State of iPhone Game Development
39-page report reveals how it's panning out.
SAN FRANCISCO – JAN. 20, 2009 – Game Developer Research has revealed the results of its first ever State of iPhone Game Development report, collecting and revealing a series of metrics that help illuminate the growing but still largely undocumented iPhone and iPod Touch game software market.
The full 39-page report uses iPhone App Store data and an anonymous survey of almost 150 current iPhone developers to outline a number of important data points. These include purchase prices for iPhone games, the effects of and reason for post-launch price adjustments on games, download number ranges, game porting trends, and many other vital stats.
While the iPhone game development market is still in its relative infancy, evidence suggests projects are becoming more ambitious and studios are becoming more sophisticated in their approach. Select report metrics have revealed a trend towards longer development cycles for iPhone games currently in production.
For example, the number of games with 1-3 month development cycles among survey respondents dropped from 61% of completed projects to 41% of in-development projects. In a related trend, the number of games with 4-6 month development cycles rose from 25% (completed) to 47% (in development).
The survey also hinted at upcoming changes in popular iPhone game genres. The majority of developers are still working on projects in the extremely popular puzzle and word game genre (53%), but that’s somewhat decreased from 62% who’ve worked on completed puzzle and word games.
Other uncommon game genres are also expected to increase in number as apps get more sophisticated, with the 11% of respondents having worked on completed strategy games, but 15% planning strategy titles, and 11% already done on projects in the story-heavy adventure game genre, with 21% planning such titles.
“This survey shows the increasing importance and maturity of the iPhone game market,” said Simon Carless, director of Game Developer Research. "The open platform seems to be encouraging a multitude of developers to jump on board, creating an intriguing melting pot of short form and more sophisticated game titles."
For more freely available information, including a full table of contents, or to purchase the complete State of iPhone Development 2009 report, please visit the official Game Developer Research website at http://www.gamedevresearch.com/.
Purchase of the full report confers access to an in-depth document including analysis, charts, and the full, question by question results of our iPhone developer survey, which used Think Services' suite of iPhone-related websites, including dedicated iPhone editorial site FingerGaming.com, to survey nearly 150 iPhone game developers.
(The company also runs the Independent Games Festival Mobile, which includes many iPhone games among its entrants, and produces GDC Mobile at the Game Developers Conference, which will have a number of iPhone-related lectures this year.)
About the Think Services Game Group ( www.tsgamegroup.com)
A core provider of essential information to the professional game industry, the Think Services Game Group offers market-defining content, and drives community through its award winning lineup of print, online, event and research products and services. These include Game Developer Magazine, Game Developer Research, the Webby Award-winning Gamasutra.com, GameCareerGuide.com, WorldsInMotion.biz, GameSetWatch.com, GamesOnDeck.com, SeriousGamesSource.com, the Game Developers Conference®, the Game Developers Conference® Austin, the Game Developers Conference® Europe, the Game Developers Conference® China, GDC Mobile, the Game Career Seminars, the Independent Games Festival and Summit, and the Game Developers Choice Awards.
About United Business Media Limited ( www.unitedbusinessmedia.com)
United Business Media Limited (UBM) is a global media and marketing services company that informs markets and brings the world’s buyers and sellers together at events, online, in print, and with the information they need to do business successfully. UBM serves professional and commercial communities, from IT professionals to doctors, from journalists to jewelry dealers, from farmers to pharmacists around the world. UBM employs more than 6,500 people in more than 30 countries. UBM's businesses operating in the US include CMPMedica, Commonwealth Business Media, Everything Channel, PR Newswire, RISI, TechInsights, TechWeb and Think Services. UBM is listed on the London Stock Exchange (UBM.L) and has a market capitalization of $1.6 billion.
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Tara Gibb
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