Tag: game industry news

Facebook to publish mobile games

| August 2, 2013

Facebook unveils new publishing service for mobile games

Facebook has taken a bold step and has launched its own publishing venture for mobile games. Facebook Mobile Games Publishing is designed to cater to small and medium-sized developers and will provide them with a platform to release and promote their games. Mobile games have become a very attractive sector of the game industry and embracing these games could be a very lucrative move for Facebook. The social network already boasts of a strong presence in the social gaming sector, wherein it has enjoyed a great deal of success over the past several years.

Small and medium-sized developers will have access to Facebook publishing

Through its new publishing platform, Facebook will be able to select game developers and offer a variety of publishing and promotional services. Facebook expects that the platform will attract high-quality mobile games to the social network, which will be used to engage millions of users around the world. Much of Facebook’s interest in mobile games has to do with advertising, as these games typically thrive through in-app marketing.

Facebook - Mobile GamesSocial network will not fund the development of mobile games

Despite the name of the social network’s new venture, Facebook will not be fulfilling the traditional role of a publisher in the game industry. The social network will not be funding the development of mobile games and will only be promoting these games through various channels based on its marketing and analytic data. Developers will have access to this data, which Facebook will encourage them to use in order to develop mobile games that are attractive to specific demographics.

Publishing platform still in its pilot phase

Facebook is currently working with a small number of developers for the first stages of its publishing venture. Developers are free to sign up for Facebook Mobile Games Publishing, but the social network is not likely to expand its operations until later this year. There are many aspects of publishing and promotion that Facebook has yet to become comfortable with and the social network is keen to ensure that its latest mobile games venture goes off without a hitch.

Chinese developers set to bring mobile games overseas

| July 30, 2013

Chinese mobile games may soon find their way to foreign markets

Chinese game developers may soon flood into overseas markets, using mobile games to reach a vast multitude of new consumers. Several of the country’s prominent game developers have announced plans to make a push into foreign markets, hoping to engage consumers that are interested in mobile games. Many of these consumers have become enthralled with the simplistic, yet addictive nature of these games, and Chinese developers are well versed in making such games. Some developers believe that they could find strong success in foreign markets in the short-term while also enjoying the success they have fostered in their home country.

Domestic game industry boasts of $3 billion in revenue

China’s game industry reached more than $3 billion in revenue at the end of June this year. The industry is experiencing a 36% year-on-year growth in revenue, driven heavily by consumers that have shown strong interest in mobile games. This interest in not exclusive to Chinese consumers, of course, and those with smartphones and tablets in other countries have also become enthralled by mobile games. Some Chinese games are already available outside of the country and have pulled in more than $300 million in revenue.

China mobile games to go overseasDeveloper has plans to acquire foreign studios

Shanda Games, a prominent developer and game publisher in China, has plans to launch two new funds that are meant to invest in the acquisition of mobile game studios within China as well as overseas. The company will release a total of 30 mobile games by the end of this year and plans to carry this momentum into 2014 with new studios that are located outside of China. WeChat, a popular social networking and gaming platform in China, is also expected to find its way overseas in the coming years.

Developers may face challenges in foreign markets

While Chinese companies have high hopes for mobile games in foreign markets, the game industry is notoriously fickle when it comes to such titles. Consumers had once shown a great deal of favor for the games produced by U.S. developer Zynga. After a few missteps, the company is now struggling to find some solid footing in a market that is extremely critical on any degree of failure.