This month, members of the Apps Alliance staff attended the 2015 Game Developers Conference (GDC) in San Francisco. Against a backdrop of booths, demos, and excited attendees, we chatted with developers and companies about their inspirations, challenges, and strategies. In addition to filming content, GDC was also a great way for us to connect with both current and prospective members and learn what’s new during the gaming industry’s largest trade show.
What We Learned from GDC 2015:
Native Advertising is Just Good Advertising: Native advertising is one of the latest buzzwords, but it shouldn’t be a fad in the advertising. Instead, developers and publishers should focus on an improved and quality user experience, including well-integrated advertising.
Console Gaming is Here to Stay: While mobile platforms will eventually overtake console platforms, consoles aren’t going away anytime soon. Like mobile, console platforms are still evolving, and will eventually shift into a premium gaming experience.
Downloads Don’t Have to Bankrupt Developers: App developers can often rely on creativity instead of budget when devising their marketing strategy. By focusing more on relationships with influencers, pre-launch user engagement, and app store optimization, developers can boost their downloads without breaking the bank.
Collaboration is Key for Canadian App Development: App development in Canada is on the rise, but the community is still small. However, with support, independent developers are seeing success.
Don’t Underestimate the Power of User Experience: Whether developers are creating a multi-platform app, thinking about which analytics to use, or composing an in-app soundtrack, user experience should take precedence over other factors, such as game mechanics.
Make sure to watch our 20+ GDC interviews here.
