Finding success in mobile games in 2020 is way more science than art. It is no longer about where the ball is right now, but rather where the ball is going.
Read on to find out how!
Since the early days of app store gaming, Match 3 games have been consistently one of the most popular top grossing casual games category (Candy Crush Saga launched in 2012 being a classic example genre's long reign). Reasons for this genre's mass popularity with players have traditionally included:
Simplified core loop with low barrier to entry for new players and first time gamers
Game mechanics leveraging mobile first, intuitive touch gestures on smart devices like tap, swipe which even children can figure out (literally)
Relatively less player effort & user friction via low strategy puzzle core loop.
Short gameplay sessions with low time commitment making these games effortlessly easy to pick and drop on the go. You can successfully play a session in a 5 minute tea break or while in the bus, even in the washroom.
But what was true for the old guard of games launched over 8 years ago is changing fast & how!
In January 2017, I analysed & predicted in a 2 part series (Are Casual games maturing?) that casual player behaviour is maturing & so are their needs & preferences.
This change was attributed to following factors:
1) Players mastery of same old game mechanics (6+ years of playing)
2) Longevity and familiarity of playing the same genre and mechanics repetitiously
3) Wearing off of the novelty value due to a flood of clones
4) Piecemeal introduction of deeper designs by game developers
Diagram above shows this pool of rising players between casual and mid-core games.
My 2 part series (links below) on the subject predicted that early shift in player behaviour will create an appetite for deeper and more complex experiences which has in-fact ultimately led to genre blending and addition of META goals. This was analysed way early in evolution of games like Angry Birds 2 here
Angry Birds 2 Meta elements like quests, collections, mini games, PvP features showed how far the franchise has come from its original in 2009 and simple slingshot core.
And in the second part of the same series for Playrix's Homescapes here:
Playrix on other hand was mashing traditional Match 3 Core elements with light base building and powerful character driven narrative.
