Why can't big companies enter the mobile game market?

[xynanyx]

I see more and more big companies trying to enter the mobile game market but why can't they have the same
success the indie and small companies have?

I mean, we see "Dungeon Keeper" from EA, this game is hated by almost everyone.
Another example is Square Enix bringing "Deus Ex" to the mobile devices, a good game, but will never have the
same success Flappy Bird (not so good) has.

Is the mobile market just for simple games?

I'm asking because I'm creating a mobile game on udk (http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/rule-16-game)
and it is quite successful, but I wish to make bigger indie games for mobile, games like we see on console and PC,
like Journey, Mark of the Ninja, Stanley Parable and others.

[ufna]

I mean, we see "Dungeon Keeper" from EA, this game is hated by almost everyone.
Another example is Square Enix bringing "Deus Ex" to the mobile devices, a good game, but will never have the
same success Flappy Bird (not so good) has.

WAT? I wish I had the results of the DK/DE for my games

[TechLord]

Hi xynanyx,

I'm no expert on the mobile market. But, I don't think it has anything to do with the size of the Publisher, its about the size of the game proportional to the size of the screen the game is played on. It could be that simple. Big Games are funner on Bigger Screens. Smaller Games are funner on Smaller Screens.

[xynanyx]

WAT? I wish I had the results of the DK/DE for my games

Sure, they got some money back. But is it proportional to the investment made by the companies? The marketing and etc..

[xynanyx]

Hi xynanyx,

I'm no expert on the mobile market. But, I don't think it has anything to do with the size of the Publisher, its about the size of the game proportional to the size of the screen the game is played on. It could be that simple. Big Games are funner on Bigger Screens. Smaller Games are funner on Smaller Screens.

Sure, this is the kind of answer I'm looking for to start this discussion.. =)
As it seems to be, mobile gamers look for different thing than console and pc gamers. BUT, is it possible to try to change it? I mean.. we often see small games on consoles and pc's that could fit on mobile devices.. can we achieve the opposite? I don't think there are limits when we talk about games and where they can be played on. Just my opinion.

[isathar]

I answered that Mobile gamers don't like the same games, but I think there is a bit more to it than preference of types of games. I think the primary reason big companies' games don't seem to be as successful on mobile is that they usually started out in a medium that has bigger games. Since a lot of established companies don't like to take risks, they stick to the formula that's worked for them in the past. The limitation of bigger games is the time in which people play them. If we're talking about smartphone games, most of the playtime would be while people are between two events or otherwise have a few minutes to spare, so smaller games that are easy to get into are the best sellers.

That's not to say bigger games aren't played at all. I remember buying a few pretty good top-down RPGs on my ipod touch a couple of years ago that I got lots of hours of play out of.

EDIT: Also, I completely agree with TechLord on screen size. If I'm playing on a small screen, I would be completely OK with a game consisting of flicking around vaguely bird-shaped things, but on a big screen, I want a living, breathing world to get immersed in.

[TechLord]

I wish to make bigger indie games for mobile, games like we see on console and PC.

I'd rather play those games on a my 55" Ultra High Def, HD Surround Sound, Wii Controllers, with my Wife & Kids. You can make the game bigger, just break it up into smaller chunks, chapters, etc, for the smaller screen and controls. The problem with touch screen is the very fact that your hand is blocking your view. Incorporate some UIs that don't block your view and you may have a winner.

[cube2222]

Games made by big companies for mobile, like dungeon keeper, are hated by all "hardcore" gamers, who now that they are terribly cheated. But a lot of casual gamers play those games, and really pay, this way the big companies are earning A LOT OF money on mobile games, with microtransactions being the key.

[xynanyx]

I answered that Mobile gamers don't like the same games, but I think there is a bit more to it than preference of types of games. I think the primary reason big companies' games don't seem to be as successful on mobile is that they usually started out in a medium that has bigger games. Since a lot of established companies don't like to take risks, they stick to the formula that's worked for them in the past. The limitation of bigger games is the time in which people play them. If we're talking about smartphone games, most of the playtime would be while people are between two events or otherwise have a few minutes to spare, so smaller games that are easy to get into are the best sellers.

