Cost to Develop a Mobile Game

How Much Does It Cost to Develop a Mobile Game?

Whenever someone has a great idea, the first thing that comes to mind is the cost of executing the idea. Mobile games have become highly popular. Moreover, it has become a hot market and there are many money-making opportunities. Technologies like virtual reality and augmented reality have made mobile games more interesting and exciting. Notably. the mobile gaming development industry is not showing any sign of slowing down. The number of mobile gamers is increasing and mobile games are the most downloaded apps.

As per reports, the Global online games revenue to reach $17.8 billion by 2024.

According to statistics, the serious games market is expected to grow 24 billion in 2024.

As per reports, By 2025 the global gaming market size is anticipated to reach a value of USD $256. 97 bn.

Developing mobile game apps is not an easy task as there are a lot of different factors that require creating an impressive mobile game. Moreover, the competition is tough so if your game is not functionally or visually good then it will fail to make a mark.

To determine the cost to develop a mobile game app it is essential to know the factors that require in developing the mobile game app.

Theme and story:

Getting the attention of the gamers is not easy as there are so many games to choose from. Every game is based on a story because the plot makes it engaging. Make sure that the plot of the game is interesting enough to keep the players engaged. More importantly, to have an attractive plot you need to work on characters and their personalities. You also need to determine how the characters will interact with the players and keep them involved.

To bring your game plot and unique characters to life efficient communication between professional strategists and game creators is required. Hiring an experienced game planner inexpensive. It can cost between $100 to$150 dollars per hour.

Design:

Design a mobile game app is a complex and multilayered process. During the designing phase target users, game environment, game levels, and gameplay are planned. Moreover, if the design is properly planned and executed carefully then the game will have a lot of bugs and glitches.

To complete the design of the game you need the services of skilled game architects, artists, UI, and UX designers. More importantly, the cost of hiring experienced and capable professionals can range from $150 to$250 per hour.

Check: Hire UX designer India

Categories and genres:

After the completion of the game design, it is time to move on to developing the game. Moreover, it is a crucial and expensive phase as the cost of the game app depends significantly on what type of mobile game app you are developing. The cost of a casual gaming app varies from a simulation or social gaming app.

Different types of games have different levels of complexity. Based on the complexity the mobile game apps can be categorized as:
  • Mini or casual mobile app games are simple and solitary games that do not need any specific skill to play. These simple games can cost around $10,000. Moreover, if you want to elevate the game by adding extra graphics then the cost will go up accordingly.
  • Casual 2D games are small budget games because it uses basic 2D graphics. Despite simple graphics, these games offer excellent engagement rates and scale-up opportunities. 2D games like Stack are in this category and can cost around $25, 000 to $50,000.
  • Social games are played by multiple users on popular social sites. These games use limited user data and are almost the same as browser games. The cost of social media games like Farmville can range from $50,000 to $100,000.
  • Mid-level games have different levels, characters, storylines, and high-quality graphics. Popular game Angry Birds is the best example of mid-level games. The depth in content increases the chances of keeping the players engaged. A mid-level game can cost you from $250,000 to $700,000.
  • Business game applications are developed to engage a group of people. They are multilayered games and have exciting graphics, storyline, levels, soundtrack, and animation. It requires expert mobile app developers to create such games and can cost from $250,000 to $550,000.
  • High-level games are expensive. These games need careful strategies, detailed comprehension, and an exceptional design. Developing a high-level game can take more than a year. The development cost of such games can be from $400,000 to $1,000,000.

Testing:

The testing process of a mobile game app is just as important as development. The games should run smoothly and efficiently so there should be no bugs. Basically, people do not appreciate games that are full of bugs. Make sure you set aside a budget for the testing process. There are game development companies that offer testing services as well as it is part of the project.

Check: Software QA outsourcing

Marketing:

Having a great mobile game idea and developing it is a big achievement. But no matter how great the game is, it is not going to hit the market without any marketing aide. Moreover, it is important to have a proper marketing strategy to deal with competition and reach out to the target audience. Setting aside a marketing budget for your mobile game app is essential as it will increase the visibility of the game.

Also Check: ios game development

For more information about mobile game development contact Aalpha

Written by:

Muzammil K

Muzammil K is the Marketing Manager at Aalpha Information Systems, where he leads marketing efforts to drive business growth. With a passion for marketing strategy and a commitment to results, he's dedicated to helping the company succeed in the ever-changing digital landscape.

Muzammil K is the Marketing Manager at Aalpha Information Systems, where he leads marketing efforts to drive business growth. With a passion for marketing strategy and a commitment to results, he's dedicated to helping the company succeed in the ever-changing digital landscape.