Square Enix re-releases Chocobo GP without microtransactions
Game Developer
JUNE 20, 2023
Square Enix's 2022 game Chocobo GP has been updated to completely cut out its microtransactions and free-to-play mechanics.
How to Build Better Mechanics for Rewarded In-Game Ads
Game Refinery
AUGUST 2, 2023
Statista’s Market Insights show that 48% of the revenue in casual games in 2022 came from in-game ads, with the share of IAA revenue increasing each year. The progression mechanic is based on watching ads, with each ad increasing the number of rewards for the next pull. Dragonscapes Adventure’s floating reward prompt.
Mechanics 
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The top 22 mobile games of 2022
Game Analytics
DECEMBER 28, 2022
Think of this as a hyper-casual Beyblade game with a merge mechanic mixed in the middle. What we liked about Spinner Merge is how they came about the idea of bringing in the merge mechanic. Cart Crash is an incredibly satisfying game that relies much more on timing than any other mechanic. Spinner Merge by Sunday.GG.
Hypercasual games market is shrinking, still 3.7 billion downloads last 3 months
PreMortem.Games
JULY 4, 2023
A larger drop can be identified if we compare Q2 2023 to Q2 2022. Released back in 2022, the game takes its inspiration from the widely popular Piano Tiles series by Umoni Games. The gameplay uses a simple time-sensitive touch mechanic where a user needs to activate 2D tiles to match the beat of various music tracks being played.
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Mirthwood by Bad Ridge Games is mixing genres with something darker and more adventurous
PreMortem.Games
DECEMBER 4, 2024
We worked on Mirthwood part-part time for about two years before starting Bad Ridge Games in 2022.” Their approach was to mix familiar mechanics with something fresh: “What we hadn’t seen attempted at the time, was mixing the genre with something darker, and more adventurous.
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Solo dev Chris Arvanitis: “Total control can be a double edged sword”
PreMortem.Games
AUGUST 25, 2023
I found the motivation once again back in 2022 through a friend who has already released 2 successful games on Steam. I believe the most significant advantage of working solo is having complete control over various aspects of the game, including the story, environment, and mechanics. years of development. I value outside input too.
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Mind Diver by Indoor Sunglasses “There are shockingly few games about love”
PreMortem.Games
OCTOBER 6, 2023
The game is still in early development, but Co-founder and Creative Director Victor Breum firmly believes in the concept: “It’s a delicious detective loop!” “We are six people from six different educational backgrounds who founded Indoor Sunglasses in 2022 after graduating”, Breum explains. 2 hours of engaging puzzles and story.
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Drive-Up Your Revenues with Seasonal Events
Game Refinery
MARCH 16, 2023
Zoobaa, League of Legends: Wild Rift, Beatstar, Farmville, and Zynga Poker are all mobile games that celebrated Pride in 2022 through seasonal events which involved a UI refresh, limited-time characters and cosmetic items, and lots of money raised for non-profits championing LGBTQ+ rights.
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Endless Runner Games – Core Mechanics and Top Titles
Logic Simplified
NOVEMBER 26, 2024
Subway Surfers was the most popular game for three consecutive years, with 218 million downloads in 2023, 304 million in 2022, and 191 million in 2021. Core Mechanics of an Endless Runner Game Game mechanics make a video game engaging and challenging for players. Get in touch for 20-mins of free consultation.
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Navigating the layers of hell: How Oppolyon Studio built their debut game Ascending Inferno
PreMortem.Games
OCTOBER 25, 2024
It’s a brutal journey of persistence, frustration, and constant restarts, where the stakes are as emotional as they are mechanical. Internal debate The development of Ascending Inferno wasn’t just about embracing punishing mechanics though. It wasn’t until 2022, nearing the end of our studies, that we decided to revive that dream.
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The Rise of Hybridization in Mobile Games: How Developers are Genre Mashing Their Way to Success
Game Refinery
MAY 4, 2023
In the past, hybridization was mainly seen in 4X strategy games that merged with puzzle and idle RPG mechanics , but in recent months this phenomenon has spread to titles of all shapes and sizes across the market – not just the hybrid-casual genre. Mechanically, the mode is relatively similar to Blizzard’s Hearthstone.
