Top Reasons Why Asia is the Future of Mobile Gaming

Usually, game developers dedicate their efforts to refining aspects such as the theme and user interface to enhance the overall quality of a game. Yet, it's wise for them to also consider reaching out to the vast Asian market, which comprises approximately 60% of the global population. Additionally, business formation in Singapore could provide strategic advantages for tapping into this lucrative market. [contents] Interestingly, children and adults across China, Japan, South Korea, and other Asian nations have a strong penchant for gaming, particularly on their mobile devices. This continent stands as a significant catalyst for the global expansion of mobile gaming. According to the Global Games Market report by Newzoo, in 2016, Asia accounted for 47% of the revenue in the $100 billion plus gaming industry worldwide, spanning PC, console, and mobile platforms. The region's gaming market has surged to $46.6 billion, witnessing a robust 10.7% growth since 2015, largely fueled by mobile gaming. Newzoo reveals that gamers in China, Japan, South Korea, and Singapore favored mobile devices for gaming over other platforms, with smartphones generating 36% of the revenue in the $46.6 billion Asian gaming market in 2015, amounting to $16 billion. The Year over Year (YoY) growth has been remarkable, particularly in China. In 2012, mobile gaming only represented 5.4% of all gaming activities in the country. However, by 2015, this figure surged to 36.6%, indicating a substantial shift towards mobile gaming. Projections suggest that by 2018, mobile devices will surpass all other screens as the primary platform for gaming, indicating sustained growth in the sector. The numbers underscore the ample opportunities available in the Asian market. In 2015, non-Asian companies generated $5.3 billion in revenue in the Asian market, with 69% of that revenue attributed to mobile gaming. However, achieving success in this market is by no means guaranteed. Before venturing into any new market, including Asia, game developers must adequately prepare themselves and their games for success. Failure to do so could result in wasted resources and efforts. Various practical steps need to be taken to address the numerous challenges, including linguistic, cultural, and financial hurdles that are likely to arise.

Localization

Despite the widespread availability of American TV shows and movies on Asian entertainment channels, many Asians lack a deep understanding of the English language. Therefore, to capture their attention, developers must communicate in their native language. This entails ensuring that menus, landing pages, ads, web materials, dialogue, text, names, icons, characters, screenshots, and all other game-related content are presented in the local language, complete with appropriate slang. While understanding classical Mandarin is one thing, staying updated on the latest slang expressions is another matter. Unless someone is a teenager living in China, they're unlikely to be familiar with the current usage of slang. For instance, in Mandarin, the tonal nuances of each syllable can significantly impact the meaning of a word. Developers must consider this when crafting character dialogue to avoid any misunderstandings among players regarding the context of the conversation.

Cultural Issues

To capture people's attention with your game, it's essential to not only respect their language but also their culture. Take China, for instance; the color white symbolizes brightness, purity, and fulfillment, but it's also associated with death, so it's best used sparingly. Additionally, gestures like hugging may be viewed with suspicion, and directness can be seen as rude. Moreover, there's the specific gaming culture to consider. Japanese players lean towards puzzle and RPG games, whereas gamers in China and Southeast Asia prefer social games, many of which are played on platforms like WeChat. How a game is monetized can significantly impact its success – whether it's downloaded or played at all. Culture plays a crucial role here. A game that doesn't align with players' cultural expectations or violates cultural norms risks being overlooked or criticized. To avoid this, developers must be culturally aware and informed. Local expertise can be invaluable in navigating these nuances effectively.

Monetization

Few people around the world are inclined to spend money on downloading a game if they're unfamiliar with the publisher or know little about the game itself. Therefore, offering the game for free, particularly through the freemium model, where players initially get the game and then it's monetized through ads, upgrades, or in-app purchases (IAP), is a wise approach to start with. Different countries have distinct expectations regarding monetization methods, and introducing an unfamiliar strategy could lead to player dissatisfaction. In a market as extensive as China's, there's a diverse range of monetization strategies, but experience and market trends indicate that some are more popular and successful than others. Ads remain a perennially popular strategy, especially in a country where many players may not have access to significant disposable income compared to Western or more affluent Asian countries like Japan and South Korea. However, various pay-to-win strategies, where players spend money to advance on leaderboards, or VIP memberships offering exclusive gaming rooms and additional benefits, have also proven successful.

Marketing

For developers creating and distributing Apple games, the process is relatively straightforward through the App Store, considering factors like language, culture, and advertising/marketing systems. Similarly, for Android game developers, delivering games to users is seamless in regions with Google Play stores. However, China presents a unique scenario as Google Play is not available there. Instead, developers must choose from approximately 200 different Android download sites to distribute their games. While this might initially seem like a disadvantage, it can actually be advantageous because each store has its own distinct characteristics. By leveraging the right advertisements, offers, and local partnerships in each region (such as WeChat in China, Kakao in South Korea, Line in Japan, etc.), developers can significantly enhance the visibility and success of their game.

Timing

Holidays, seasons, events, and even the days of the week can significantly impact the timing and approach to marketing a game. In China, for example, smartphones are popular gifts before holidays, especially when new models are launched during those times, making it an opportune moment to release a new game. However, it's important to note that many other developers, including local ones, will also be capitalizing on these opportunities, so success may vary. The concept of "Asia Rising" has been a prevailing trend for decades. Initially, Japan experienced substantial economic growth in the 1980s, followed by the emergence of the "Four Asian Tigers" (Hong Kong, Singapore, South Korea, and Taiwan), and subsequently, China. There's still ample growth potential across Asia, with countries like Vietnam showing significant economic progress, as highlighted by Bloomberg's recognition of it as an "Emerging Market Standout" in 2015. Vietnam is also emerging as a notable gaming market, but this doesn't imply that Western developers aren't welcome. On the contrary, they are, but to ensure player responsiveness, developers should adhere to a few fundamental guidelines.