The global video game industry has seen a remarkable transformation in recent years. The top three companies in the industry have been overtaken by Microsoft, which now controls more than $40 billion worth of lifetime revenue for popular franchises like Call of Duty and Diablo. Amazon, Netflix, and TikTok are all in the process of developing their own game development studios.
Microsoft buying Activision Blizzard
In a deal reported to be worth around $68.7 billion, in January Microsoft confirmed that they have acquired the gaming company Activision Blizzard. This is Microsoft’s largest acquisition since they bought Nokia in 2013. New rumors have Electronic Arts, home to The Sims and Madden franchises, in talks with Apple and Disney and Amazon in pursuit of a similar deal.
What could this mean for the gaming industry?
Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision/Blizzard will not only create a superpower in the video game industry but could also allow them to become a monopoly. Microsoft has the potential to have a near-monopoly on both software and hardware, which would make competitors such as Sony and Nintendo difficult to secure certain franchised and well-monetizing titles. While this will allow them to get into new markets faster, they could charge more for games because of their position as the sole producer of games. In addition, Microsoft has the financial muscle to heavily market their games, potentially making it harder for small, independent developers to get their games in front of an audience.
What will the future hold for game developers?
When it comes to the future of mobile gaming, game developers have a lot of new challenges on their hands. This means those game developers will need to find innovative ways to market their games and draw attention to them. They’ll also need to be willing to change up their strategies for marketing depending on what type of player they’re targeting.
Mobile game marketing is going to change in the coming years. A few different factors will play into this: more gamers will be playing on mobile devices, and they won’t have to worry about being tethered to their desktops because of the advancements in connected devices. The game’s graphics will also improve due to the increase in power that tablets and smartphones have been gaining over the past few years. NFTs (Non-Fungible Tokens) are already beginning to enhance games and the player experience and are estimated to continue to grow in use. Web3 concepts are beginning to evolve in response to the increasing number of cryptocurrencies and NFTs.
Mobile gaming is on the rise, and it’s not slowing down anytime soon. One of the most important steps for any game developer is to get distribution. It doesn’t matter how awesome a game is, if no one knows, they won’t play. With all the other distractions on our phones, it’s increasingly difficult to reach gamers without a dedicated marketing plan.
The increase in large corporation game developers can make it harder to get your game in front of an audience. Mobile Marketing Agencies, such as Mooko Media, are skilled and equipped to help game developers successfully market their games, no matter how big or small they are.
This post was originally posted to our LinkedIn article library.