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Sony’s State of Play 2022- Delving into the Exclusivity
iXie gaming
SEPTEMBER 27, 2022
Let’s take a look at what went down at Sony’s State of Play 2022: Tekken 8. The shooting mechanics look sound along with a many interesting characters and locations being introduced in this title. What did you think about the announcements at State of Play 2022? The enhanced edition is set to release early 2023 for the PSVR2.
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The 2022 Everfree Demo has Arrived!!
Yotes Games
AUGUST 29, 2022
This here is the demo we just debuted at Everfree Northwest showing the brand new overworld and improved battle mechanics for the first time. The New Kickstarter Anniversary Demo is finally available on Itch.io! ? Download the Demo!
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Godot XR update - February 2022
Mircosoft Game Dev
FEBRUARY 27, 2022
There is a lot more flexibility in moving your player around including climbing mechanics, glide mechanics, wind mechanics, etc. The pickup and throw mechanics have been greatly improved. This means some settings have moved so this could lead to minor breakage on existing projects.
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2022 Predictions #4 Casino Games Brace for Impact
Deconstructor of Fun
FEBRUARY 13, 2022
The drop of downloads will most likely lead to declining revenue in 2022. Playtika’s Pirate Kings trails Coin Master and has similar mechanics but uses a Wheel of Fortune instead of a slot machine. The game adds another collection mechanic via pets that are obtained through chests. The pandemic favored the Casino category.
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Deliver At All Cost by Far Out Games is a destructive joyride through a 1950s wonderland
PreMortem.Games
NOVEMBER 20, 2024
We have really worked hard on making each mission a different and fun experience that introduces a unique mechanic.” We met Konami when we pitched the game at GDC in San Francisco back in 2022,” explains Olsson. “We Beyond the joy of destruction, Deliver At All Cost offers players a wide variety of missions.
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Even older hypercasual games break into the Top 10 in Q1 2023
PreMortem.Games
APRIL 11, 2023
Hypercasual Q1 regional split Comparing the total downloads in Q1 2023 with those in Q4 2022, we see a decrease of 5%. However, an even more significant downtrend can be noticed when comparing Q1 2022 to Q1 2023. Another mechanic to get all of the mentioned above that two games out of five use is the Fortune Wheel.
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How to choose the best blockchain for NFT development 2022
Logic Simplified
MAY 25, 2022
So, to avoid security breaches, select a blockchain that has a proven track record of keeping a security history of peer-review and mining-free consensus mechanism, such as proof of stake. List of Best blockchains for NFT 2022. As a consensus mechanism, it is a carbon-neutral blockchain that uses delegated proof-of-stake (DPoS).
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Zoochosis by Clapperheads will make you fear those lovely animals in the zoo
PreMortem.Games
APRIL 22, 2024
Clapperheads was founded in 2022 in Bulgaria”, says Executive Producer Aleksandr Robak. “We At the same time, we consider gameplay to be paramount and strive to refine it so that all mechanics and assets are constantly reused. Behind all this madness is an indie studio, but not in the classical sense.
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Struggling with UA and player retention in a post-IDFA world? Minigames are the answer
Game Refinery
APRIL 6, 2023
Publishers and studios are constantly looking for new ways to improve these, whether it’s with more powerful ad creative to boost UA or by adding new gameplay mechanics and features to improve player retention. They’re a great way of boosting engagement by providing players with new and exciting ways of enjoying an existing game.
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2022 Predictions #2 How to win after Fortnite's and Why Going Cross-Platform is Mandatory for Mid-Core Games
Deconstructor of Fun
JANUARY 31, 2022
Successful 4X games developers are constantly bringing new gameplay mechanics to stand out in the market as seen in the examples below. 2022 Predictions for 4X games We’ll see even more external IPs in the 4X genre. The launch of Valorant Mobile in 2022 is likely to invigorate it considerably. . #3 Product innovation is crucial.
[Event Spotlight] How Mobile Game Developers Are Driving Player Engagement With Race Events
Game Refinery
JUNE 15, 2023
The rise of hybridization in mobile games has resulted in game developers experimenting with new gameplay mechanics and features from other genres to drive engagement, something that’s often done via limited-time events. Some developers have added extra mechanics to their race events to keep things fresh and rewarding.
