Mobile game development is the process of taking an idea for a game and turning it into a reality on mobile devices. Several steps are involved in developing a mobile game, from planning and production to testing and launch. But it doesn't stop there! You can also add advanced features, captivating graphics, and an engaging plot to make your mobile game stand out from the rest. Plus, you can develop a mobile game with regular updates that offers next-level performance and user experience.

Our Mobile Game Development Process

1. Project Estimate

When you come to us with your game concept, we first need to assess what exactly it is you're looking for. This includes understanding your target market, what platforms they use, and what software and technologies will be necessary to bring your game to life. We'll also give you a detailed estimate of the costs involved so that you can make an informed decision about whether or not to proceed with us.

2. Requirement / Term Analysis

The process begins with an estimate and Statement of Work being drafted and approved, after which our designers, artists, and programmers work on mapping out the game. The project leader creates a detailed plan of all the features to be incorporated into the game while the designer prepares a script or storyboard based on the client's specifications.

3. Gameplay Design / Documents

The gameplay design phase begins when the project's concept art is complete. In this phase, we develop the game's UI flow and gameplay mechanics. We also prepare an architectural, database, and class design documents. Next, we submit these documents to the client for review and confirmation. Finally, based on the feedback provided by the client during regularly scheduled meetings, we revised the game's design and architecture.

4. Concept Art

Our talented team works diligently to create concept art for our clients' projects by starting with rough sketches of game characters and other vital elements. The artists and designers create 2D & 3D assets based on the client’s descriptions and feedback. They also design the concept art document, where the client can give feedback and elaborate changes to the concept art. Our artists take pride in their work, which shows in their high-quality concept art!

5. Design Game Prototype

This game development section involves creating digital art assets such as character models, user interface elements, backgrounds, etc. All of these game assets are based on the concept art that the client has approved. Our company uses software like Blender, Maya, Photoshop, and more to create high-quality art for the game. The phases of the project and requirements for the game's art heavily depend on whether it uses primarily 2D or 3D assets.

6. Game Development

With the art pipeline set up and the game's design finalized, the gameplay engineers and coders can start putting the game together using the chosen engine. As development progresses, builds of the game are shown to customers so that they can give feedback and help improve the game's visuals and gameplay. In addition, code reviews, developer testing, and bug fixes are conducted during development to ensure a high-quality final product.

7. Game Testing

Our company tests our mobile games on multiple devices to ensure they work well across screen sizes and with various device constraints. This iterative testing ensures consistent performance, coherent gameplay, device compatibility, and optimized user experiences. Our internal team runs these tests also to optimize performance across devices and identify any functionalities that need to be fixed.

8. Launch, Ongoing Support & Maintenance

After active development and QA testing are complete, it's time to deliver your game to the chosen digital storefront(s). Our team will work with you to create a descriptive listing and implement app store optimization, so your game stands out among the competition. The process continues after the product's launch for many projects. Games must update periodically to ensure they remain popular years after launch, similar to other popular games.

No, It is not. The new-gen game engine like Unity 3D provides better outcomes and gaming experience to the users. Although 2D gaming is not outdated. Based on the game idea requirement, we suggest if the game should be developed using a 2D Game Development way or 3D Game Development.

If you're planning to own a game, it is always preferable to hire the Best Mobile Game Development Company like us to get your work done in time with quality.

Game Design represents how the game will look; it is the most appealing & alluring part of the game. The more realistic & user-friendly game design will get more engagement and user attention.

Whereas, Game development is the back process that includes structured coding and logic to make smooth gameplay. Game Development also involves programming, debugging, and code optimization.

Yes, we do have in-house 2D/3D Game artists for such kind of work; we design the UI in such a way where gamers can feel the game concepts and get attracted by the animations of games.

Yes, we do offer native mobile game development services. We have dedicated team of android & iOS game developers who are working on android and iOS game development.

As video games become more popular among all ages, they are conquering the entertainment industry. As technology advances, people have started mobile phones for all their work and leisure activities - including gaming. A number of mobile games dominate the gaming markets and app stores. As a result, the mobile gaming industry continues to grow and evolve. 

• How do developers create mobile games? What tools do they use?
• Having top-notch mobile game development tools and an experienced team is one of the advantages Capermint Technologies offers.

Here are some of the top tools for developing mobile games.

