Five Ways to Ride the Social Gaming Trend

There’s no doubt about it, 2018 was a landmark year for social gaming. Riding high on that Pokémon Go wave, Millennials, in particular, have been driving growth in connecting socially and virtually through games. From the high Niantic brought through Pokémon Go (and their future Harry Potter game), many game developers are hoping to catch onto the coattails of this thriving trend.

Be available on multiple devices

Game developers cannot settle on one console. Rather, they need to release their games over multiple consoles and smartphones to keep everyone happy. Take The Sims, for example. Once a game only for the PC, The Sims can now be played on PlayStation and even the Nintendo DS.

Furthermore, the battle between Android and iOS is still going strong, but thankfully people do not have to decide on what phone to get because of what is available. Pokémon Go and the like are available in both app stores, for instance, keeping Samsung and Apple lovers satisfied. Cross-platform games are here to stay.

RPG and MMO

Otherwise known as Role Playing Games and Massive Multiplayer Online, RPG and MMO are causing a storm across avid gamers. World of Warcraft, released in 2004, is still maintaining its cult following, as well as RuneScape, League of Legends and The Elder Scrolls Online. For RPGs, Dark Souls, The Witcher and Mass Effect Trilogy remain must-play games.

Drawing players into an imaginative story is a great way to encourage in-game purchases, where players may be willing to spend one dollar more to keep that narrative flowing. However, be transparent about these purchases, otherwise, like Star Wars Battlefront, you may get more negative reviews than not.

Online Casinos

Playing online casinos can be a social hobby nowadays, with catch functions and the chance to play with friends. Join a reputable online casino Canada for an immersive experience and thrilling games. Join the Blackjack table or hit the slots – you can even play on the go through the app that can be found on the app stores.

Social media and smartphone games

Remember the high of Farm Ville, and how you could create your own farm and visit the farms of your friends? While that may seem like ages ago, such games are still growing strong. There are many of these games on social media, like YoVille and Happy Farm, but such games are also available on smartphones. What makes these social is the ability to make microtransactions, or gaining in-game money or tokens by watching adverts. Episodes, for example, is a storytelling app where users can not only create their own avatar and stories for other enjoy, but also read each others’ by using passes (to watch “episodes”), or spending gems for certain storylines.

Levels and rewards

As Pokémon Go players quickly discovered, increasing their Trainer Level increased their chances of catching rarer Pokémon. Trainers who did not possess a high Trainer Level meant lower CP (Combat Power) Pokémon, making Legendary Raids much more difficult.