That's not to say bigger games aren't played at all. I remember buying a few pretty good top-down RPGs on my ipod touch a couple of years ago that I got lots of hours of play out of.

EDIT: Also, I completely agree with TechLord on screen size. If I'm playing on a small screen, I would be completely OK with a game consisting of flicking around vaguely bird-shaped things, but on a big screen, I want a living, breathing world to get immersed in.

I completely understand your point. And it's good to know that, even mobile gamers being less picky about the technical quality of the game, they are willing to play "bigger" games. Maybe the big companies just didn't adjusted their games to the mobile market preferences..

[xynanyx]

I'd rather play those games on a my 55" Ultra High Def, HD Surround Sound, Wii Controllers, with my Wife & Kids. You can make the game bigger, just break it up into smaller chunks, chapters, etc, for the smaller screen and controls. The problem with touch screen is the very fact that your hand is blocking your view. Incorporate some UIs that don't block your view and you may have a winner.

Thanks for the advices! I think that the mobile gaming market is already full of simple games (not saying they are bad games), but alternatives are always good for the gamers and I'm trying to make something different. I'm not a game developer just for the money, I want to make a difference for the gaming in general =)

[xynanyx]

Games made by big companies for mobile, like dungeon keeper, are hated by all "hardcore" gamers, who now that they are terribly cheated. But a lot of casual gamers play those games, and really pay, this way the big companies are earning A LOT OF money on mobile games, with microtransactions being the key.

So, you're saying that the game is not good, but the marketing is making it sustainable? That's another perspective..

[Neoptolemus]

I think it's probably because people tend to play games on their phone when they're on the train, on a lunch break or just have 15 minutes to kill, so big titles tend not to be as popular because they're harder to pick up and drop in a few minutes. People also expect mobile games to be in the region of $10 or less as it is more of an impulse buy market, so the games scale down accordingly.

On top of this, the game has to be easy to control on a small touch screen, and I've yet to find an fps that controls well on a phone, they're always irritating in some way and become fiddly because of the need for fine, twitch controlling.

By the way, dungeon keeper was hated because of the excessive and cynical use of timers to get people to cough up money, and watered down features from the original, not because it was too flashy for people's tastes. If you took away the timers, as with every other game like it, you find there isn't actually a game there as such, just some basic mechanics.

[Nawrot]

I have that funny feeling its because of money. They do not enter mobile because they do not want to split income with apple or google.
Its ok for them to port some older games, because its low cost compared to making new game for mobile.

And second reason is again money: piracy on android devices is huge compared to PC, and malware is quite on rise for it.
Also folks do not use internet banking (or anything with your passwords) on android devices that you run cracked apps for android.
I went even further, I have phone that has nothing but out of box apps and web browser that i keep secured,
and then i have tablet that does not have gsm connection and has wifi only when i allow it, for all apps on google store etc.

Ps. FlappyBird game had cracked versions with added keylogger few hours after first articles about its success.
Android is kind of script kiddie wet dream come true.

[TechLord]

Xynanyx, I understand what you're trying to do. Unfortunately, there is a preconception on the markets. Personally, I'm seeking a means of Convergence in which people can multi-play together no matter platforms. The common ground at this point and time is the WWW. The means to broadening the experience, may not be in the game itself, but, the meta-games spawned on the Web or in the Real-world. These are the areas I seek to find the point of convergence.

[xynanyx]

I have that funny feeling its because of money. They do not enter mobile because they do not want to split income with apple or google.
Its ok for them to port some older games, because its low cost compared to making new game for mobile.

And second reason is again money: piracy on android devices is huge compared to PC, and malware is quite on rise for it.
Also folks do not use internet banking (or anything with your passwords) on android devices that you run cracked apps for android.
I went even further, I have phone that has nothing but out of box apps and web browser that i keep secured,
and then i have tablet that does not have gsm connection and has wifi only when i allow it, for all apps on google store etc.

Ps. FlappyBird game had cracked versions with added keylogger few hours after first articles about its success.
Android is kind of script kiddie wet dream come true.

So, indirectly you're saying that the games have more chances of success when they are free and the money comes with ads than when the user player needs to give some kind of credit card info? Is that why indie are going better than the big companies? Sorry if I understood it wrong =)