Questions About Mobile Game Development
Building games for mobile platforms brings up a lot of questions. We've been doing this since 2019, working with studios across Taiwan and the broader Asian market. These are the real questions developers and business owners ask us when they're trying to figure out if their project makes sense.
How long does it actually take to develop a mobile game?
There's no one-size answer here. A basic puzzle game might take 4-6 months with a small team. But if you're building something with multiplayer features, backend systems, and premium graphics, you're looking at 12-18 months or more. We had a client last year who wanted to rush a project in 3 months—it launched buggy and tanked in reviews. Better to plan properly from the start.
Should we develop for iOS, Android, or both?
Depends on your market and budget. In Taiwan, Android dominates with about 65% market share, but iOS users often spend more on in-app purchases. Most of our clients go cross-platform using engines like Unity, which adds some complexity but reaches both audiences. Starting with one platform to test your concept can make sense if resources are tight.
What about monetization strategies that actually work?
We've seen everything tried. Free-to-play with ads and optional purchases works well for casual games. Premium pricing still exists but it's tough—players expect a lot for their money. Subscription models are growing, especially for games with regular content updates. The key is matching your monetization to your gameplay without making it feel predatory.
How do we handle app store approval processes?
Apple's review can be unpredictable—we've had apps approved in 24 hours and others stuck for two weeks over minor issues. Google's faster but has its own quirks. Both stores are cracking down on privacy policies and data collection. We always build in a 2-3 week buffer before launch dates because rejections happen, even when you think you've followed all the rules.
What's realistic for user acquisition and marketing?
Organic discovery is nearly dead unless you hit viral luck. Most games need paid user acquisition, and costs have climbed significantly. In Taiwan markets, you might pay $2-5 per install for quality users. ASO helps but won't carry you alone. We typically recommend clients budget at least 30-40% of development costs for initial marketing if they want meaningful traction.
Do we need server infrastructure for every game?
Not always, but more often than you'd think. Single-player games can run entirely on-device. But if you want leaderboards, cloud saves, events, or any social features, you need backend systems. Firebase works great for smaller projects. Larger games need custom servers, which means ongoing hosting costs and maintenance—something a lot of first-time developers forget to budget for.
How do we handle localization for different markets?
More than just translation. You need to consider cultural references, color meanings, character designs that resonate locally. We worked with a team that used lots of green in their UI—looked great until they tried expanding to some Southeast Asian markets where the shade had negative associations. Text expansion is another issue; German translations can be 40% longer than English, breaking your carefully designed interfaces.
What about ongoing updates and live operations?
Launching is just the beginning. Successful mobile games need regular updates—new content, events, bug fixes, balancing adjustments. Players expect fresh content monthly at minimum. This means you need a live ops team and budget for post-launch development. Games that go stale lose players fast. Plan for at least 6-12 months of active support after launch.
Technical Decisions That Matter
Dominik Sørlie and Goran Petrenko have been with us since we started focusing exclusively on mobile platforms in 2021. They've seen projects succeed and fail, and most failures come down to technical decisions made too early without understanding the implications.
Choosing the wrong game engine, over-engineering systems you don't need yet, or under-estimating performance optimization—these things derail projects. The mobile landscape changes fast. What worked in 2023 might not work now because of new OS restrictions or hardware capabilities.
We don't pretend to have all the answers, but we've made enough mistakes to help others avoid them. Every project brings new challenges, especially when you're trying to stand out in app stores with millions of competing titles.
How We Approach New Projects
This isn't a rigid process—every game is different. But here's generally how things unfold when we start working with a new client.
Discovery and Reality Check
We spend time understanding what you want to build and, honestly, whether it makes sense. Sometimes the initial vision needs adjustment based on budget, timeline, or market realities. Better to have these conversations upfront than six months into development.
Prototyping Core Mechanics
We build a playable prototype focused on the main gameplay loop. Graphics are rough, systems are basic—we just want to know if the game feels good. This phase usually takes 4-8 weeks and prevents building an entire game around mechanics that aren't fun.
Production and Iteration
This is where most of the time goes. We build out full features, create production assets, implement backend systems, and test extensively across different devices. Regular playtesting sessions help us catch issues early. Development typically happens in two-week sprints with regular check-ins.
Launch Preparation and Soft Launch
We do soft launches in smaller markets to test monetization, balance, and technical stability before going wide. This catches problems that QA testing misses—real players break games in creative ways. We usually recommend a 4-6 week soft launch period to gather data and make adjustments.
Still Have Questions?
Mobile game development involves a lot of moving pieces. If you're considering a project or have specific technical questions about your situation, we're happy to talk through it. No commitment required—sometimes a 30-minute conversation can save months of heading in the wrong direction.