Technology has come a long way. We can now enjoy 3D movies and access almost any kind of content online, including the games that we normally would only play in casinos. Today, online gaming is a billion-dollar market, and many people want to have a share of that market. This is why here and there, game developers are sprouting like mushrooms.
Some of these developers stay in the industry, as they bring new and innovative content, including casino promotions with or without bonus codes like UK casino bonuses. Some, however, fade into nothingness, especially those that only copy a winning formula, instead of creating a new gamer experience.
Game developers, despite their intelligence and creativity, face a myriad of problems. Let us explore these problems and see how they can affect the future of the online gaming industry.
Too Many Ideas
Innovation is the name of the game, but this can also be the developer’s bane. The problem with innovation is that some products do not really bring a lot into the table. One example of this is the combination of slots and bingo, called Slingo.
In this game variant, the player faces a 5X5 slot machine. Instead of symbols, the things that drop into the slots are numbers, like the ones you see on bingo cards that you mark off. If the numbers form a winning bingo pattern, you win.
While it is innovative, it is not so creative. This game did not really catch up, and slot fans still prefer their slot machines, while bingo fans still want to buy bingo tickets and mark off their cards after a caller announces a number.
The way to get rid of this problem is to focus on the game value and experience of the player. For one, slot fans would appreciate that the slot machines get a facelift, like 3D, but still retain its original concept. People who play slots like the symbols and would rather appreciate new kinds of bonus games than combining the slot with a different game.
The Games Are Not Getting Noticed
There are thousands of online casino software developers out there. While some offer their products only in paid casinos, some also create games exclusively as apps. The thing is the titles that a developer creates can get buried beneath a mountain of game titles in both the casino and mobile gaming industry.
App discovery is a pain, much more so in the paid gaming industry. One casino can have more than 200 slots machines, and not all of these are made by the same developer. If nobody plays the game, then the developer does not earn any revenue.
A game developer does not often sell its products to the casino operator. It rarely happens, as casino operators do not want to invest in owning these games, unless the casino company wants an exclusive game. Usually, the games are licensed, and the profits are shared between the two. In most cases, the developer takes the bigger risk and pays the gambler the winnings, and only gives a percentage of the profit to the casino operator.
If the games are not being used, their developer has no revenue, while the casino earns money from the other games offered on its site. There are several solutions to this problem:
- One is for the developer to do better mathematics in its game system, to make winning easier and yet remain profitable.
- Another is to offer casino promotions like bonus money only for a specific game.
- The developer can also offer the game for free. The reality today is that many online casino games cannot be played until one becomes a member. The issue with that is that online gamblers have a high tendency not to register unless they have experienced the game.
Lack of Funding to Develop New Games
Creating a computer game takes a lot of money, as it is labour-intensive and needs a lot of physical resources, including computers, software, and the engine where the game will run. Without adequate funding, a game developer is stuck. If the previously launched games do not earn, they cannot raise money to build a new one.
If the games they launched are not making money, investors are also not likely to shell out money to fund a new project. One solution to this is to bootstrap it. Since a game developer is usually a registered group, it can also borrow from the bank, or the members can tap into their savings. Game developers can also use free software that is open source, and use prototype platforms that are affordable.
They can also produce games that do not require a lot of computer power. If possible, the company can also persuade its talented employees to operate on a revenue-sharing model. If the game succeeds, the employees will be paid a percentage of the profit. One of the best things to do is to start a fund campaign on Kickstarter and other websites similar to it.
Games Do Not Run on All Platforms
The world today expects a lot. Some game developers seem to forget or ignore, that it is entirely possible to make one game run on both android and iOS, and also make it accessible via browsers. One pain point that many players have is that some of their favourite titles can only be played on the desktop, but they are not accessible via mobile.
One problem that developers have is they do not have the vision to deliver cross-platform gaming modules. Perhaps, these kinds of titles require more money, more software, and more effort, and yet they have to realise that this pays off in the end.
If the tool is the issue, there are many engines and app development tools that can streamline the process of creating games that will run on any device. Examples of these are WidgetPad, Whoop, and Appcelerator.
Legal Issues
Just because a game is developed successfully does not mean that it is free from legal problems. Developers usually have to defend themselves from lawsuits because someone else has already created a game that is similar to what they published. This usually happens if they are too eager to release their creation, market it, and then it comes to the attention of another game developer.
The only course of action to take is to hire a lawyer and learn how to patent the games. This is a cumbersome procedure and will take a while before the games can be released, but it certainly is worth the time and money. And while at it, the developer must also draft clauses if it provides its games to a casino operator. This document must clearly say who owns the games, who has the rights to it, and what the limitations of the casino operator are.
Summary
Game developers are smart people, and yet, they can also be faced with many challenges in their industry. All of these problems have a solution if only the team would sit back and look at their business from a higher perspective. Game developers have a lot of competition, and they must do something that is truly innovative if they want to stay significant.