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Walk in the paws of a newly adopted cat in Copycat from Spoonful of Wonder
PreMortem.Games
SEPTEMBER 15, 2024
The indie studio was founded in 2022 by Kostia Liakhov , Game Director and Head of Art, and Samantha (Sam) Cable , Game Director and Head of Narrative. We wanted to have a mechanic to highlight that being a stray cat is not all fun and games. How will she decide between the two cats?
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Actually talk to the (author-led AI) murder suspect in Dead Meat by Meaning Machine
PreMortem.Games
JANUARY 19, 2024
The idea for Dead Meat came in 2022, when Keane and Ackland were discussing what the ultimate First Person Talker might look like. Press B to express Doubt’, for example, is a classic case of mismatch between gameplay scenario and mechanical input. Using natural language and free-text input would clearly be a significant improvement.
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Year 10 of the Cogmind
Grid Sage Games
DECEMBER 22, 2023
This new batch of items in particular is composed of quite a few belonging to the mechanics-heavy very interesting category, so in that regard this spike is quite meaningful. Shown another way: Net total item count in Cogmind, 2015-2023 and beyond. The first three years there are Alpha, followed by Beta. All your base are belong to us.
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Year 9 of the Cogmind
Grid Sage Games
DECEMBER 3, 2022
First here’s our yearly dev collage showing off in visual form some of the progress and work since our last review, version 2022! Cumulative hours of Cogmind-related work, 2013~2022. This year’s major release was of course Beta 11 “Mechanical Renaissance,” in the works for 17 (!) Development Time.
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How Mobile Game Developers Are Using In-Game Collaboration Events to Boost Player Retention
Game Refinery
NOVEMBER 23, 2022
Depending on the type of IP you want to license, collaborations also provide an opportunity to freshen up your narrative elements and gameplay mechanics. How well does the franchise – if it’s a film or TV show, for example – lend itself to your gameplay mechanics? Does it match your target demographic?
Why Removing Loot Boxes in Brawl Stars Failed
Deconstructor of Fun
SEPTEMBER 4, 2023
On December 12th, 2022, Brawl Stars removed its loot boxes, replacing it with a ‘direct purchase’ system for acquiring content. This calculation excludes December 2022, which boosted revenue due to the winter holidays). This move shocked many within the industry and generated polarized opinions among experts.
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12 Ways to Take Battle Passes to the Next Level in Mobile Games
Game Refinery
OCTOBER 26, 2023
The ever-changing nature of the mobile market means that new monetization mechanics are constantly emerging and evolving. One of the most popular monetization mechanics is the subscription-based battle pass , which was introduced via Valve’s DOTA 2 in 2013 but popularized by the worldwide phenomenon, Fortnite.
Solo dev Almar works on debut game Repunk “I’ve had some darker moments”
PreMortem.Games
NOVEMBER 17, 2023
I do sometimes have ‘flashes’ -or dreams- of cool ideas like a gameplay mechanic, other times a whole story or environment. I started working full time on Repunk in 2022 and decided to use Unity for multiple reasons: familiarity, access to good looking assets, and great licensing terms. And also: find better tools!
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Zoochosis by Clapperheads will make you fear those lovely animals in the zoo
PreMortem.Games
SEPTEMBER 30, 2024
Clapperheads was founded in 2022 in Bulgaria”, says Executive Producer Aleksandr Robak. “We At the same time, we consider gameplay to be paramount and strive to refine it so that all mechanics and assets are constantly reused. Behind all this madness is an indie studio, but not in the classical sense.
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14 low-budget, highly successful story games
Game Analytics
DECEMBER 5, 2022
This time, we’ll look at the top games that use storytelling as a core mechanic and show you that you don’t need sparkling design and intense gameplay to create a hit. Three Minute Games also included a time mechanic to make it feel even more realistic. Published in 2022. You just need an extra C: Choice. It’s all in real-time.
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How to Leverage Trends and Motivations to Build Better Casual and Hyper-Casual Games
Game Refinery
NOVEMBER 2, 2022
year-over-year from 2021 to 2022 (TikTok Internal Data, 2022) – makes it the perfect place to find inspiration for casual and hyper-casual mobile games. The game mechanics are simple: players trade fidget toys and aim to get the best trade. Light RPG mechanics of items, characters used in the core gameplay.
