Hyper-casual mobile gaming has been one of the most significant trends in the gaming industry over the past few years. The simplicity, addictive nature, and accessibility of these games have led to millions of downloads and a growing user base.
With the constant evolution of technology and changing consumer preferences, it's crucial to stay ahead of the game to succeed in hyper-casual mobile gaming. In this blog post, we'll explore our top 5 predictions that are set to shape the future of this dynamic market.
TikTok will become a big player to promote and create hyper-casual mobile games
With over 1 billion active users globally and 80 million DAUs (Daily Active Users) in the US alone, it’s the perfect platform to connect short-form video content with hyper-casual game promotion. In fact, advertising on TikTok for games drives a 48% lower CPI (Cost Per Install). TikTok found that players “who installed game apps through TikTok ads generated 43% and 24% higher ad revenue per mille respectively compared to those who installed from other media sources.”
Popular game Monument Valley created a TikTok ad with a CTA (call-to-action) for players to “Download Now”. The ad has been viewed over 2 million times, proving to be more effective than traditional marketing strategies.
It’s also a proven concept generator of hyper-casual mobile game ideas. Take Park Marks for example, a mobile game inspired by the “line marking” trend on TikTok which amassed over 47 million views. Super Sonic, a mobile gaming publishing studio, turned the trend into a mobile game achieving 1.3 million installs in under 2 months!
Increased use of AI
Artificial intelligence will play a vital role in hyper-casual mobile gaming, enabling games to become even more intuitive and personalized. This technology will allow games to adapt to the player's preferences and learning patterns, leading to a more engaging and enjoyable gaming experience.
It will also serve to accelerate the number of hyper-casual mobile games as well as the speed at which they’re produced.
For example, OpenAI will prove handy in idea and content creation as well as in solving complex code problems. Midjourney, an AI art generation tool, can create unique visual game assets within seconds!
Increase in hybrid monetization
Naturally, hyper-casual games have a higher churn rate which can’t be helped by the increase in impersonal ads players see whilst playing games. There’s also a global cost-of-living crisis that needs to be considered when considering revenue streams. One is no longer enough.
We predict hyper-casual games will adopt a hybrid-monetization model to maximize revenue potential. We’ve seen many gaming publishers and studios adopt our unique SDK which provides an additional incremental revenue stream, tapping into the e-commerce spend of your players outside of gameplay. Learn more about our SDK here.
How it works:
The emergence of Hyper-Casual Mobile Gaming for Good Causes
Hyper-casual mobile gaming for good causes, where players can support charities through their games, will become a significant trend in the hyper-casual mobile gaming market. This trend will provide players with a new way to support their favourite causes, leading to increased social impact and a more responsible gaming industry.
With our SDK, you earn a commission each time your players shop online from our partners of 250,000+ merchants. Your players benefit by shopping with exclusive discounts. You get to decide where their savings go, and an option we provide is to donate to charitable causes which support the environment.
We’ve tested this with non-gaming partnerships too and the results have been astronomical! Our partnership with O2 for the ‘Feel Good Shopping Feature’ generates 30,000 new trees planted monthly! Learn more about how we support sustainable initiatives for mobile games and apps here.
Expansion of Cross-Platform Gaming
As the hyper-casual mobile games market grows, so does the demand for games that can be played on multiple devices. This is especially true for casual gamers who want to be able to pick up where they left off, regardless of the device they are using.
For mobile games, this is especially beneficial for the potential increase in player reach as access to the game on different devices can increase the player base as it’s open to a wider audience.
Conclusion
These top predictions for the hyper-casual mobile gaming market highlight the innovative and dynamic trends that are set to shape the future of this exciting industry. From the integration of AI to concept generation with TikTok, the future of hyper-casual mobile gaming is looking bright. It will be fascinating to see how this dynamic market evolves over the coming years.
