Smartphones are by far the greatest invention of the 21st century. These compact, pocket-friendly devices are capable of doing just about everything. Above all, they are a perfect all-in-one solution that was deemed impossible only a few decades ago. That is because the phones we know and use now have replaced all devices and gadgets that were used before. These included radio players, music players, calculators, and whatnot. Now, people do just about everything, from a few touches on their phone screens. Mobile phones have also established a stronghold in the gaming industry. They have overtaken console and PC gaming to a certain extent. With the advent of many games like Runescape and battle royale games like PUBG and Fortnite, the mobile gaming industry is rising faster than ever.
According to Statista’s report, “The mobile gaming industry is set to earn a revenue of well over US$98.74 billion by the end of 2024. Moreover, the number of gaming app users is expected to reach 1.9 billion users by 2027.”
Those are huge revenue numbers and an insane amount of mobile gaming users. This is one of the reasons why people are getting into mobile gaming app development. They want to create mobile games based on their ideas. So, if you do not know how to make a game app and are looking to develop a mobile game, we are here to help you out with this guide on how to make a game app. Therefore, without any further ado, let’s get straight into this guide to creating a game from scratch.
Follow 7 Easy Steps on How to Make a Mobile Game
The development of a mobile game is a tough but fun journey. Creating an app requires creativity and the necessary coding skills. Whether you know how to make a game app or are just learning game development, these seven steps will help you bring your game idea to life. All of these steps are important and make creating a successful mobile game easier. Therefore, you can learn how to make a game app with the following seven easy steps:
We also have a similar blog on the best offline iPhone games that you can read as well.
Step 1: Research the Game Industry and Validate Your Game Idea
First of all, in order to learn how to make a game app, you must dive deep into the mobile game industry and understand how it works. Once you have immersed yourself in it, you will need to research successful games. You must identify trends and analyze what players like. All this research will help you refine your game idea. It will help you make the idea unique so that it stands out in the crowd. When the concept is ready and solid, you will need to validate it by creating a prototype or mockup.
Then, you will need to share the prototype with potential players. After that, you will need to respond to player feedback to refine your idea. This step would hint at what interest is out there. Moreover, it will help you determine what could be further improved before you invest too much time and resources into the development. But you must remember that every successful mobile game starts off with a researched and validated idea.
Step 2: Choose a Game Engine
Next up, you’ll need to choose the right game engine. The engine you choose will help you determine how the game game making process will go, right down to the final product. You can choose a game engine from options that include Unity, Unreal Engine, and Godot. All of these are some of the most popular game engines. Each engine has different strengths and learning curves on how to make a game app. Moreover, you will need to consider factors such as your coding experience, the kind of game you are developing, and the platform you are targeting.
A game engine like Unity remains the top engine in the world of mobile game development. That is because it is known for its flexibility and enormous asset store. On the other hand, Unreal Engine provides high-end graphics, whereas Godot is open-source and lightweight. You can also use no-code mobile app development methods to create a game with pre-built templates. Therefore, you will need to research each coding or no-code game engine for its features, community support, and documentation. This will help you make smart and informed decisions that align well with your specific project needs and your team’s development skills.
Step 3: Design the Game Graphics
The visual graphics and sound of your game will be what draws in players and keep them playing it. So, for that, first of all, create a cohesive art style that works with the theme of your game and sits well with your target audience. Furthermore, you will need to design exciting characters, environments, and UI pieces that look visually striking. Moreover, you must keep in mind how they would look on a mobile screen. Also, when creating visual graphics, you will need to be aware that you are working on a mobile device.
Therefore, you will need to balance the visual quality of 2d or 3d graphics with performance. For 2D art, you can use tools like Adobe Photoshop or Illustrator. Or you can go with free options like GIMP and Krita. However, if the game will use 3D graphics, then software that you can use includes Blender or Maya. You must make sure that consistency in your art style will add a polished and professional look to your game. Also, when you have learned how to make a game app, you must focus on developing an MVP first, then improving it further over time.
Step 4: Code the Game
Coding brings your game to life, filling it with game mechanics, player interactions, and game logic. Therefore, you will need to start by outlining the key features you want to see and breaking those down into manageable tasks. Furthermore, you will need to code your game efficiently in the scripting language depending on the game engine used. Programming languages like C# are used for Unity or C++ for Unreal.
Moreover, you will need to implement various core implementations, including the movement of players, collision detection, scoring system, and progression through levels. Also, you must make sure that the game works smoothly and has responsive controls optimized for touch screens. When you are coding the game, you will need to regularly test the code for bugs and fix them early on. Also, remember to comment on your code and use version control systems such as Git to track the changes in the code. This will help collaborate within a team effectively.
