Updated: May 20, 2022 
Mobile game development, particularly Metaverse gaming, is a booming market. According to reports, by the end of 2023, there will be over 3.8 billion gamers worldwide. That’s almost half the population of Earth!
And with the advent of Metaverse game development technologies such as Virtual reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR), this number is only projected to rise.
Even though people can choose from thousands of games from Google Appstore, developing a gaming app creates a stable and consistent revenue-generating platform.
The key is to streamline all valuable resources in areas expected to boost profitability while controlling the cost.
Games from different genres can acquire a vast customer base with a loyal fan following. One such example is PUBG mobile Battle Royale having over 800 million downloads.
Some of the simplest yet most enticing game concepts, such as Fruit Ninja, also have billion of downloads from around the world.
What Makes Mobile Game Development Special
Before diving into the mobile game development mechanisms, let’s first look at some interesting statistics on the industry.
1. In 2021, there were 3.9 billion active smartphone users around the world.
2. The average expenditure on mobile games will reach $116 Million in 2021.
3. The expenditure is expected to reach $138 billion by 2025.
Success Factor in Mobile Gaming
Strong skills and expertise are two critical aspects needed to build mobile gaming apps, especially Metaverse Gaming.
While developing the game, the developers can demonstrate their creative flair by designing unique and one-of-a-kind capabilities and features.
The gaming industry and the developers can enjoy steadily rising income with dynamic and exciting careers thanks to the vast number of career prospects.
The more a developer illuminates his creative abilities, the higher he will be earning in terms of monetary rewards. Later on, this helps game developers if they want to venture into Metaverse Gaming and Development.
A primary reason behind the gaming industry’s success is the sheer joy it brings among gaming enthusiasts. They are driving the industry, and developers are constantly making money out of offering what seasoned gamers are looking for.
The gaming industry has recently shown a steep rise in users, which has significantly increased opportunities for both players and developers after the initiation of Metaverse games.
The top three markets for mobile gaming platforms for 2021 were China, USA, and Japan, generating over $56 Billion in revenue.
Mobile Game Development: Factors that matter
Before understanding the app development cost? Let’s first dig into identifying where most of the money goes.
More gaming is developed following the steps below:
1. Evaluation of Market Condition
First, market research identifies a relevant customer base. Then, competitive proposals are assessed to determine the optimal solution.
2. Designing the Game from Scratch
This is the stage where the target audience, their expectations, gameplay genre, and monetization options must be screened and clearly understood by the developing team.
Also, Read | How to Make Mobile Game in 7 Easy Steps
3. Technical Specifications
After designing and approving the idea for the game, the next step is to define its concepts and mechanics along with the platforms where it will be released.
The work price can be fixed after having a precise specification of what the developer needs to focus on.
4. Developing Prototypes
The developer has a clearer vision of the dynamics and a general understanding of the mechanics with a rough prototype. The artwork should be excluded at this point so the developer can acknowledge the convenience of the game.
5. Programming Games
Once the prototype gets a positive response, the developers start writing the code, setting up the database, API, and interactive programming graphics, and inserting 2D and 3D content.
6. Integrating Sound Effects
Without enticing audio effects, the level of fun gets turmoiled.
7. Testing the Final output
Testing the final product would help identify any errors in the coding of metaverse game development and correct them well before time.
8. Publication
Once the game is ready for launch, the final step is to release the game on Google Play Store and App Store, the two most renowned sources to upload newly developed mobile games when fully developed. Users have full access to the game and can download it.
Elements Affecting Mobile Game Development Costs
The nature and complexity of the project are two things to be determined first to calculate the cost of a mobile game. To better understand how much a typical metaverse game development costs in India, let’s understand the factors below.
1. Operating System
Android and iOS cover most of the mobile gaming market in India, owning over 80% of the total stakes.
It is critical that the platform for the game is carefully selected since developing an admin panel and transactional structure for iPads and iPhones is more costly.
A hybrid gaming model might be more costly depending on the version of the game it is most compatible with.
But in terms of increasing revenue and capturing a higher audience base, it is more likely to grab eyeballs.
2. Design Layout
Apart from gameplay, characters, and target audience, design planning, and strategizing would help develop the critical phase for the game.
Strategizing will be difficult without clearly defined output and structure in developing game art. It is at this point that the overall cost pictures become clear.
3. High-quality Graphics and Gameplay
Gamers are hooked on the game because of its storyline and the characters. Game characters can have strong personalities, language, tones, attitudes, and behavior
The final product results from close communication and much thinking during this phase.
For technical development and planning for resource allocation, an experienced developer can charge between $50 to $80 per hour.
4. Complexity
The game development stage is the most stimulating phase of conceptualization and initiation.
