Marketing Strategies of Mobile Game Application Entrepreneurs

Mobile game application entrepreneurs can offer many benefits to the U.S. economy; however, 80% of the entrepreneurs in this study stated that marketing their mobile applications was a major business challenge. Based on Schumpeter’s theory of economic development and new value creation of technological innovation, the purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore the strategies that entrepreneurs have used to market their mobile game application development businesses successfully. Twenty mobile game application entrepreneurs from northern California, who successfully sustained their businesses for 3 or more years, completed semistructured interviews. Moustakas\u27 modified van Kaam method was used and included coding and organizing data into 5 primary themes that emerged from the analysis. The findings suggest that social media and networks are essential for marketing success, and mobile games should be innovative to ensure competitive advantages

Loyalty towards online games, gaming addiction, and purchase intention towards online mobile in-game features

The most important stream of game developers' revenue is arguably via gamer's in-game purchases. Previous literature has identified a number of strong determinants of online purchase intention including values, consumer experience, lifestyle, security, perceived risk, information, and subjective norms and behavioural control. The present study examined the relationship between online mobile gaming addiction and loyalty towards purchase intention of online mobile game in-game apps. The present study comprised 430 students from two major Indian universities who completed a short 28-item survey focusing on three variables (i.e., addiction, loyalty towards online games, and purchase intention towards online mobile in-game features). The results demonstrated that (i) online mobile game addiction shared a significant positive relationship with online mobile game loyalty; (ii) online mobile game addiction had a positive relationship with the purchase of online mobile in-game apps, and (iii) online mobile game loyalty increased game users' intention to purchase online mobile in-game apps. The present study is the first to investigate loyalty and gaming addiction in relation to the purchase of in-game apps. Game developers will always want to facilitate loyalty among its clientele. However, if the engagement strategies used by gaming operators facilitate addiction as a way of increasing purchase intention of online mobile game in-game apps, this raises serious ethical questions which the gaming industry need to address as part of its corporate social responsibility strategy

Mobile Games: Analyzing the Needs and Values of the Consumers

Mobile games are one of the largest mobile application areas and one where users are often willing to pay for services. Furthermore, the market for mobile games is expected to grow dramatically as most phones sold now are capable of running games. Despite this, there is surprisingly little research concerning user expectations from mobile games. In this exploratory study, we examine the consumers’ values, needs, and objectives related to mobile games. Based on earlier literature on mobile services, we developed a preliminary set of issues and did an exploratory survey of mobile game users to find the key needs and values of mobile gamers. The results of the study are especially interesting for mobile game developers and mobile phone operators as they shed light on the demographics and choices of mobile gamers. We argue that if mobile games are ever to be diffused in greater extent to the market, then a deeper understanding of the values and needs of the potential mobile game users must be obtained. This understanding can then be used to guide the development of new game offerings

Finding the right revenue logic for digital platform

Abstract. The purpose of my bachelor thesis is to find the right revenue logic for a digital platform. The research pays attention to what are the main aspects of the digital platform’s success and gives an empirical model of how a Finnish machinery company has implemented its revenue logic for its digital platform

The effects of monetisation strategy to mobile game development and features

Tämä kandidaatintyö käsittelee monetisaatiostrategioiden vaikutuksia mobiilipelien kehittämiseen ja ominaisuuksiin. Aiheen tutkiminen on tärkeää, koska sitä ei ole juurikaan tutkittu aiemmin. Tutkimuksen päätutkimuskysymys on: ”Miten monetisaatiostrategia vaikuttaa mobiilipelin kehittämiseen ja ominaisuuksiin?” Tutkimus toteutettiin kirjallisuustutkimuksena ja aineistoa tutkimusta varten on etsitty tieteellisten julkaisujen tietokannoista. Kirjallisuuden perusteella monetisaatiostrategiat voidaan jakaa kolmeen pääluokkaan, jotka ovat ilmaispeli, premium ja freemium. Ilmaispelin kaikki ominaisuudet ovat ilmaiseksi pelattavissa ja sen tuotto perustuu pelinsisäiseen mainostamiseen tai muiden tuotteiden myynnin tukemiseen. Premium-pelin kaikki ominaisuudet saa käyttöönsä maksaessaan pelistä kiinteän lataushinnan. Freemium-pelin lataaminen ja pelaaminen on ilmaista, mutta sen pelikokemus kannustaa pelaajaa käyttämään oikeaa rahaa pelinsisäisiin ostoksiin tai ladattavaan sisältöön. Ilmaispelien kehittämisessä on keskityttävä mainonnan optimointiin, pelaajien kaveriverkostojen hyödyntämisen ja ikonin sekä nimen viimeistelyyn. Premium-pelien kehittämisessä laatu ja hinnoittelun optimointi ovat keskeisessä roolissa. Kynnystä ostaa premiumpeli voidaan laskea lite-peleillä, jotka antavat mahdollisuuden kokeilla pelin rajoitettua versioita ilmaiseksi. Freemium-pelien kehittämisessä pelaajien hankinta ja sitouttaminen ovat erittäin tärkeää. Lisäksi pelikokemuksen suunnittelu kannustamaan pelinsisäisiin ostoksiin on merkittävä osa freemium-pelien kehittämistä. Tulokset olivat odotettuja ja suoraviivaisia ja ne vastasivat onnistuneesti tutkimusaukon pohjalta laadittuihin tutkimuskysymyksiin

