In the changing world of mobile gaming, hyper-casual games have become a top type of game attracting players with their simple yet fun gameplay mechanics. Their growth is not just proof of changing player likes but also of the changing creation and money-making methods in games. As we look toward 2024, knowing the future path of these games is important for developers, marketers, and players. The ongoing increase in this area highlights its big effect on the general trends in gaming making it an important area to watch for new inventions and changes in how players interact.
This article explores how hyper-casual games have developed highlighting important events that have influenced their history. It discusses the difficulties developers encounter focusing on maintaining a balance between being creative and making money. As we look into the new developments and upcoming trends for 2024, we pay close attention to the tech improvements and what players expect which will shape the next phase of hypercasual games. Moreover, by looking at successful game creators, it shares insights on the methods that pushed their games to become top downloads. Ending with future projections, the article describes the possible paths this active area might take giving a full view of what’s coming for hyper-casual games.
The Evolution of Hyper Casual Games
Brief History
The origins of hyper-casual games go back to the arcade favorites of the 1970s and 1980s, like Space Invaders, Galaxian, and Pac-Man. These games provided the basic parts that would define hyper-casual games: easy play simple controls, and quick game rounds that gave instant pleasure. The arcade era set up the base for the brief enticing experiences that are key to current hyper-casual games.
Key Milestones
- Flappy Bird’s Launch (2013): Often said to be the first hyper-casual game, Flappy Bird’s huge success in 2013, with over 50 million downloads, showed the possibility for simple games to become very popular.
- Mainstream Recognition (2017): By 2017 hyper-casual games started to lead mobile game rankings resulting in large investments such as Goldman Sachs’ $200 million investment in Voodoo, a major company in the hyper-casual market.
- Acquisition and Growth (2016-2017): Big game businesses saw the worth of hyper-casual games shown by Ubisoft’s purchase of Ketchapp, a leader in the genre.
- Pandimit Boost (2020-2021): The need for simple engaging games rose in the pandemic, with hyper-casual games making up a large share of all game installs reaching 15.6 billion downloads in 2021.
- Sub-genre Diversification (2019-2021): The growth into sub-genres like ASMR games and TikTok-based themes showed the flexibility and range of hyper-casual games moving from endless loops to more complex structures and ideas.
Notable Trends in 2023
The year 2023 continues to show development in the hyper-casual games industry with a few notable changes:
- Increased Prototype Releases: The number of game prototypes increased showing a lively testing and development setting.
- Genre Blending: There was a clear mix of hyper-casual mechanics with other genres resulting in innovative gameplay experiences that attract a wider audience.
- Strategic Monetization: Developers worked on improving ways to make money through ads within games and promoting other products, to increase the overall earnings from each player.
- Community and Social Engagement: By using platforms like TikTok, developers boosted player involvement by combining it with social media, making viral trends that helped gain and keep more users.
These trends highlight the ever-changing world of hyper-casual games always evolving to meet what players want and new technology, to keep being attractive and making money.
Current Market Challenges
Impact of IDFA Depreciation
The drop in the value of Identifier for Advertisers (IDFA) has created big problems for hyper-casual games, which have always depended a lot on targeted ads to gain users. After the IDFA changes, it is harder to aim ads at specific users causing the Cost Per Install (CPI) to go up and making it necessary to use a wider marketing strategy. This change has hurt new game releases, as game makers find it tough to find and get their target players without the sharp targeting IDFA used to provide. Games that have been around longer with users already playing them face less trouble but still see a drop in how well they compete compared to their past market position.
Increased CPI
The growing CPI is a major worry in the hyper-casual gaming industry. As targeting becomes less sharp, the price to acquire new players climbs putting a strain on the profits of these games. The requirement to use wider and less focused marketing campaigns not only raises costs but also reduces the effectiveness of these efforts causing lower investment returns. This situation is made worse by the economic downturn, which has led to decreased advertising budgets everywhere further raising CPI and making the economic viability of hyper-casual games difficult.
Competition with Other Game Genres
Hyper-casual games now compete more with hybrid-casual and other game types that offer more complex play and make money through in-app buys and other methods beyond just ads. These types pull in gamers with more enthralling material and the chance for greater income per user making them more appealing to those who make and market games. The move to these types happens because of the need for a business approach that lasts longer in light of climbing costs to get users and the lessening success of strategies based on ads. This rivalry makes developers of hyper-casual games need to create new things fast to keep players interested and to keep up their share of the market.
