Ever since the introduction of smartphones, there has been a real and unprecedented rise in phone technology. This is especially true when you look at the introduction of smartphone apps and how they have taken over so many people’s everyday lives.
Currently, the trend in app stores is ‘social gaming.’ What does this mean when it comes to apps, and why is it becoming so popular?
What Does ‘Social Gaming’ Mean?
First, we have to understand what the term ‘social gaming’ means when it comes to smartphone apps. You will already be familiar with smartphone games, which are highly popular and can be taken anywhere. Even with the advent of smartphone apps, huge games have become multi-million-earning franchises. For example, the Angry Birds franchise became huge, and that’s originally started as a simple iPhone app.
Smartphone games are still popular today, but the way they are used by smartphone users is different. Social elements currently being implemented in games have given rise to social gaming. This is when people interact with others through app store games and create connections through them.
Why Is Social Gaming So Big Right Now?
So why has social gaming suddenly seen this huge rise in popularity? There are multiple different factors that explain why it is so popular currently. These include:
Mobile gaming becoming more popular: In current studies, it is seen that many generations prefer to engage with gaming through their phones. For example, 69% of Gen Z and 73% of Gen Alpha prefer to play games on their phones compared to other devices available. However, millennials are the biggest gaming group on phones, with nine out of 10 gaming on their phones exclusively.
Opportunity to connect with others: In this day and age, you are always likely to see people connecting more online than in real life. Just look at the huge rise of dating apps that have become available and how social media as a whole has exploded in popularity since the turn of the century.
With the younger generation mentioned above being more receptive to mobile gaming, they are also more receptive to social elements being added to their games.
Even before the age of smartphones, the younger generation overwhelmingly played the most massively multiplayer online role-playing games. With so much social gaming making its way to phones, of course, they are more receptive to the social elements in these games as well.
Game genres lend themselves to social gaming: Look at the most popular game genres available right now, and you will see many that are naturally great for social gaming. Again, let’s take the example of the massively multiplayer online role-playing game. It is very easy to find a team as a player and get to know each other as you enjoy the game.
Other popular genres right now include battle royale and sandbox games. These are also great options for mobile app games, and they can easily include social gaming elements.
Offering an alternative social platform: Something else to consider when looking at the average age of a social gaming app user is the fact that these apps offer a different kind of social media experience. With many social media sites now becoming older thanks to the average user base, these games offer a different kind of social media experience that younger people can have.
Gambling And Social Gaming
Another key driver of social gaming is the rise of online gambling apps. These have become incredibly popular since 2020. One aspect of their popularity is the way they implement social gaming aspects into the gambling experience.
For example, a bingo app will allow members to chat in a chat room before the game, and many apps will have tournaments where members can compete against each other for cash prizes. Live casino sites also allow you to communicate through apps according to Betfree.ie, where the apps allow you to chat with other players during at their live casinos.
Right now, the Millennial generation is seen to spend the most on these types of apps. This plays a part in the popularity of gambling apps because they tap into a market that is otherwise underserved in app stores. This is thanks to the fact they spend more hours per week gaming on phones, and they list gaming as their number one interest.
Social gaming is the implementation of social elements to app store games. Currently, sales numbers indicate that social gaming is a significant driver toward success for some of the best apps on the market. Massive games like Pokemon Go have shown just how social gaming has changed the app store marketplace and brought people together through their love of online games.
Examples Of Social Gaming Apps
So what is actually social media, and how do they work? It’s a good idea to have a look at some examples to see how they are becoming so popular right now.
In 2016, Pokemon Go was the most popular mobile app around. It uses ARG technology to let users explore their area and catch Pokémon ‘in the wild’ as they were. It very quickly caught on with users, and many were starting to meet up with each other to catch Pokemon and enjoy exploring areas they hadn’t seen before.
It saw a resurgence during the pandemic, as people started to use it as an outlet to meet others safely and get outside during lockdowns. It is still popular today, too, with regular festivals happening all over the world where fans get together and enjoy the game.
This is just one example of social gaming, but you can see how a well-designed game can implement social features easily and really make a mark on the industry.
You can see many other games making huge profits on this model as well. For example, PUBG Mobile made $1,725.3 million in 2022, and Honor of Kings generated $2,223.8 million. These games both use a lot of social gaming elements, such as rankings, the ability to connect with other players, multiplayer modes, and more.
