Mobile gaming apps

Challenges ahead

Even though mobile gaming apps comprised the largest chunk of app download from different app stores in Bangladesh, the mobile gaming industry hasn’t flourished here in satisfactory scale, because of several reasons.

Bangladesh’s total revenue from locally developed mobile games has not reached $5 million, even though its gaming market is worth more than $15 million.
Experts said that mobile game development could be the next big thing in the IT sector, only if systematic approaches are taken in creating game developers.

How does the revenue come?
Talking with The Independent, Rashad Kabir, managing director of Dream 71, one of the emerging mobile app companies of Bangladesh, said that even people inside the IT industry have a lack of understanding about the entire mobile gaming business.
“People can download most of the renowned mobile games, for free, in their smartphones and tablets. So the question arises how do game developers make money out of these?”
“If we want to do well in the mobile game development industry, we first have to understand the business aspect of it,” said Rashad.
He said that revenue for mobile game developers come in two ways—from advertisements and from in-app purchases. “When we play games and cross levels, different advertisements are shown; revenues are generated from those. Besides, in many games, there are provisions for in-app purchases. These purchases generate revenue for the game developers.”
He said that mobile app stores generate more than 70 per cent of profits from in-app purchases. “So, instead of just focusing on ad revenue, it's a good idea to increase the opportunity for revenue stream. With in-app purchases, one can also offer users the chance to remove ads.”

What strategies are needed?
Nabila Rahman, managing director of Aurko Technologies, said that in order to establish a presence in the global market, mobile game developers of the country must have a realistic strategy.
“The first thing one should do is to think about visibility. If you do not have visibility, your apps won’t be downloaded. We are not talking about five or ten thousand downloads. If you have at least one million downloads, that’s what counts,” she added.
Nabila said that the way to do that is through advertisements. “My company facilitates that. You have to have 35 per cent of your total budget spent for your visibility, your promotion and mobile digital ads. Last year, $6 billion dollars were spent just on advertising apps in the US,” said Nabila Rahman.
Mohammad Shahjalal, managing director, 8Pears Solutions, a mobile gaming app company, told The Independent that if someone wants to place an advertisement of an e-commerce site in an app, that is not possible now. To be able to do that, one has to have an overseas account.
“This is very inconvenient because the main money from a game will be generated through the advertisements placed, and if we have to do that through an overseas account, then that’s a major problem,” he added.
Shahjalal said that to take game development into a fast lane, the government must first solve the problem of payment getaway. “Unless we can place advertisements using a local account, the sector will not flourish, because, then, many developers will feel daunted in developing games.”

What will be the inroads in gaming market?
Talking with The Independent, Jamilur Rashid, the author is the founder and CEO, Gameover Studio, said that the game developers of the country have to come up with a realistic strategy.
Rashid, who is one of the few Apple Featured Game Designers of Bangladesh, said that casual games are easier to make. We have great talent in the market that is ready for casual games. Casual games do not require extensive optimisations, unlike core games.
He said that casual games have a production time of 3 to 6 months. “Thus, we can test the market quickly, learn from our mistakes and improve,” he added.
An ideal casual game developer team consists of only three people (One Unity/cocos2d/Unreal Programmer, one blender artist and a game designer cum app marketer). The hardware requirement is also manageable. 
Two decent Desktop (Core i5,16GB Ram, GTX 970 and 256 SSD)  and a testing device are all you need to start, he added.
Rashid said that a lot of a game's success depends on its marketing strategy. “For a successful campaign of a core game, it at least takes few hundred thousand dollars and much careful planning. The analytics used on a core game like lifetime value calculation is very complicated.  A casual game's initial marketing can be done in less than $5,000.”

The government initiative
Talking with The Independent, Mohammad Xane Alam Raabid, project consultant of the ‘Skill Development for Mobile Games and Applications’ project of the ICT Division of the government, said that the ICT Division had taken up this project to systematically build the mobile game development sector.
This project has three main components. The first component is resource supply and development. Most of the young mobile game developers commonly suffer from scarcity of resources—both hardware and software.
“So, we are creating 38 labs for mobile games and apps across the country. These labs will give access to all potential developers to come in and use the facility, after necessary authentication. Every type of resource to develop games and apps would be made available,” he said.
The second component is skilled manpower. “We are training 16,100 young mobile game and application developers, in different topics and areas, in order to make them industry-ready.”
Raabid said that the third component is proper market research for gaming ideas. “We are formulating plans to bring small and medium companies into the mobile gaming sector and we are finding ways to fund them.”
He said that from the project, they will organise some idea innovation workshops soon. After developing those apps, the ICT Division will buy them from the developers and later give those back to the developers, for further development.
“The government will not retain the ownership. The developers will own those apps and can upgrade those and release those in the market. They will earn the revenue generated from those games,” Raabid added.

