Many big studios are entering this industry with the increasing demand for mobile games. Some famous game development companies like EA and Epic Games have started their separate studio for mobile game creation. Numerous other mobile game development companies have made their name among gamers. Review this article to learn how these mobile game app development companies have progressed and choose the best mobile game development company to start.
The Popularity of Mobile Game Development
The mobile gaming industry has witnessed exponential growth over the past decade, becoming one of the most lucrative sectors in the gaming market.
According to a report by Newzoo, the global mobile games market generated revenues of over $90 billion in 2021, representing a significant portion of the total gaming industry’s earnings. This growth is not slowing down; projections suggest continued expansion with an increasing number of smartphone users worldwide. The accessibility of mobile gaming to a broad audience has led to a diverse demographic of players, encompassing all ages and backgrounds, thus providing developers with a vast potential market to tap into. The average revenue per user (ARPU) in the mobile gaming sector has also seen a steady increase, indicating not only a growing user base but also a willingness among players to spend on in-game purchases and premium content.
For developers, the allure of mobile game development is further magnified by the relatively low entry barriers compared to console or PC gaming. With a variety of development tools and platforms available, such as Unity and Unreal Engine, developers can create high-quality mobile games with smaller teams and budgets. The success stories of indie games going viral, such as “Flappy Bird” or “Among Us,” demonstrate the potential for high returns on investment.
Additionally, the mobile gaming industry’s revenue models, including in-app purchases, ads, and subscriptions, offer multiple revenue streams, enabling developers to monetize their games effectively. The social and competitive aspects of mobile gaming, including leaderboards and multiplayer features, foster community engagement and retention, further enhancing the potential for success. Given these dynamics, the mobile game development sector presents a compelling opportunity for developers looking to make their mark in the gaming world.
Top 10 Mobile Game Development Companies
After recognizing the need for mobile games, let’s analyze the heights achieved by some gaming companies in this industry. For this purpose, you can analyze the list of these 10 top mobile game development companies and choose the best mobile game development company you like.
1. Gameloft
Gameloft was among the few initial companies that started the trend of mobile gaming in the early years. With over one and a half million daily downloads, they consistently rank among the top mobile game development companies globally. Today, they have over eighteen studios worldwide to make high-quality games across various genres. Moreover, some of its popular franchises include Asphalt, Modern Combat, and Dungeon Hunter.
Beyond their own successful titles, Gameloft also collaborates with major brands like Disney and Marvel. Plus, games like Disney Dreamlight Valley and LEGO Star Wars are a testament to these collaborations. As a company, Gameloft provides international job opportunities and multiple allowances to its talented employees. All in all, this mobile development company provides interactive gaming content to its players.
Location: Paris, France
Employees: 3600 via the Official Website
2. Niantic Labs
Using augmented reality to create real-world games, Niantic Labs emerged as an innovative mobile game app development company. The breakout success for this company was the launch of Pokémon GO in the mid-2010s. While playing this game, players explore real locations to capture virtual creatures. In addition to that, the games developed by this company encourage players to get outside, exercise, and socialize.
Plus, this platform continues to innovate the gaming experience with titles like Pikmin Bloom. Most importantly, it provides the Niantic Lightship platform to developers to help them create their own AR games. In short, the main goal of this company is to get people out of their homes and create worldly connections through gaming.
Location: San Francisco, USA
Employees: 500 to 1000 via LinkedIn
3. Rovio
With the release of the Angry Birds franchise, Rovio became well-known in the gaming industry. After the success of this franchise, this mobile game development company continues to add new games to keep players engaged. Other than these bird games, they have introduced several other puzzle games, including Sugar Blast and Moomin. Plus, this company is rapidly expanding by opening its studios across Europe and Canada.
Rovio also provides developers with a “Beacon” platform through which they can generate new games. Using this platform, the developers can focus on game creation while the company handles other technical aspects. The company wants to focus more on providing an easy-going experience for the players. For this purpose, they only develop casual games with simple and engaging gameplay.
Location: Espoo, Finland
Employees: Approximately 550 via Rovio Investors
4. Epic Games
After its release in the early 1990s, Epic Games became a top mobile game development services provider. While their globally popular title, Infinity Blade and Fortnite, might be the first to come to mind, their reach extends far beyond these games. Other than that, the Unreal Engine of this development company plays a big role in various industries like film and architecture.
In addition to development, Epic Games Store provides a platform for gamers to purchase and play mobile and PC games. While they don’t solely focus on mobile development, their influence extends to the mobile market through their engine licensing. Epic Games also released a mobile version of Fortnite to make it accessible to every gamer.
Location: Cary, North Carolina, USA
Employees: 3364 via Statista
5. Activision Blizzard
Activision Blizzard is a diverse game development platform that extends beyond mobile gaming. While the company originated from PC and console titles like Call of Duty, it strategically entered the mobile space through acquisition. In the mid-2010s, this mobile game app development company acquired King Digital Entertainment. Moreover, it is the same powerhouse behind the widely popular Candy Crush franchise.
