can learn from them.
-
Games that stood out for children and what app developers can learn from them.
-
Games that stood out for everyone and what app developers can learn from them.
It doesn’t matter if you’re a single and alone app developer or you’re the head of a multi-billion-dollar app development company. These games are doing something well so there is no problem in learning some tips and tricks from them.
Mind you, these are games that are not one-time wonders such as Among us or
Pokémon go. Though those great games have their standing, their discussion will be limited in today’s article.
So, let’s start with
Games that Stood Out for Adults, and What App Developers Can Learn from Them
As app development companies, we are always looking for that one trait that will bring in more and more people to our app. You can have the best download ratio and the greatest CTR, but if your users leave after using your app only once, then you’re swimming at the shallow end of the pool.
And yet, there was one game that stood out among the crowd especially with adults. No, it’s not chess or
Ludo game app. Even though these games have been here for more than a thousand years, our goal as
dedicated app developers and app development companies is not exactly that.
The game that I am talking about is the only CANDY-CRUSH Saga!
People have gone legit bonkers for this game. Everyone ranging from office goers to housewives to your local gardener plays this game. Even those boomers who love hating on millennials secretly play this game while hiding from their wives.
But no one seems to ask, what exactly did the app developers do with the game? What features can the app development companies use from this example?
Yes, worry not we’re getting to that.
Do you remember our good old friend dopamine? If you do then great because he is going to make a comeback. You see, Candy-crush is an easy game. Easy enough that anyone can learn it. Just match the three candies on your screen and you’re set.
And just like every other game, Candy Crush also has levels. When you start, the levels are easy and this makes you feel happy. In your boring miserable life, you at least managed to do something worthwhile (You’ll relate only if you’re an app developer.)
But here’s the kicker. If the game remained this easy, you’ll get bored out of it. That’s why as you progress, the game becomes harder, and the rewards become rarer, all the while, those candies on the screen keep changing their outline.
What this does is exactly what a slot machine will do. Most of the game is based on luck. But because of those intermittent rewards and for the feeling of satisfaction that it gives, people are willing to spend hours upon hours for this game.
This is what you need to hit with your app as a developer.
Lesson number one for App developers: Give your customers a reasonable intermittent reward at random intervals of challenges.
But then the question arises, what sort of challenges should you give to your customers?
This is where our second game or at least a group of games comes in.
Now there are a lot of games like clash of clans, but all of them have the same idea. You have an empire of your own and you need to protect it from other hostile empires. You can do that by either grinding or by paying the
app development company usa who made the game, real-life bucks to be strong.
Whether it’s the march of empires or napoleon battles, the rules are the same. And the weird thing is, these app development companies and their app developer’s main target audience are kids! I mean, kids can actively avoid real-life responsibility if it means taking over the responsibility of the survival of an entire civilization digitally.
I don’t understand humanity. Anyway, where were we? Yes, the second lesson.
The second lesson is to: Create a game where the users have skin in the game. The user who plays clash of clans has skin in the game as if he stops playing, someone will take over his kingdom.
But there is still one thing that is left, and that is to create a sense of urgency. And this is where our third game comes in.
PubG game shows us what happens when you bring in good UX, a strong interface, and a strong sense of urgency to a game.
It became a hit. The electric sphere of death makes sure that every player is moving closer to each other, which creates a sense of urgency for the user to make decisions. And as an App developer, this is something you have to focus on.
Conclusion:
App development can be very tricky work. Please feel free to read our other articles on the topic as well.
Thank you.
