Whenever mobile gaming is mentioned, you can never skip Hyper Casual Games in the conversation. These kinds of games have taken the internet by storm as more and more players are deflecting towards this genre. Because of the heavy penetration of mobile phones among the audience, and the lack of resources and time, casual games have become a sensation in the lives of working-class people and gamers looking for something casual.
Now the question arises as to why these games are so addictive, features like simple mechanics, easy gameplay, and an addictive loop make hyper casual games the last resort for gamers seeking engaging games. These games allow users to invest minimal of their time and earn short-term satisfaction by achieving simple milestones in the game. One line cannot define the reason behind the massive success of such games. Hence, this blog will aim to shed light on how you can make the best of this opportunity and create a successful revenue stream.
But before we delve into the topic, we must understand in depth: What are Hyper Casual Games?
What Are Hyper Casual Games?
Hyper Casual Games come under a genre of games that are very simple to play and involve little to no game optimization and mechanics. They are easy to play and players of all age groups can access these games. Other features of the game include:
Minimalist Design
The design of hyper casual games reflects simplicity and is minimalistic in nature. The straightforward nature of the game provides a surreal experience to gamers all around the world.
Quick gameplay loops
The levels or missions in hyper casual games are simple and short. Often completed within minutes, if not seconds. This provides instant satisfaction and an urge to continue playing the game, this is one of the reasons for these games to have become a huge success in the market.
Low entry barrier
Hyper casual games do not expect any set of skills or intelligence from gamers. Anyone can join these games and start playing without worrying about their skillset or their IQ.
With their simplicity and addictive gameplay games like Helix Jump, Flappy Bird, Stack Ball, and Crowd City, have made a mark in capturing audiences around the world.
Why Are Hyper Casual Games So Popular?
Hyper casual games are popular for several reasons, however, simplicity, instant engagement, addictive gameplay, and virality potential play a key role in their popularity.
Simplicity
Hyper casual games are accessible around the world due to their simplicity in gameplay. All demographics around the world are attracted to it because of this factor.
Instant Engagement
Games like Helix Jump, Flappy Bird, and Stack Ball can provide instant gratification. People can engage in these games without worrying about future milestones. You can pick up, play, and pause anytime you like.
Addictive Gameplay
These games apply a slow increase in difficulty as you cross levels, this seeds an urge inside players to play it more and more. The stimulating mechanics of the game make it too addictive for players.
Virality Potential
The minimalist design and simple gameplay loops allow hyper casual games to reach and spread a large audience at a fast pace.
The Hyper Casual Game Development Process
Developing a hyper casual game is not very different from developing a mainstream mobile game. However, it requires an approach that is different from the orthodox game development process. Since the development process of such games does not take a lot of time, its conceptualization, polishing, and analytics integration take up a lot of time.
Conceptualization
One of the toughest jobs in creating a hyper casual game is to conceptualize its theme. What type of game you want to present to your audience is a big question that often creates a tough time for entrepreneurs and developers. Some games only work by tapping, like Piano Tiles, and some require swiping, like Subway Surfers and Temple Run. Working around these themes and creating a game is not as easy as it looks.
Prototyping
Once you’re done with conceptualization, building a prototype is the next step in the development process where you test the game mechanics. Through prototyping, you can evaluate and adjust the game mechanics.
Playtesting
This step in the development process includes testing of the game, also called beta testing. The game undergoes several trials and bugs are spotted in this step to further refine the game.
Testing
Although hyper casual games are simple, they require a lot of polish because these games’ USP is smoothness. To make these games utterly smooth, polishing is required.
Analytics Integration
Including tools to track analytics in the game is one of the last steps in the development process. Analytics integration includes tracking player behaviors, retention rates, and other metrics. These metrics help you analyze and implement ways to retain your audience.
Related Blog: Explore The Best Hyper Casual Games iOS & Android
Monetization Strategies for Hyper Casual Games
Usually hyper casual games do not charge you a platform fee. In order to play a hyper casual game you just need to download it, or visit the game’s website and start playing it. It costs zero bucks to begin playing the game. Now if this is the case, how would you earn through such games? Well, you must resort to non-traditional monetization techniques in order to create a revenue stream through these games.
We shall discuss some of the strategies through which you can monetize hyper casual games.
Ad Revenue
Ads are one of the preferred modes of creating a revenue stream in your hyper casual game. Placing relevant ads in the game can seem to become one of the best ways to generate revenue from the game. There are several types of ads that you can use, interstitial ads, rewarded ads, and banner ads can prove to be the most beneficial.
In-App Purchases
In-app purchases are not very common in hyper casual games as there is not much room for in-game assets. However, you can add characters and themes exclusively for players who purchase it. These in-app purchases provide a more intimate experience to the users.
Wondering how you can promote your game application? Check out this blog.
Future of Hyper Casual Games
The attention span of players is getting lower day by day and investing in a long-term game that requires a lot of time is not the best option for gamers seeking quick entertainment in less time. In this generation, hyper casual games play a big role in shaping the mobile gaming industry, as it is the next phenomenon.
This is comparatively a new genre but is evolving at an alarming rate and fresh technologies are getting intertwined with it. For example, technologies like Augmented Reality, Mixed Reality, Artificial Intelligence, and Blockchain heavily influence the game’s mechanics and promise a bright future in the domain.
Conclusion
It is now clear that hyper-casual games have made a mark in the mobile gaming industry thanks to their minimalist design and simplicity, promising great potential in the future of the gaming industry. This genre of gaming poses a unique opportunity for game developers and entrepreneurs altogether and they can make the most out of this opportunity.
If you wish to develop a hyper casual game, BR Softech as a leading game development compnay can help you in achieving the milestone. The agency has exceptional developers who are well-versed in developing hyper-casual games. Not only that, you get help from our creative designers in conceptualizing the theme of the game and mechanics.
FAQs (Frequently-asked Questions)
What are hyper-casual games? Hyper casual games are minimalistic in nature, and are easy to play with low level game mechanics. These games do not test your skill level, however, their levels are mostly unlimited and difficulty increases with each passing stage.
What makes hyper-casual games so popular? Hyper casual games have become popular in the current gaming scenario because it target mobile gamers and provide entertainment in short durations. They have quick game loops and easy levels that make users come back to the game more often, hence, making it popular.
How do I keep players engaged in a hyper-casual game? With an addictive gameplay loop, simple game mechanics, and slowly increasing difficulty in game levels you can keep players engaged in the game.
What’s the future of hyper-casual games? Hyper casual games promise a sustainable future where these games are expected to bring in a smooth revenue stream for entrepreneurs and a hassle-free gaming experience for gamers of all ages.