1. Unity

With 45% of the Global Game Engine market share, Unity 3D engine is used by 47% of Game developers as the primary development tool.  It is an all-in-one platform for mobile games, famous for its quirky features, supportive pricing, and robust capabilities.

• 2D & 3D design tools combined with excellent gameplay sequences & cinematic experiences make it the choice of developers, artists, and designers alike.
• Unity game engine provides support to almost 27 platforms.
• The game developed can be easily shared between PC, web, and mobile platforms.
• High-quality audio and visual effects ease the game development and help in delivering a quality gaming experience.

2. Unreal Engine

Thanks to its user-friendly features, the Unreal engine is an easy and efficient game development engine. Unreal Engine can also be used to design stunning 3D graphics, and thus the developer can use it to deliver games that will hook the gamers.

• Unreal Engine is free and open-source software.
• Developers can make use of pre-made assets to achieve photo-realistic rendering images for the game.
• The engine is a cross-platform game engine.
• Unreal has more tools and functionalities for a wide variety of situations.

3. CryEngine

CryEngine has received recognition because of its fantastic graphics output. If you want to develop a game with superior visuals, then CryEngine is the ideal game engine for you.

• Can develop a great game environment by using CryEngine’s artist-level programming.
• It is also blessed with the most powerful audio tool, Fmod.
• Offers the finest coding
• It handles open-world, vegetation-rich environments well.

4. Cocos2d-x

Cocos2D-x is a package of 2D game development tools, owned by Facebook. It is a script development, entity-component, and data-driven development tool that is focused on creating content. Developers can develop high-performance games using its powerful suite.

• The most significant benefit is that you don’t have to pay any royalties as Cocos2D-x is an open-source engine.
• It can develop cross-platform games.
• Third-party libraries can be integrated with Cocos2D-x to enhance the functionality of games.
• The best feature is that you can create games as small as 1.5 MB using this engine.

5. BuildBox

BuildBox can be used to develop games very easily and in a short time. There is no need to do coding for developing your gaming app. Changes in the game can be made, and the effect can be checked in real-time using the BuildBox engine. 

• BuildBox offers over 20,000 game assets, sound effects, and animations.
• The latest version of BuildBox can be used to develop 3D games without any coding.
• Drag and drop functionality makes the development process easy.
• Using BuildBox, you can implement ads with just a few clicks.

6. PlayCanvas

PlayCanvas is an open-source game engine that runs games using HTML5 and WebGL. The fast loading speed is achieved through features like minification, concatenation, and deferred loading of non-essential assets.

• All mobile devices are supported with enhanced mobile browser support. 
• The editor allows you to chat directly with your teammates.
• Your development will be accelerated with PlayCanvas.
• It supports modern browsers, handles control inputs, and manipulates graphics.

7. HTML5

HTML5 (Hyper Text Markup Language) is a language that is used for developing and sharing content on the World Wide Web. HTML5 is now widely used to develop games as these games can be easily played on various devices using the web browser.

• It is easy to create cross-platform games using HTML5.
• HTML5 is great to develop casual games.
• HTML5 is based on JavaScript and it is relatively easy to learn and use.
• The TypeScript and CoffeeScript cross-JavaScript compilers are available to developers.

In addition to the tools discussed above, Capermint Technologies is proficient with many more tools for mobile game development.

The Different Types of Mobile Games with examples are - 

1. Mini Game

Mini-games are those games that do not require any special skill and provide minimal visuals. The users can learn and start playing such games quickly. 

Mini Game Examples: Flappy Bird, Pac-Man, etc.

2. Simple 2D Game

These games offer simple 2D graphics but can pack a great deal when it comes to gameplay, storyline, and sound effects. These games have limited gameplay and can offer amazing and great user engagement. 

Game Examples: Flappy Slendrina, Red Ball, etc.

3. Social Game

Using SDKs provided by social media platforms called Social games, the games are developed. Games like Farmville, and other games that can be played on Facebook and other social media apps fall under this category. Such games can only be played within the app.

Game Examples: Farm Ville, Facebook Games, etc.

4. Mid-Level Game

Mid-Level games are games that offer multiple levels, various characters, storylines, and an amazing gameplay experience. These games are equipped with advanced features and are generally multi-platform games. 

Game Examples: Simcity, Gardenscapes, Angrybirds, Candy Crush, etc.

