How to Make Mobile/Web Games With Android

Whether you are an enthusiastic gamer with a mobile game idea or an entrepreneur interested in this billion-dollar industry, you should learn about how you can make mobile/web games.

With the availability of game makers and game engines, becoming a game developer has never been easier. Game programs can run and develop on any of these game engines and game makers.

Some of them are used by professional studios and app development companies, as they can be complex for beginner game developers. While there are others, such as GameSalad, that can be used by junior game developers.

Besides developing your game app idea yourself, there are also other ways to get it developed by a professional. If your game features are simple, you can hire a freelance game development generalist to do it for you. But, if it is a complex game you should think of hiring a studio or agency and define your game idea as a project with them.

The recommended way of making a mobile or web game app is by hiring an Android app development company. They will take care of all the steps required to develop an engaging game to be released in the app stores. Though, if you love to create it yourself then you are in the right place. In this article, we are going to talk about the steps to develop a mobile/web game

Game Monetization

Before jumping into the steps to make mobile or web games, let’s talk about its monetization. You should consider how you want to monetize your game before you get started with the development phase.

As with any other business, gaming entrepreneurship should have a working business model. It means that the revenue generated from a game should be higher than the costs of it. You can sell your game in full version with all features as a paid app. Or, you can let users download it for free and put in place other monetization methods, like in-app purchase (of game items) and in-app advertisement.

The in-app advertisement works best if you can attract a huge number of players to your game. You don’t even need to manage the advertisements yourself, you only let third-party ad companies show their ads in your game. The revenue from this method can work based on the ad views and/or their clicks, similar to youtube ads cost for PPC or PPV models.

The point is that even the best game studios cannot succeed without a working monetization strategy in place.

Steps to make a mobile game

Now that you know the importance of monetization, let’s discuss the development. There are 7 important steps to make a mobile/web game:

1. Plan

You should plan your game in every detail, such as its genre, art style, number of players, etc. Is it a quest game or a racing game? Is it a puzzle or an action-adventure? Is it a multi-player or one-player game? Is it a 2D game or a 3D one, and how many characters would be needed to be designed?

You need to define the answer to these and other similar questions to be able to plan your game development project.

2. Development Tool

Three of the most well-known software that is used for game development include Unity, Unreal Engine, and GameSalad.

You should decide which one is the right software for your game to be run on. Whether you are a pro or just beginning with the game development can also impact your decision on choosing the development tool.

The 10 top web design companies usually use Unity or Unreal for game development. Though, GameSalad is better for beginners, as it is a drag-and-drop game maker, without the need for advanced-level coding skills. 

3. Programming Language

The next step is to increase your knowledge of programming, as any video game runs on codes. Most of the Unity game developers use C++, which can be a good place to start for beginners.

4. Start Developing

Most of us fall into one of these categories when it comes to starting something: no planning, or too much planning. Although planning is vital at the beginning, you should know when to stop planning and start developing.

Beginning with the basic mechanics and designing the first level can be a good start. After doing so and test, and then you can move forward to the next more complex tasks and levels.

5. Game Art

The graphic design or game art of a game is the first thing your players will see and interact with. Most of the indie game developers outsource game art to freelancers or game art studios or start learning design software.

6. Optimization

Developing a game is one thing and make it favorable for players is a whole different thing. After making your playable demo, you should elevate it for a better player experience.

• Check the game controls from the players’ side of view.
• Make sure it doesn’t pixelate or use too much memory and battery.
• Fascinate players with some engaging music and sound effects.

7. Release

Don’t stop too much in the optimization stage of your game development, as there is always some room for improvement. Release the game, and you can make it better along the way, after attracting players.

You can release your game in mobile or web app stores, for each of which you should prepare marketing material. Design a game icon, write an interesting description, and take screenshots.