The problems that hyper-casual games deal with are hard and have many layers pushing creators to adjust to a fast-evolving market situation. Creating new ways to make money and designing games will be key to keeping growth and making profits in this tough field.
Changes and Patterns to Observe in 2024
Hybridcasual Games
The world of mobile gaming is changing as hybrid-casual games become more popular. These games mix easy addicting play from hyper-casual games with the complex, strategic parts of mid-core games creating an interesting gaming experience that many people like. In 2023 hybrid casual games made more money showing they are doing well in the market. New features in this area include adding player-versus-player (PvP) modes and complex game economies, which make players more interested and create new ways to make money. The popularity of games like “Archer” and “Stumble Guys,” which mix skill-based play with ways to make money such as in-app purchases, shows that this kind of game can keep players interested for a long time.
Web3 Integration
The use of Web3 technologies is expected to cause a revolution in the gaming industry by making games more accessible, engaging, and able to make money. Blockchain technology allows the formation of decentralized gaming ecosystems where players can own assets like non-fungible tokens (NFTs) and earn cryptocurrency through gameplay. This model not only improves player engagement by giving real value for their participation but also creates new income sources for developers. The growth of decentralized finance and the popularity of NFTs are likely to promote further development in Web3 gaming providing new methods for players to connect with and gain from their gaming experiences.
New Monetization Strategies
As the gaming industry changes, the ways to make money from games change too. Hybrid-casual games lead this change by using both in-app purchases and in-app ads to increase income. This move to hybrid monetization models lets developers meet various player needs and enhance their earnings prospects. For example, rewarded video ads and banner ads bring extra income while not ruining the gaming experience. Also, having different sources of income like subscriptions and external web stores gives developers better control over how they make money lessening their dependence on usual app stores and the costs linked with them.
These patterns show the changing character of the gaming sector and the ongoing new developments that fuel its expansion. As creators and promoters adjust to these shifts, the scene of mobile gaming is poised to provide even more engaging and lucrative experiences for players.
Spotlight on Successful Game Developers
Case Study: Supercent
Supercent, a fast-growing hyper-casual gaming company in Korea, has reached a remarkable 70 million global downloads in just two years since starting. The company’s smart use of XMP has simplified its creative testing making it easy to create and manage many campaigns. By refining ad campaigns through sub-source optimization and using smaller networks, Supercent specifically targets various player groups. This keeps costs low while improving user acquisition strategies. Their distinct method has not only increased their overall ROI by 33% but also kept players interested in their games like “Burger Please!” much longer than usual hyper-casual games.
Case Study: Kwalee
Since its founding in 2011, Kwalee has turned into a top company in hyper-casual gaming with more than 800 million downloads around the world. They use AI-powered automation tools from SearchAds.com to grow Apple Search Ads spending by 150% while maintaining a low cost per acquisition. Kwalee’s skill in fine-tuning campaigns has resulted in a twofold increase in their monthly installs. Their triumph comes from strict metrics tracking and intelligent automation features. These tools have allowed them to seize new growth chances and enhance their advertising tactics.
Insights from Voodoo
Voodoo is well known in the hyper-casual gaming sector for its skill in finding and promoting games. It works with 100-200 development studios and uses strict testing standards. A game must have a Day 1 retention rate above 50% to be viewed as successful. This strict criterion creates a competitive setting where data and measurements are crucial. Thanks to its large scale and strong industry connections, Voodoo can market more and secure higher-paying installs, which raises the lifetime value of each game. Their precise data-driven marketing strategy helps them target players improving player involvement and retention throughout their extensive game network.
Conclusion
Reflecting on the journey and growth of simple games, it’s clear that this type has shaped the mobile game world. Amid a fast-changing environment, these simple games moved through difficulties and new ideas, from starting simple yet hooking games to adding new technologies like Web3. The major points and rising trends highlight a part that is not just increasing but also getting better, with creators and marketers always working hard to draw gamers all around the world. This story strengthens the continual change in the game industry showing that being able to adapt and create new things are key parts of success.
Looking forward, the future of hyper-casual games looks both hopeful and filled with potential difficulties. The sector’s move toward hybrid models and deeper ways to make money shows a wider change in how games are played, made, and earned revenue. As the industry gets ready to take on Web3 integration and new ways to make money, the main aim will be to make richer more captivating player experiences that go past usual gameplay. These changes not only aim to improve the player experience but also provide a peek into the dynamic future of the gaming field where new creations keep emerging.