5. 3D Game

These games offer the best-in-class 3D graphics and a realistic gaming experience. They are packed with an engaging storyline, amazing graphics, epic sounds, and a gaming experience that leaves the users hooked. 

Game Examples: Join Clash 3D, Free 3D Shooting, etc.

6. High-End Game

These games are advanced-level mobile games and are pretty big. They offer elaborate gameplay and offer the best mobile gaming experience. 

Game Examples: Clash of Clans, Last Day on Earth: Survival, Clash Royale, etc.

7. AAA Game

These are the best games that can be developed for a mobile device. AAA Games are the costliest games and offer a Console or PC-like gaming experience on mobile devices. 

Game Examples: PUBG, GTA, Red Dead Redemption 2, FIFA 2021, Call of Duty, etc.

8. Real Money Game

In such games, the users can bet an amount before playing the game, and if they win, they will get double the amount or sometimes even more. Such games are skill-based and gambling games. 

Game Examples: Bet365, Ludo Empire, MPL, etc.

Android vs iOS for game development is a heated topic and choosing one can be an intuitive task. Both platforms have certain pros and cons, and one should choose a platform after checking which platform’s pros are favorable for the game that they wish to develop.

Therefore, this question can only be answered after knowing which type of game you want to develop, which features you want if you wish to target the Android audience, the iOS audience, or both, and various other factors.

Here are the pros and cons of both platforms to help you decide:

Android:

Pros

• More users and downloads.
• Fast publishing and fewer restrictions.
• Effective monetization through advertising.

Cons

• Longer development time.
• Lower average revenue.
• More possible bugs.

iOS:

Pros

• Higher average revenue.
• Faster development.
• Fewer possible bugs.

Cons

• Two times fewer users.
• Long publishing with many restrictions.
• The need to buy special hardware.

If the budget permits, the best choice is to opt for cross-platform game development, as with cross-platform functionality, your game will get the best exposure, you will be able to target your audience over both platforms, and you can get the benefit of pros of Android & iOS both.

Mobile Games are the most demanded application for a mobile device.

Here are some of the fascinating mobile gaming statistics:

• 21% of Android and 25% of iOS apps downloaded are games.
• Out of 100%, 43% of the time smartphones are used for playing games.
• 78% of gamers are Android users.
• By the end of 2022, the number of global active mobile gamers will surpass 3 billion.

With Gamification, Apps can now have game-like features and thus the app experience can be converted into a fun and motivating experience.

Implementing a Gamification strategy will be a great asset and addition to your app. It will not only provide a fun-filled experience to the users but will also upgrade your user experience. The addition of games can increase your app's ROI by 2x and user engagement by 10x. It will reduce user churn and make the users revisit your app repeatedly.

Benefits of Gamification

1. Promote your business

Games are and will be a brilliant marketing strategy for businesses and brands. Have you played games of brands like WWE, Redbull, etc.? You can add a simple yet effective game in your app that the users can play for free, and thus your app will have more users and the game will promote your products and services.

2. Provide a better experience

The key to making sure that the users download and keep your app is the experience that your app offers. If your app offers amazing games with its core features, then the users will get a better in-app experience. Games will add a fun side to your app and so people will use your app more promptly.

3. Push beyond your limits

You can transform your product or service into a game and thus you will get the profit of an app and a game in one place. Venture around different genres and develop amazing games to push yourself out of your comfort zone and experiment with games to provide your users with the best app that they ever downloaded.

4. Provide a reason to come back

if you add games to your app, the users will have more reasons to come back to your app, and so they will use your app again and again. This will also make sure that the users do not uninstall your app. Prompt push notifications that are fun, catchy, and motivating.

When estimating the time for the mobile game development process, a number of factors come into play. If the game is a complex one, it will take more time to develop, and a mini-game will be developed in a few months.

The factors that affect the development time are:

1. Scope of gameplay

The more unique mechanics and variety you introduce to a game level, the more individual work it will take to complete it. Reusing or repurposing certain game assets or player behaviors allows developers to save time and effort, but adding new things will always take more time and effort.

For more understanding, we will divide the games into three categories.

-- Small Games

This category will include 2D games, Casual Games, Hyper Casual Games, Puzzle Games, and Casino Games. These games require 3-6 months to be developed and launched. Such games have short play sessions and the gameplay changes only a little with time.

Example - Burn The Rope - It is a 2D puzzle game that took 3 months to be developed and launched. The players have to control and guide the flame over the rope.

