In February 2024, 37,000 apps were released on the Apple App Store and another 52,000 on the Google Play Store.
Just under 90,000 apps are a lot of applications trying to get the attention of the same users. The mobile game industry is even more cutthroat as attention spans keep dwindling, and users want the dopamine rush, and they want it now. With technology ever advancing, graphics and other visual qualities might not cut it anymore, and mobile game developers need to awaken their inner Pavlov and Freud to appeal to users. And they’ve been able to do just that with the implementation of these psychological elements.
Gamification
One relatively new element that’s making waves in the gaming industry is the process of gamification. Simply put, it is when activities or events that are not ordinarily games are packaged into games. Psychologically, it’s Christmas come early for gamers because it introduces them to a new game type, and some of these games offer more than just the thrill. Apps that make fitness into games keep their users fit, engage them and make their sessions fun, and even games themselves can further ‘gamify’. For example, the best crypto casino apps are gamified, making it more accessible and engaging as their leaderboard feature means that players can share online with friends, while they enjoy different levels with increasing difficulty for a more engaging and rewarding experience.
In other types of apps (and in games themselves, too), simple additions like badges can completely change a user’s attitude towards an application. Daily streaks, as seen with applications like Duolingo, are an example, as the fear of losing the streak makes users log on to the platform every day.
The Zone
Also known as the flow state or being in the zone, it is when gamers are properly immersed in their chosen gaming title and feel like they just left the room and entered a new state—the flow state. Game designers—mobile developers included—understand that to get someone hooked on the game, they need to create sequences that are engaging, enjoyable, and, crucially, challenging so that they engage all their senses.
Games achieve these in a number of ways. The first is an assault on the senses through vibrations, lights, and sounds. The second step is dynamic gameplay that is in the sweet spot, not so easy that it becomes boring and not so difficult that anxiety sets in, the goldilocks zone, if you will, where skill is constantly being challenged and consolidated but not to the extent that the gamer feels a need to swap out the gaming title for another.
Simulating this has become increasingly effortless since the introduction of artificial intelligence in mobile game design. The future of AI development makes an argument for even more engaging levels of dynamic play that mobile app designers from the time can not wait to exploit.
Positive Reinforcement
This is very important in gaming, more so with mobile gaming, as users need positive reinforcement to continue choosing a particular gaming title over the overwhelming options of competitors. It is not enough that these apps have badges, like in the case of Duolingo’s streaks; more times than not, these streaks add-ons mean something. A 100-day badge might give user coins they can spend in the game to unlock a new map, new skins, or any other gaming element that can improve their gaming experience.
Constantly reinforcing the user’s choice to play a particular game title can very soon turn them into habitual players, as they have become accustomed to the satisfaction they derive when they reach these milestones.
Delayed Gratification
Positive reinforcement is important, but it is just as important that it is delayed. Throwing out bonuses and rewards for every action completed would cause those rewards to lose value to the players. These rewards must be measured and only issued after players have completed momentous tasks; only then can the benefits of delayed gratification and positive reinforcements be truly harnessed.
Doing so locks players in for the long haul. They are not sidetracked into low-hanging fruits and stick to playing the game because they know what rewards lie in wait after the boss battle, after unlocking as many badges, picking up potions, or completing many quests.
Letting users know the value of what they are playing for significantly improves the gaming experience and is an important consideration in any mobile game design.
Social Interaction and Competition
Leaderboards, high scores, local ranking, and sharing on social media. What do these have in common? It’s a chance at bragging rights, and a lot of it. The strong desire to compete is alive in most people, and applications that give in to these desires and pit people against each other in a safe manner always tend to succeed. It gets even better when you can post these wins on social media, challenge other users randomly, and troll gamers who are far off as pure skill is concerned. Being able to show off all the work you put into the game and how well it has since paid off is a huge reason games like Candy Crush, COD Mobile, and PUBG remain fan favorites today.
Escapism
Traditional games as well as online casino games allow players to enter a world far different from their own, become people separate from who they are, and go on interesting quests that would not be possible in the real world. You can be a football manager by day, a world-renowned poker player by noon, and dragon-slaying-knight-in-shining-armor come sundown. The ability to create these worlds that are so separated from reality is one way mobile game developers interest users in trying out their gaming titles.
Imagine flying on the wand as Harry Potter, taking the fate of the world in your hands as you single-handedly fight the dark lord. Games like this are so popular because of the work that goes into making these new worlds as real as possible and yet so distinct from the real thing.
Conclusion
The mobile gaming industry is massive at the moment, more than PC and console gaming combined, and one contributing factor is the psychological elements that ensure these games appeal to their intended audience.
From gamifying everyday activities to getting players in the zone, reinforcing their actions with appropriately delayed rewards, allowing them to compete and earn bragging rights, and creating worlds where they can escape, these elements, together, make for successful mobile game designs.