Revenue Logics of Mobile Entertainment Software – Observations from Companies Producing Mobile Games

While growing at a fast phase, mobile gaming industry is facing a transformation both in terms of technical infrastructures as well as business models. At the users’ end, formerly preferred specific game consoles are increasingly being replaced by mobile phone platforms. From the game developers’ perspective, the new possibilities to distribute games over mobile phone networks as well as over the Internet, affect both the viable partner relationships and possible revenue stream options. In this paper we introduce analytical tools to evaluate business models of software companies producing mobile games. With the help of these tools, we explore and analyze the revenue logics and related product distribution models of four companies producing mobile games to the international market. The results indicate that even though the fast growing market offers a plethora of opportunities to agile software companies, the revenue models are governed by telecom-operators, who are currently reaping the largest benefits from the business

Marketing Strategies of Mobile Game Application Entrepreneurs

Mobile game application entrepreneurs can offer many benefits to the U.S. economy; however, 80% of the entrepreneurs in this study stated that marketing their mobile applications was a major business challenge. Successful strategies that entrepreneurs have used to overcome their mobile game application marketing challenges may be beneficial to other entrepreneurs. Based on Schumpeter\u27s theory of economic development and new value creation of technological innovation, the purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore the strategies that entrepreneurs have used to market their mobile game application development businesses successfully. Twenty mobile game application entrepreneurs from northern California, who successfully sustained their businesses for 3 or more years, completed semistructured interviews. The entrepreneurs responded to open-ended questions designed to determine how they successfully marketed their mobile game applications. Moustakas\u27s modified van Kaam method was used and included coding and organizing data into 5 primary themes that emerged from the analysis. The primary themes that emerged from the analysis were marketing challenges, social network influences, financing opportunities, innovative marketing approaches, and marketing strategies. The findings suggest that social media and networks are essential for marketing success, and mobile games should be innovative to ensure competitive advantages. The knowledge generated from this study may help mobile game entrepreneurs successfully market their mobile game applications and sustain their business. An increased number of businesses may lead to social change by helping to create jobs, thus reducing unemployment

PENGARUH VARIABEL KECANDUAN GAME ONLINE DAN LOYALITAS PEMAIN GAME TERHADAP NIAT MELAKUKAN IN-APP PURCHASE DALAM GAME SELULER ONLINE

Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui pengaruh dari variabel kecanduan game online (salience, tolerance, mood modification, relapse, withdrawal, conflict, dan problems) dan loyalitas pemain game terhadap niat melakukan in-app purchase dalam game seluler online, dengan loyalitas pemain game yang juga berperan sebagai variabel mediasi. Penelitian ini dilakukan dengan menggunakan teknik purposive sampling, dengan sampel penelitian yaitu pemain game seluler online yang sudah pernah melakukan in-app purchase selama setahun terakhir. Kuesioner penelitian disebarkan secara online menggunakan Google Forms, dan kemudian diperoleh 407 responden yang memenuhi kriteria sampel penelitian. Data tersebut kemudian dianalisis menggunakan metode Stuctural Equation Modeling (SEM) dengan bantuan software SmartPLS 3. Hasilnya ditemukan bahwa salience secara signifikan memengaruhi loyalitas pemain game dan secara signifikan memengaruhi niat melakukan in-app purchase dalam game seluler online. Mood modification secara signifikan memengaruhi loyalitas pemain game. Withdrawal secara signifikan memengaruhi loyalitas pemain game dan secara signifikan memengaruhi niat melakukan in-app purchase dalam game seluler online. Loyalitas pemain game secara signifikan memengaruhi niat melakukan in-app purchase dalam game seluler online. Hasil dari uji mediasi loyalitas pemain game terhadap salience dan niat melakukan in-app purchase, serta uji mediasi loyalitas pemain game terhadap withdrawal dan niat melakukan in-app purchase dapat dikategorikan sebagai direct-only nonmediation, sedangkan sisanya dapat dikategorikan sebagai no-effect nonmediation