China was once a country that banned console games while it is now one of the most profitable countries when it comes to the creation and release of mobile games. As mobile gaming becomes more popular, there has been a drastic increase in advertising spending in China. Over the past three years, this spending has increased ten-fold and mobile games and apps have been designed to appeal to the growing middle class in the country.
In terms of monetizing games in the Chinese market, it takes on a different form than the methods that have proven successful in other countries such as the U.S.
The Changing of Games
Just a few years ago, the software environment in China was rather isolated, but in the past 6 years there have been many changes. Now, China is one of the top software developers for mobile games and apps and Chinese companies have become some of the most recognized in the mobile gaming industry.
Since games changed in 6 years, many companies that focused on PC platform games have now made the switch to the development of Android and iOS based games to attract larger audiences and generate increasing profits.
In fact, China has surpassed the US and is the leading generator if iOS games and revenue. The top ranking and revenue generating games from China are those that are developed for multiplayer, including titles like Hero Moba and Fantasy Westward Journey. The model in which the games have been offered has also changed in China. It started as offering mobile apps for a paid download price, but soon, many apps started to use a free-to-play model, where customers would download the game for free and then the app would be monetized through in-app purchases or advertising.
How to Monetize Mobile Games
The promotion and marketing of mobile games in China is of utmost importance and developers need to make sure to use the right platforms to reach their target audience. To monetize your mobile game, it is essential to have a target audience and to market the game to the right audience. When a game is properly monetized, it will be placed on the right platforms and will be viewable by the target audience that is selected. Proper marketing strategies can greatly increase the chances of success of any new mobile game.
Developers in China have placed focus on the offering of free-to-play games, where users will not have to pay for any download to access the game. This leads to more players trying the game and can increase the number of players that make use of in-app purchases and in-app adverting links. These are quite effective forms of monetization as Chinese gamers will be more apt to use in-app purchases to extend their time spent playing the game.
Another tip to monetize a mobile game is to offer frequent updates and new features that will keep players engaged. Player retention is the key to success and by providing small updates, one will be able to create long term player retention which will increase the chances of future in-app purchases.