Depending on the target audience’s expectations, this phase can be expensive and full of challenges.
The level of complexity is reflected in the level of several rich elements a game has and its technical challenges.
Development Costs of Mobile Games in India
Many factors should be considered to assess the Metaverse app development cost, including the number of risk elements and the technical obstacles involved.
Discussed below are general estimations based on game developers’ intellectual proficiency and experience.
The general estimation based on various elements and cognitive expertise of the games we study is discussed below.
The estimation of the final Metaverse app development or game development is as follows:
1. Small Games can Range Between $5K to $20k
Budget or arcade games with low to medium standard graphics can fall between the price mentioned above and the range if built from scratch.
People usually download these games as they are fun, engaging, and a great way to kill time. With budget constraints, mini-games are a great way to create engaging experiences that will hook the user.
Some famous examples of mini-games include Happy Street, Infectonator, Mini Warriors, and Alien Creeps.
2. Basic 2D Games – $20k to 40K
A basic game with standard architecture and simple plots can be quickly developed within the above-specified range.
Basic 2 games include some renowned names like Maple Story, Red Ball, Zenonia, and Hop.
Apart from engaging a large user base and making them a constant revenue source, these games offer powerful functionality.
3. Discreetly Composite Metaverse Game Development – $0K to $100K
Metaverse Applications within the above range can be packed with amazing UI/UX, multiple-device adaptability, social integration, map navigation, multiplayer gameplay, etc.
With features involving intensive interactivity within the device environment and meaningful content, mobile games come closer to reality and become more personalized. Gamers will find games by names like Doom and Destin in this category.
4. Complex App- $80k to $200k
High-end games comprise all the key traits of mid-zone apps with a strong user engagement ratio.
Personalized games are equipped with unique offerings like 3rd party services, prizes, payment systems, device environment, chat, social networks, etc.
Since these games are developed with the highest level of detail, they are usually more expensive and take 8 to 2 years for full-fledged operations.
Cost Estimation Strategy
Cost estimation takes place in two stages
1. Free Preliminary Cost Estimate
Although initial costs are rough estimates, it allows developers to have information on the investment amount required to build an application from scratch before entering into a partnership. The cost estimation can be done within 1 or 2 days at absolutely no cost.
2. The Exact Price of Metaverse Game Development
The more accurate estimation of game development is drawn from a supported agreement.
There are several instances where re-evaluation of the process of development results in revamping original tasks, impacting the final expenditure. It could be the nuances that were previously overlooked.
So, developers may decide to exclude something from the main list or add something. This is especially important in the case of unique game development that has no analogs.
Of course, this is close to impossible in today’s mobile market. But even then, there exist some groundbreaking Metaverse gaming ideas that have undergone various adjustments and improvements since their inception.
For instance, today, Metaverse Gaming platforms have stringent data protection policies, ensuring 100% confidentiality of players’ private data and protection against data breaches.
A standard or straightforward graphic game would require more content for the gamers to remain hooked. Limited content will make gaming boring, and players will eventually shift their focus to something more interesting.
Players today are smart enough to manipulate everything and stop wasting time learning the game’s concept but prefer to come in and start winning immediately.
If the developer fails to keep the gamer engaged for the first 15 to 30 seconds using graphics and then another hour of gameplay, they already lose the battle in the mobile gaming industry.
To market the Metaverse app, the developer would need to buy a developer license from Apple, which costs $100 per year. In Google, this is a one-time payment of the same range.
After paying the amount, the developer gets access to the developer library and the entire store. A developer console underpins the steps a developer needs to follow to create an application that meets all requirements.
The requirement for iOS is more strictly evaluated as all applications need to be completed similarly.
Marketing Policy
Hundreds of games are released on the Android and iOS platforms every day. Without effective advertisement, no one would say no when a specific game is released in the market.
Therefore, the marketing component must be present and plays a critical role in gaining audiences’ attention.
Choosing the right platform and setting the proper budget for advertising the newly launched games among the target audience is an appropriate option.
The cost of marketing is usually included in the cost of developing a game.
If the partner developer is engaged in advertising, then the problems such as allocating a marketing budget higher than the cost of the game can be avoided.
Conclusion
To effectively estimate the price of Metaverse Game Development, constant analysis, and brainstorming are essential.
It is difficult to overlook the real-life stance of the development department, the scope of the project, technical resources, new trends, story depth, and mobile gaming platform to get better insight into the best pricing decision.
Several development partners do their absolute best in meeting all the requirements and scope of the game development. High-end innovation and tools are frequently used to incorporate maximum functionality and a user-friendly interface.
It is important to set a transparent pricing system to track every dollar spent. Metaverse app development can be a great asset to generate massive revenue over time and create a reliable and loyal customer base by being precise, focused, and determined.
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