The mobile game development marketing is flourishing and every day there is a new game for mobile users to download. However, just as there are successful games, there are also a number of those that failed. In fact, the very popular and addictive Angry Birds had fifty-one failed attempts!

The reasons for a mobile game to fail can be innumerous, such as:

• The inability of the game to make money or fetch lucrative return on investment
• The budget is exhausted just on the development and there is nothing left for innovation or even marketing the game once it has been developed
• The game is extremely complicated or too heavy

But, you can improve your chances of success by taking into account the following game development tips.

#1 Identify the best platform

Assuming that you already have a brilliant idea for the game, the next important thing is to determine the perfect platform – Android, iOS and Blackberry or hybrid. Every platform has its own share of advantages and disadvantages, and the platform you choose is going to determine the overall experience of the game. You may also choose to launch your game on multiple platforms in order to increase visibility and engagement. In case you are looking forward to connecting with a lot of audiences, Android will probably be the best choice followed by iOS.

The basic factors to consider when selecting a gaming platform are:

• Your targeted audience for the game
• The graphics and processing requirements of your game

#2 Create Excellent UX/UI

What makes a game truly interesting and engaging is UX/UI. You need to absolutely make sure that the design of your game is attractive and compelling. If your game involves complicated controls, you must remember to include tutorials so that it is easy for the players to understand the game. You need to include practice stages so that the users get a hang of the game and as their interest builds up, so should the levels. Also, you need to design the graphics keeping in mind the best possible resolution and maximum screen size. If the graphics of your game pixelates, you can be sure of users rejecting it and downloading your competitors’ games.

#3 Say a Story through Your Game

If your game says a story, it will appeal to the audience even more. They will simply play the game to know the entire story. In case you do not have a story for your game, you might consider creating one. Stories are a fantastic way to attract the attention of the users and also lend meaning to your game. Since stories give boring characters and objects meaning, every game user likes story-based games. Games that have a brilliant storyline, compels users to keep returning back to the game. Your ultimate aim must be to make the users curious about what’s going to happen next as he or she progresses through the levels. Only a powerful story backed by excellent graphic design can make your game development and mobile game development a huge success.

#4 Integrate social media

The number one way to drive engagement today is with the use of social media. People love gaming levels, the rewards, sharing gifts and so on. If you want to generate traction for your game, social media is the best way. It will also act like word-of-mouth publicity when everybody across social media channels will be talking about your game. If you want to create a buzz around your game and drive social engagement, target influencers and social communities. Try and include social media elements wherever you can in your game development plan.

#5 Make Use of Interesting Sounds

If you want to hook the attention of the players, music plays a major part. You can choose different source sounds for explaining various game scenarios and you can also use varied audio effects. There are certain free versions, but it is best if you create your own. With your own custom music, you can create a brand and keep the gamers engaged. Impactful audio attracts the attention of the game players and helps to create an interesting and thrilling gaming environment.

#6 Test, Test and again Test

Irrespective of whether you choose Android or iOS for your game, nobody likes crashes and bugs. The last thing that any game developer would want is the users uninstalling the game because the game is not able to perform a specific task. So, make sure that you rigorously test your game on varied platforms. You may also try to play the game in several different ways to ensure that it works smoothly and without any glitch.

#7 Invest in Marketing

So, it is great that your game has social media integration and the design is outstanding, but without marketing you cannot expect your game to be a huge success. First, you need to craft a stunning and worthy launch and pool in all your efforts to target game communities and influencers. You may also include in-app ads to increase the download of your game and revenue.

To sum it up, you need to start with a great idea and follow it up with attention-grabbing design, arresting music, social media integration and a whole lot of marketing and advertising. You must also try to say a story through your game, which might be super simple like, a prince rescuing a princess from the tower or as difficult as an individual is given the responsibility to save the world.

Game development and mobile game development is not the difficult part, it is bringing together the ideas so that you can go above and beyond your competitors. With a strong storyline and all the aforementioned elements in place, you will surely be able to create a game that will become as addictive as Candy Crush.

Do you want to share any tips for first-time game developers? Are there any specific things that they should keep in mind? Kindly give your suggestions or tips in the comments below.