Mobile Heroes is our campaign for 2016, tapping into success stories for mobile gaming. At Casual Connect Amsterdam we asked some big names to share their secrets of success.
Last year, with Unsung Heroes, was about the challenges of the app stores. Now the campaign has moved on from black hole to white heat. It’s about making your mobile game an incandescent star.
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“There are no longer only two companies who generate the big revenues,” Heiko Hubertz, Founder and CEO of Whow Games tells us. More and more other companies are having an impact in mobile gaming.
The trick, according to Mike Hines, Developer Evangelist at Amazon is to look at how you monetize outside the game. “Absolutely, social marketing is the future,” he says.
Tom A C Van Dam, Head of Mobile BD, Netease Games points out that MMOs, simulations, and strategy games are all in the ascendency.
Virtual Reality will become influential in mobile according to Martine Spaans, owner of Tamalaki. “Big productions are already in place. The Google Cardboard, for example, which makes VR really accessible.”
Heiko Hubertz agrees that VR will be important. “That’s the question – how big will this become?” 
Changing the way ads work is also a trend says Johan Lofstrom, regional General Manager EMEA & India Chartboost. “It’s a way for players to interact with ads — you will be able to play the game in the ad.”
Tom A C Van Dam believes we will see games that engage users for much longer. “Our current design at Netease is aiming for users to play the game four to six hours each day.”
Some of our Mobile Heroes stars have tips for developers.
“Listen to your community,” says Martine Spaans. “Really appreciate every single player.”
Heiko Hubert thinks battery life will be a limiting factor. “Users like to play a game but if the battery goes empty too fast, they don’t play any more.”
Alex Nichiporchik, CEO of Tinybuild says: “The biggest thing that people miss in mobile game launches is that the rule book is not written yet. Every day something new happens.”
The post The Secrets of Mobile Gaming Success appeared first on Spil Games.