Step 5: Test the Game
Rigorous testing of the gaming app is crucial for making sure that the game delivers a consistently polished and bug-free experience. Therefore, you will need to start off with interna testing, playing your game multiple times to find and fix obvious bugs. After that, you will need to conduct alpha testing with a small group of trusted people playing early versions of your game, as it will provide initial feedback.
Once the major bugs are fixed, you may go in for beta testing with larger groups of players who are representatives of your target audience. Furthermore, you will need to pay attention to user feedback, performance issues, and gameplay balance. Also, you can use analytics tools that track player behavior and point toward areas for improvement. Above all, you must make sure to test your game thoroughly across different devices and OS versions. This will help ensure your game’s compatibility and will demonstrate it can play nicely on different platforms, such as iOS and Android.
Step 6: Have a Monetization Strategy
The sixth step in this guide is to develop a monetization strategy. That is because it will help ensure the commercial success of your mobile game and bring in revenue. Therefore, there are a few models you can consider. These include free-to-play with in-game purchases, premium (paid upfront), and ad-supported models. As for free-to-play games, you can design in-app purchases while allowing users to download the game for free. This will improve the player’s experience without giving them a “pay-to-win” scenario. If you do choose an ad-supported model, then you can seamlessly integrate those ads to limit gameplay interruption.
Also, you can consider offering a mix of both rewarded ads and interstitials. However, as for premium games, you can price your game on the value and quality that it will deliver to the gamers. Whatever route you decide to take, you must make sure to prioritize players’ experience at the heart of the game to assure long-term commitment and further revenue.
Step 7: Publish the Game
Publishing the game is the final step in bringing your creation to players around the world. It will make game development complete. This means you will need to prepare the game by optimizing it for app store submissions with app store optimization. Not only that, but you will need to create a compelling app store listing. You must keep it simple with eye-catching icons and screenshots. As for the description, make sure it’s as simple as possible. Also, you can go the extra length and create promotional content such as trailers and press kits. It will help in getting the word around town. Moreover, you must publish your game on either Google Play Store for Android, Apple App Store for iOS, or both, depending on your target audience.
Therefore, you will need to learn the basics of how the platform you choose works. You must also know how the store accepts submissions by checking the store’s guidelines and review processes. Once you have published the game, you will need to continually manage it. You must do so by responding to user reviews, fixing bugs, and rolling out updates. All of this will keep players engaged and locked in the game longer. Also, you can go for safer options like soft-launch and release it in a few markets to collect data. With that, you can further refine your game before a global release.
How Much Does Mobile Game App Development Cost?
The cost of 2D and 3D game development varies depending on several factors. These include complexity in gameplay, features, quality of graphics, and development team. Simple 2D games that use basic features can cost between $5,000 and $15,000. On the other hand, complex 3D games can cost between $20,000 to $30,000 and more. There are a few factors that increase the cost. These include mobile app game design, art style, multiplayer features, in-app purchases, and cross-platform capabilities.
Furthermore, maintenance costs, ongoing updates, and marketing expenses also increase the game creation cost. Therefore, the key here is to define the scope clearly for your game. Moreover, you can consider working with experienced game developers who can provide accurate estimates based on your requirements. However, you must make sure that your budget is a healthy one. That is because investing in quality will lead to better player engagement and potential returns.
Create Your Game with a Professional Game Maker Company
Partnering with an experienced iOS apps and Android app development company like Linkitsoft will help you learn how to make a game app. Moreover, it will ensure your game’s quality and success. Linkitsoft’s gamemaker company will make your game with expertise in similar game design, development, and market trends. This will save you time and resources in the long run. Moreover, they have a team of game creators that makes game apps using the latest technologies and tools like Xcode and Android Studio. These tools make it intuitive and easy to create a game.
Moreover, they provide full-cycle services to develop your game, from refining the concept of your game to post-launch support. They do that with the aim of making the final product a polished good game. Also, they will provide full transparency around the game while they build your game. It allows you to see the progress in real-time. While it requires a bigger investment upfront, the expertise and quality assurance offered by professional game makers can get you started right away. Moreover, the development will lead to a better final product and higher returns within the competitive mobile gaming market.
Final Thoughts
That is all we have to talk about in this guide on how to make a game app. Whether you know how to make a game app or not, this guide can help you in creating a successful game. However, if you don’t know how to make a game app and would like to partner with an experienced development firm, then you can consider Linkitsoft for the job. We also have more similar blogs like this on our website, and I suggest you check them out as well.