-- Medium Games

This category will include 3D games, Action Games, Adventure Games, Strategy Games, and Sports Games. These games require 6-12 months to be developed and launched. Such games have various assets, and graphics, and offer complex decision-making to the players.

Example - F1 Clash - It is a 3D Racing game that took a year to be developed and launched. The game offers a real-time multiplayer gaming experience and dynamic tracks.

-- Large Games

This category will include RPG Games, MMORPG Games, Battle Royale Games, and FPS Games. These games require more than a year to be developed and launched. Such games have the best graphics, elaborated worlds, hundreds of features, and group gameplay experience.

Example - Eve Echoes - It is an MMO game that took 3 years to be developed and launched. The game offers a huge world of space travel, battles, and trade.

2. Assets for Game Development

A number of 2D or 3D assets are developed for a game depending on its scope. Creating characters, environments, and other elements, along with animation and visual effects, takes a lot of time.

3. Game Features

Every feature added to the game is some extra time added to the game development duration. Advanced features like NFT integration, Real Money Gameplay, AR/VR Gameplay, Gyroscope settings, etc. will take more time to be integrated into the game.

4. Development Team

One must pay extra attention to the team they are giving their game development project. The team must have a decent number of developers, graphic designers, sound engineers, and project managers, to accordingly delicate the tasks and work on a quick development schedule. Likewise, the expertise of the developers also plays a vital role, as inexperienced developers will take more time and will encounter more bugs than experienced developers.

Creating mobile games that serve your business purpose and fulfill your professional goals, is our foremost priority. The highly skilled and experienced team of game developers at Capermint follows some common guidelines to ensure all quality standards are met before your mobile game hits the app stores.

Our mobile games have a great user interface that adjusts well to your user's needs, is compatible with multiple mobile platforms, has fast loading speed, high performance, and supportive customer care. These qualities are omnipresent in every game we create so that you get what you have expected.

Yes, we do provide Modification Service after the launch of the game. We offer various other services after the launch of the game including Support & Maintenance, Regular Updates, Adding New Levels, Bug Squashing, etc. We offer various packages for post-launch services, and you can choose between various services, as needed by you or as required by your game.

The mobile gaming market has lots of different genres that can target any taste. New genres and new tastes develop every day, and it’s impossible to list every niche category. After all, it’s a $49 billion worth market!

The most popular Mobile Gaming Genres are:

1. Action Games

With over 11% of Mobile Games representing this genre, Action games are quite famous in app stores. These games emphasize physical challenges, including hand-eye coordination and reaction time.

2. Casual Games

This category is the one that dominates the market for games for mobile devices. With a 58% mobile device penetration rate, casual games are the most played game genre by Android users. Examples - Candy Crush, Slots, Bingo, etc.

3. Puzzle Games

This genre of games is the second most played on mobile devices over the world, with more than 30% of total downloads. They are games in which our brain participates a lot since in most of them we must think of a strategy to meet the objectives.

4. Arcade Games

An arcade game is a game machine typically found in public places like malls, restaurants, and amusement arcades, and is usually coin-operated. Mobile games give a digital version to these arcade games. Some examples are - Tetris, Pac-man, etc.

5. Battle Royal Games

The talk of the town in recent years is Battle Royal Games. Though they are violent in nature, these games are super exciting and require the players to work really hard to endure the fight until the last one becomes the lone survivor. Examples - PUBG, Fortnite, etc.

6. Role-Playing Games

The Role-Playing genre dominates the PC & Console Game Environment, and now is making it big in mobile games too. RPGs’ diverse characters, heavy storylines, long gameplay, and fantasy settings are the reasons behind their success.

7. Casino Games

This genre comprises all the gambling games like card games, slot games, etc. All the games that you can find in a casino, have made their way to their digital versions, and are now more popular to play than all the other genres.

8. Racing Games

Racing games are a video game genre in which the player participates in a racing competition. They may be based on anything from real-world racing leagues to fantastical settings. The races can be running races, car races, bike races, etc.

9. Simulation Games

Simulation genre games recreate real-life experiences in a virtual environment based on simulation. Most of the time, you will be placed as a farmer, doctor, driver, pilot, etc, and you will experience the real-life experience of these scenarios.

10. Sports

Various sports and teams have their own mobile game version. The games will give the best gaming experience of the sports, that you can play anywhere using your mobile device. These games are generally multiplayer games.