Mobile gaming apps

Challenges ahead

Even though mobile gaming apps comprised the largest chunk of app download from different app stores in Bangladesh, the mobile gaming industry hasnt flourished here in satisfactory scale, because of several reasons. Bangladeshs total revenue from locally developed mobile games has not reached $5 million, even though its gaming market is worth more than $15 million. Experts said that mobile game development could be the next big thing in the IT sector, only if systematic approaches are taken in creating game developers. How does the revenue come? Talking with The Independent, Rashad Kabir, managing director of Dream 71, one of the emerging mobile app companies of Bangladesh, said that even people inside the IT industry have a lack of understanding about the entire mobile gaming business. People can download most of the renowned mobile games, for free, in their smartphones and tablets. So the question arises how do game developers make money out of these? If we want to do well in the mobile game development industry, we first have to understand the business aspect of it, said Rashad. He said that revenue for mobile game developers come in two waysfrom advertisements and from in-app purchases. When we play games and cross levels, different advertisements are shown; revenues are generated from those. Besides, in many games, there are provisions for in-app purchases. These purchases generate revenue for the game developers. He said that mobile app stores generate more than 70 per cent of profits from in-app purchases. So, instead of just focusing on ad revenue, its a good idea to increase the opportunity for revenue stream. With in-app purchases, one can also offer users the chance to remove ads. What strategies are needed? Nabila Rahman, managing director of Aurko Technologies, said that in order to establish a presence in the global market, mobile game developers of the country must have a realistic strategy. The first thing one should do is to think about visibility. If you do not have visibility, your apps wont be downloaded. We are not talking about five or ten thousand downloads. If you have at least one million downloads, thats what counts, she added. Nabila said that the way to do that is through advertisements. My company facilitates that. You have to have 35 per cent of your total budget spent for your visibility, your promotion and mobile digital ads. Last year, $6 billion dollars were spent just on advertising apps in the US, said Nabila Rahman. Mohammad Shahjalal, managing director, 8Pears Solutions, a mobile gaming app company, told The Independent that if someone wants to place an advertisement of an e-commerce site in an app, that is not possible now. To be able to do that, one has to have an overseas account. This is very inconvenient because the main money from a game will be generated through the advertisements placed, and if we have to do that through an overseas account, then thats a major problem, he added. Shahjalal said that to take game development into a fast lane, the government must first solve the problem of payment getaway. Unless we can place advertisements using a local account, the sector will not flourish, because, then, many developers will feel daunted in developing games. What will be the inroads in gaming market? Talking with The Independent, Jamilur Rashid, the author is the founder and CEO, Gameover Studio, said that the game developers of the country have to come up with a realistic strategy. Rashid, who is one of the few Apple Featured Game Designers of Bangladesh, said that casual games are easier to make. We have great talent in the market that is ready for casual games. Casual games do not require extensive optimisations, unlike core games. He said that casual games have a production time of 3 to 6 months. Thus, we can test the market quickly, learn from our mistakes and improve, he added. An ideal casual game developer team consists of only three people (One Unity/cocos2d/Unreal Programmer, one blender artist and a game designer cum app marketer). The hardware requirement is also manageable. Two decent Desktop (Core i5,16GB Ram, GTX 970 and 256 SSD) and a testing device are all you need to start, he added. Rashid said that a lot of a games success depends on its marketing strategy. For a successful campaign of a core game, it at least takes few hundred thousand dollars and much careful planning. The analytics used on a core game like lifetime value calculation is very complicated. A casual games initial marketing can be done in less than $5,000. The government initiative Talking with The Independent, Mohammad Xane Alam Raabid, project consultant of the Skill Development for Mobile Games and Applications project of the ICT Division of the government, said that the ICT Division had taken up this project to systematically build the mobile game development sector. This project has three main components. The first component is resource supply and development. Most of the young mobile game developers commonly suffer from scarcity of resourcesboth hardware and software. So, we are creating 38 labs for mobile games and apps across the country. These labs will give access to all potential developers to come in and use the facility, after necessary authentication. Every type of resource to develop games and apps would be made available, he said. The second component is skilled manpower. We are training 16,100 young mobile game and application developers, in different topics and areas, in order to make them industry-ready. Raabid said that the third component is proper market research for gaming ideas. We are formulating plans to bring small and medium companies into the mobile gaming sector and we are finding ways to fund them. He said that from the project, they will organise some idea innovation workshops soon. After developing those apps, the ICT Division will buy them from the developers and later give those back to the developers, for further development. The government will not retain the ownership. The developers will own those apps and can upgrade those and release those in the market. They will earn the revenue generated from those games, Raabid added.