The time of viral mobile successes such as Flappy Bird and Draw Something is over.
Both released at a time when user acquisition was in its infancy, they were able to reach levels of success that are now almost only achievable through a carefully crafted UA strategy from a team of experts.
That s not to say viral mobile games developed by small teams can t happen anymore, but the market has evolved in such a way that, more often than not, the top of the charts is occupied by companies who have millions to spend on their UA budget.
As mobile has grown into a beast of a market, developers have evolved alongside it and adapted to become more data-oriented to remain successful. But for newcomers, it s a very complex challenge to try to get a foot in the door without the expert knowledge now required to navigate the market.
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The games industry moves pretty fast, and there s a tendency for all involved to look constantly to what s next without so much worrying about what came before. That said, even an industry so entrenched in the now can learn from its past. So to refresh our collective memory and perhaps offer some perspective on our field s history, GamesIndustry.biz runs this monthly feature highlighting happenings in gaming from exactly a decade ago.
More like PlayStation Notwork
It didn t seem like a big deal at first. After all, outages on various gaming networks are semi-common to this day, and the PlayStation Network of 2011 was not exactly known for reliability. The timing was unfortunate, coming right on the heels of anticipated PS3 releases like Portal 2 and SOCOM 4: US Navy SEALs, but frustrated gamers could no doubt find something else to do, get a good night s sleep, and give those games online functionality another shot the next day.
Wordscapes
You can play video games from anywhere these days a home console, gaming PC, streamed over the internet, or on your smartphone or tablet. For many, loading up new devices with games is priority No. 1 in order to pass the time during a morning commute, at a doctor s office, or on the couch. Sometimes, however, a silly little phone game turns into hours of non-stop gameplay. If you re looking for the most addictive games you can play on your iPhone or Android phone, check out the list below. Good luck trying to get anything else done!
AFK Arena
Taking its name literally, AFK Arena is an idle RPG game where you collect loot and level up even when you re away from the keyboard. Collect heroes and strengthen your forces in order to save the realm from an ancient evil. Join guilds, battle other players, or continue your epic quest.