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How to Get Started with Your First NFT Game Development
iXie gaming
SEPTEMBER 8, 2023
from 2022 to 2028. This will help you shape the gameplay art style, mechanics, and general experience. Upon establishing your audience, brainstorm unique features and game mechanics. Therefore, you should consider integrating mechanics that enable players to gather, evolve, trade, and customize their NFT-based assets.
Stumble Guys vs. Eggy Party: Which Fall Guys Clone Is the King of Mobile?
Game Refinery
JANUARY 5, 2023
When a game with a unique style and appearance becomes a hit, it doesn’t take long for new games to emerge, hoping to emulate that success by using the same gameplay mechanics, visual style and features. You’d be forgiven for mistaking Stumble Guys for Fall Guys. In total, Stumble Guys raked in over 219 million downloads.
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The State of the Mobile Games Market in 2023
Deconstructor of Fun
JANUARY 17, 2023
A game that really fell during 2022 losing nearly half of its revenues in the process. 5 Simulation Games (revenue -18%, downloads +16%) Roblox , which brought well over a billion Dollars in 2021, declined by 27% in 2022 while not losing downloads. Globally, time spent grew 25% from 2021 to 2022. Until next week. ?
My Elephant in the Room, Part 1
Designer Notes
MARCH 31, 2023
I gave an Old World postmortem at GDC 2022, which is available on YouTube: However, I fully scripted the talk ahead of time, so I decided it would be worth taking the time to post the slides online, in three parts to have mercy on your browser. Editor’s Note: Later in 2022, Old World actually was nominated for a Grammy!)
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Soft Landing to Conversion – Introducing Onboarding Best Practices PART 3
Game Refinery
JUNE 23, 2022
The onboarding period is the delicate phase where the player’s relationship to the monetization mechanics of the game is often decided – for better or worse. Introducing monetization mechanics through free samples. That is, while the player is still getting used to the gameplay mechanics and figuring out what their goal is.
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Web3 metaverse MMO Avalon unveiled in new trailer
Game Daily
NOVEMBER 16, 2023
Avalon has found investment backing from the likes of Bitkraft, Delphi Ventures, and Mechanism Capital raising $13 million in a round announced earlier this year. ”The drop that began to take shape in H2 2022 continued and even accelerated in 2023.
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Apex Legends vs. Fortnite: Assessing Popularity in 2023 – Who Takes the Lead?
Game Errors
JUNE 6, 2023
Gameplay Mechanics Although both of these titles have many similarities, some key differences have made them unique from each other. This characteristic has created many more contrasts, particularly in the shooting, movement, and overall game mechanics. The movement mechanics in Fortnite is very basic. Fortnite is ahead.
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The Hybridcasual Gamble
Deconstructor of Fun
APRIL 4, 2023
It’s again taking a super simple addictive core game but actually pairing it with a simplified progression mechanic and some amount of live operations. And the progression mechanic result in in-app purchases. If you look at the top 30 new downloaded games in 2022, what you’ll find out is that none of them was a hypercasual game.
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The Play Pendulum • A theory of innovation cycles in interactive entertainment
PreMortem.Games
SEPTEMBER 20, 2024
I’ll start by defining these two types of innovation: Content innovation periods are characterized by a focus on developing new types of games, expanding game portfolios, and pushing the boundaries of gameplay mechanics and storytelling. billion acquisition of Zynga in 2022, while strategic, led to an immediate decline in the company’s value.
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Five Unique Real-Time Rendering Tips from NVIDIA Experts
Nvidia
AUGUST 19, 2022
For example, if shadows are an important game mechanic (think of Splinter Cell ), then a higher cost for extra-nice ray-traced shadows makes sense, but spending extra performance on RT translucency probably doesn’t make as much sense. Register for GTC 2022 to learn the latest about RTX real-time ray tracing.
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Why Renovation and Construction Elements Are Becoming More Popular in Casual Games
Game Refinery
SEPTEMBER 28, 2022
One of the most successful ways of doing this is by introducing meta elements – gameplay elements and mechanics from other game genres – into your game. How these renovation and construction elements are implemented in-game often varies according to the core gameplay mechanics and narrative nature of the game.
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