Digital game evangelist Oscar Clark was among game industry experts who gathered in New York in January to talk about trends in mobile games. Among topics discussed were discoverability issues and how most mobile games are having a far harder time than they should finding players.
Moderating the panel “Create Fans, Not Users,” Clark turned attention to how Apple’s App Store and Google Play Store aren’t necessarily like traditional retail storefronts. He said Apple and Google are more concerned about the experience people have once they adopt their operating system, in Apple’s case adopting their hardware along with it, than with promoting software in their app stores.
Sitting across a panel with Appy Entertainment and Funtactix, both game developers heavily invested in iOS, Clark set the tone early on.
“It’s not Apple’s job to sell every game a developer makes,” he told them.
In this interview after the panel, Clark discusses how developers can overcome not having their products promoted once it’s in the app store, focusing on using their own content along with tactics and tools that get players to share their experience with their games.
Later this month, [a]list summit turns its attention to content marketing beyond mobile and tablet games, looking at how even big publishers are adjusting to shifting gaming habits and scattered audiences. Dubbed “The New Rules of Engagement,” the event takes place in San Francicso the same week as the Game Developers Conference, with a full day of sessions on Monday, March 25 at the Sir Francis Drake Hotel.Space is limited but registration is still open. [a]list summit attendees also get access to the Game Connection Marketing Awards on Monday evening as well as all Game Connection America sessions on Tuesday, March 26. For registration information, visit the [a]list summit San Francisco web site.
