Games Industry Wire

The Issues Plaguing Mobile Gaming

by Robyn Tippins on September 14th, 2006

Though consumers are clamoring for mobile games and the industry is answering the demand with increased production of new titles, connecting the new games to the public is an issue that is difficult, at best. Don’t even get me started on the difficulties caused by multiple carriers…
Most consumers don’t know where to go to get the content they want.  The interface on most mobiles is difficult to navigate, and the one line that you get to make your title stand out is rarely enough to convince a purchase.  EA says their top-selling mobile game is still Tetris, because people know the game and are willing to plunk down the money to buy it.  They appear to be less willing on games that offer them an uncertain experience.

In addition, marketing to a mass market like a mobile audience is not easy.  Try selling a game to a 15 year old boy and then turn around and sell the same game to a 45 year old woman.  In most marketing arenas you can tailor the message to the niche.  In mobile, you get the one line and that’s it.  You have to convince a non-refundable purchase and you have to do it in a way that will 1-stand out from the other listed games and 2-do it in a way to appeal to ages 15-60, 55-60% of whom are women.

Gaming subscriptions seem the only option, but a blanket subscription just won’t work.  It doesn’t spotlight the games, it spotlights the hobby, and few are willing to pay for a generic hobby.  In marketing you have to communicate the feeling, not the activity.

My suggestions:

Themed Packs

• Adventurer Subscription, $4.99 per month
  You get 2 Adventure Games, 1 Puzzler
• Sports Subscription, $4.99 per month
  You get 2 Sports Games, 1 Card Game
• Puzzle Subscription, $4.99 per month
  You get 3 Puzzles

Another option would be to offer puzzle buyers a chance to subscribe to all the puzzle titles from a particular manufacturer.

To increase publicity for your titles:
As in all marketing, you have to offer the up-sell to buyers that are satisfied buyers.  Every month offer subscribers a free game to try.

Allow game publishers the chance to be the featured download of the week.  Why a week?  A month is too long, it won’t bring consumers back often enough to the gaming area.  A day is too short, because people are just too busy to consistently check in daily.  A week allows the time to check in often, and because you have a week to check out the featured free game, you are more likely make it a priority to check the area at least weekly to avoid missing a great free game.
Mobile content providers should take a page from XBox LIVE.  They offer those games as trials for free forever, and then they’re roughly $5 to own the full version.  I’m a 31 year old woman (for demographic purposes) and I own 10 of the 26 available titles.

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POSTED IN: PR, Video Games, advertising, mobile gaming