A Comprehensive Guide to Porting Your Game to Mobile Devices

The practice of porting successful PC and console games to mobile devices has become increasingly common, with many titles achieving significant success on smart devices. A recent example is Vampire Survivors, which was downloaded over a million times within a week of its mobile release in December. However, the journey to mobile is not without its challenges, as highlighted by Poncle, the studio behind Vampire Survivors. In a recent talk at Pocket Gamer Connects in London, Playdigious CEO Xavier Liard discussed the various routes available to developers looking to port their games to mobile, including traditional releases on the App Store and Google Play, mobile subscription services, and third-party distribution stores. Liard emphasized the importance of understanding the different categories of games on Apple Arcade, including original, great, and classic titles, and how they can impact a game's success on the platform. He also touched on the opportunities and challenges presented by Netflix Games, Google Play Pass, and mobile third-party distribution, as well as the complexities of releasing games in China. When considering a mobile release, Liard advised developers to assess the commercial viability of their project, estimate potential revenues, and pitch their game to Apple Arcade and Netflix Games. He also emphasized the need to consider technical feasibility, including the challenges posed by device fragmentation and RAM memory space. Additionally, Liard recommended that developers start conversations with Apple before their game's release and consider pricing their game competitively, with a price point below €10. Ultimately, Liard encouraged developers to carefully evaluate their options and make informed decisions when bringing their games to mobile devices.