Episode 44: Locked and loaded: An expert review of the mobile shooter market
Mar 22, 2023
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Explore the current state of the mobile shooter market and the top games dominating it, including CoD: Warzone Mobile and Valorant. Learn about recent game cancellations from EA and the challenges faced by mobile game developers. Delve into the potential of different types of shooters to succeed in the market and the importance of cross-progression and cross-play in new mobile games.
36:57
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Quick takeaways
The Western mobile shooter market is dominated by three games, Call of Duty, PUBG, and Free Fire, which account for about 80% of the market share.
Successful mobile shooter games prioritize live ops, with top shooters like Call of Duty investing heavily in ranked seasons, battle passes, tournaments, regular content updates, and limited-time game modes.
Deep dives
Top Three Shooters Dominating the Market
In the Western shooter market, three games, namely Call of Duty, PUBG, and Free Fire, dominate about 80% of the market share. The rest of the market is more evenly divided among other shooter games. Interestingly, the top three games rely on competitive PvP gameplay and cosmetic monetization. On the other hand, the rest of the top shooters, like War Robots, implement some form of power progression and RPG-like mechanics for monetization. These top three shooters have established a strong audience base and operate with high live ops cadence to continually engage players and provide new content.
Live Ops: A Key Aspect of Mobile Shooters
For successful mobile shooter games, live ops is crucial. These top shooters, like Call of Duty, have incredibly demanding live ops strategies. They feature ranked seasons, battle passes, tournaments, regular content updates, and limited-time game modes. Additionally, they release 10 limited-time gachas with 10 to 30 unique cosmetic items at a time. The amount of work and resources required to operate these games is extensive. The top shooters heavily invest in live ops and continuously push out high-quality content to engage and monetize their player base.
Opportunities for New Mobile Shooters
While the top three shooters dominate the market, there are still opportunities for new mobile shooter games to thrive. One area of potential is extraction shooters like Escape from Tarkov and Breakout. These games offer a slower-paced, tactical experience with an emphasis on looting and extracting. Another area to explore is the looter shooter genre, which combines shooter mechanics with RPG and MMO elements. Games like Destiny and The Division have proven successful in the PC/console market, and their mobile adaptations carry potential. New mobile shooters could also leverage unique gameplay twists, cross-platform play, and established IP to capture audiences in the highly competitive shooter genre.
Challenges and Considerations for Mobile Shooters
Mobile shooter developers face multiple challenges. Competing against the established top three shooters, which have large player bases and extensive live ops operations, is incredibly difficult. The monetization models and live ops capabilities of these top shooters require significant investment and resources. However, new mobile shooters can find success by identifying their target audience and focusing on innovative gameplay mechanics, proper monetization strategies, and building a strong ecosystem or cross-platform integration. With careful planning and addressing the specific needs and preferences of the mobile audience, new mobile shooter games can carve out their niche and compete effectively.
Is there room for others to succeed in a market dominated by so few companies?
Join us as we explore the current state of the mobile shooter market, the top games dominating the market, their market shares, and the different types of shooters available.
You won't want to miss our overview of games like CoD: Warzone Mobile, Arena Breakout, Undawn Vitality, Division Mobile, Destiny Mobile, and Valorant.
We'll also explore the recent game cancellations from EA, including Apex and Battlefield, and examine, amongst others, the intensity of live-ops for the top shooters, content cadence, and possible entry barriers for new companies. Looking to the future, we'll delve into where the market is headed and whether there is room for new shooters and subgenres to emerge and take the market share.
Check out this episode to learn about the challenges that mobile game developers face when trying to develop shooters. We talk to the Chief Game Analysts at GameRefinery, a Liftoff company, Wilhelm Voutilainen and Erno Kiiski, who provide us with a comprehensive analysis of the state of the mobile shooter market and tell us what we can expect in the months and years to come.
Don’t forget to subscribe, leave a review, and visit us at www.gamerefinery.com!
Thanks for listening, The Mobile GameDev Playbook
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