In collaboration with other studios, it released the Call of Duty: Mobile game. Now, it is planning to launch its mobile-first games, such as COD: Warzone Mobile. Therefore, both of these approaches position it as a significant player in the mobile gaming industry.
Location: Santa Monica, California
Employees: Approx. 13000 via Statista
6. Electronic Arts
EA Mobile is a sub-branch of gaming giant Electronic Arts, established in the early 21st century. In addition, it owns several other subsidiary studios like Firemonkeys and Playdemic. Furthermore, this top mobile game development company isn’t just about porting popular titles to smaller screens. For this purpose, they actively develop original content and franchises, especially for mobile gamers.
With the release of several sports games like FC Mobile and Madden 24 Mobile, this company became famous among sports lovers. Other than that, it also continuously introduces strategy-based games, including Plants vs. Zombies. Most EA games have multi-player gameplay to let the players compete and interact with each other to form a community.
Location: Redwood City, Northern California
Employees: 13,400 via Stock Analysis
7. Ubisoft
Ubisoft is one of the game development companies widely known for creating games for all gaming consoles. Other than console games, it has also made a name in the mobile game development industries through dedicated teams and resources. Also, their expertise spans various aspects of the mobile game lifecycle, from development to post-launch operations. With its sub-branch in Pune, it has become the best mobile game development company in India.
Notably, this studio has developed games like Assassin’s Creed and Brawlhalla for mobile gamers. In addition to that, Ubisoft has created fun mobile games, including Just Sing and Rainbow Six Mobile. All of these games are free-to-play and often have in-app purchases to generate revenue for the company.
Location: Montreuil, France
Employees: 21000 via the Official Website
8. Konami Gaming, Inc
With the release of its famous PES Mobile franchise, Konami extended its reach beyond just console and arcade titles. Notably, the PES card collection system has played a big role in attracting fans and new players alike. They actively contribute to the mobile gaming landscape with games like Yu-Gi-Oh and EDENS ZERO. In addition, this mobile game development services provider has released original games, such as Pixel Puzzle.
Konami strategically employs its established franchises while venturing into original mobile titles. In addition to games, Konami develops companion mobile apps for its amusement park and health club ventures. Overall, it remains a significant player in the market even if it is not only fixed for mobile games.
Location: Las Vegas, USA
Employees: Approximately 500 via LinkedIn
9. Supercell
Supercell is a Finnish game development company that prioritizes giving developers creative freedom. With the help of this approach, they have developed many globally renowned mobile games. Clash of Clans is the most famous game developed by this company and is enjoyed by over half a billion players. In addition, this top mobile game development company follows a freemium approach to win gamers’ trust.
Since their launch, their dream has been to create great games enjoyed by everyone around the globe. Their focus on empowering developers has compelled some of the best talents worldwide to join their workforce. Plus, they are still in the growth phase, with offices in over four cities. Besides, Supercell has its own Creator Program that aims to help developers worldwide.
Location: Helsinki, Finland
Employees: 520 via the Official Website
10. Square Enix
When talking about this renowned Japanese giant, we can say that it is a powerhouse both in the PC and mobile gaming industry. It has established franchises like Final Fantasy and Dragon Quest to entertain gamers around the world. In the early 2020s, they created a separate entity, Square Enix London Mobile, to focus solely on crafting mobile titles.
Moreover, it isn’t limited to adapting existing hits as they develop original mobile titles. In addition, Square Enix collaborates with other studios for mobile development. By doing so, they can widen their mobile gaming portfolio. All in all, it is one of the best mobile game app development companies with its dedicated studio and franchise adaptions.
Location: Tokyo, Japan
Employees: 4712 via the Official Website
Elevate Your Mobile Game Development with ZEGOCLOUD
Now, you know about the heights reached by the top mobile game development companies in the gaming industry. If you also love developing games, ZEGOCLOUD MiniGameEngine provides you with SDKs to ease the process of game development. With these APIs, developers can manage components on their game interface, such as Settings and Close button.
Other than that, ZEGOCLOUD offers several game modes to help developers engage players on their gaming applications. Some of its gaming modes include live comment gaming and interactions with randomly matched gamers. Surprisingly, these mobile gaming APIs and SDKS can also be integrated into social platforms to bring revenue through engaging interactions.
Developers will be able to earn money through their chatting apps and live-streaming platform through the integration of easy-to-play mobile games. Plus, these APIs provided by ZEGOCLOUD allow developers to control the notification effects on the user interface. To sum up, we can say that this mobile game development service provider will make game creation easier than ever.
Final Thoughts
As discussed, the gaming world has advanced greatly with the rise of different mobile game development companies. All these companies do their best to provide games around the globe with a perfect entertainment experience. Plus, if you want to enter the game development field, ZEGOCLOUD delivers APIs and SDKs as a first stepping stone for hyper-casual games, bullet hell games and so more. Using these APIs, developers can integrate gaming modes into their communication apps.
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