As the bigger part of the world continues to spend time indoors, reports indicate that mobile gaming is on the rise. According to CNN, gaming in China has significantly risen over the last few months. While it is normal for gaming activities to be high in January and February due to the Lunar New year celebrations, the holiday was extended this year.
The Chinese government advised the people to stay at home, with most workers receiving full pay during the extension period. At first, the idea seemed ingenious, but some people started suffering from cabin fever because of staying indoors for a long time. Boredom started creeping in, and most people started turning to video games to socialize with other gamers and stay occupied.
According to different game publishers, there has been a significant increase in the number of gamers this year. “Honour of Kings” a multiplayer online battle from Tencent, reported an all-time high in the number of weekly players. Sensor Tower, a research firm, also reported a 12.1% increase in revenue on China’s Apple app store.
Industry experts are also predicting that gaming downloads and spending will increase in the coming months as travel bans continue. As such, bookies like Betway are working tirelessly to take advantage of this opportunity with their esports offerings. You can also enjoy other options like Betway’s luck numbers from your mobile phone, as you continue waiting for the next big video gamer title.
Over the last few weeks, video game companies have been trying to attract the attention of more players with new offers and promotions. Others are changing their payment structures to create room for free-play with in-app purchases, thereby enticing more people to explore and see what the game is all about.
Analysts have found that most young players enjoy free-to-play games, so game developers can attract more attention by making premium games free. That enables the developers to tap into the broader gaming communities during this time that most people remain indoors. However, game creators need to understand the aspects that are likely to engage the audience better for them to develop profit-generating games.
The app store is currently packed full of new games, so the consumers might be very selective on the titles they play or spent their cash on. There is also a great opportunity for indie developers who want to test out their ideas and create the next big title. It is no longer necessary for developers to work with established publishers, as it is easy to get a title listed on the app store.
While not all ideas will turn into blockbusters, gamers have witnessed a good number of wildcards over the last few years. Untitled Goose is an excellent example, after starting off as a joke and turning into a raging success story. The game even managed to take the glamorous top a spot on Nintendo Switch’s download charts a week after its release.
The mobile gaming industry will continue to be on the rise amid the ongoing crisis in most countries. Considering China’s reaction, you can expect more avid gamers from across the world to spend more playing games for entertainment, socialization, and passing the time.