Video games are one of the most popular hobbies around the world. The rise of mobile and online gaming has made gaming more accessible and increased its popularity among a wider demographic. This is furthered by the fact that video game content is also consumed on streaming platforms like Twitch or the subject of videos on sites like YouTube.
This diversification of ways to play games and of the types of games people are interested in playing has opened up the gaming market as well. It’s much more difficult for the AAA studios and major brands like Xbox and Sony to fully control the industry like they used to in the 1990s and 2000s.
Online gaming has had a particularly important role in shaking up the industry. This change can be traced back to 2005, when Steam began selling third-party titles on their platform. Steam challenged the gaming establishment and showed that a new way of buying, selling, and playing games was possible.
The success of Steam and mobile games have shown that independent gaming platforms are the way of the future. They could be a clever business opportunity for entrepreneurs with an interest in tech, software, and video gaming.
In this article, we’ll give you all the information you need to understand the basics for setting up a gaming platform.
Type of Games
The first thing you’ll need to consider is what type of games you want to offer on your platform. With so many different game styles and options for playing them, specializing is the smartest way to create an appealing platform.
Players are more likely to keep coming back to a platform that has games in a genre they enjoy instead of just a huge catalogue of random games.
One of the most popular kinds of gaming platforms is the online casino. Online casinos have rapidly become one of the top forms of gambling and of online gaming. The popularity of online casinos has led to a huge influx of developers and studios focusing on creating casino games, further increasing the variety and quality of game available.
Other types of games that are popular on independent gaming platforms are arcade games and puzzle games. These games appeal to players who may not be familiar with more traditional, console or PC games. Puzzle and arcade games are also relatively simple and offer plenty of options for players.
The classic video game platform, which features genres like FPSs, RPGs, and simulators are the most difficult platform to create but could also be the most stable since these games have a massive audience. However, the competition with established cloud gaming options like the Xbox Cloud and PlayStation Now is fierce.
Audience
The audience for your gaming platform is tied to the type of games that you offer as well as several other factors. Audience is a very important thing to consider because it impacts every other feature of the gaming platform. From the game selection to the marketing to the user interface, everything depends on the audience that you’re trying to attract.
There are many audience factors to consider. The first is whether you want casual or serious gamers. These two groups have very different styles of play and will need different incentives. Other audience factors are basic demographics, like age and gender.
If you want to create a puzzle game site aimed at older players, you will want a more basic interface with easy to read fonts.
Scale
As awesome as it would be for every startup gaming platform to become the next Steam, it just isn’t likely or realistic. When setting up a gaming platform, you have to consider the scale. Most gaming platforms will need to start small.
You need to find the right balance between small enough to manage and be within budget and big enough that it has enough games to attract players and retain them. Along with scale, it’s essential to consider growth. How fast will the platform grow and how often will new games be added.
These considerations aren’t as fun as deciding which games to feature but they are just as important if not more so.
Platform
Deciding if your gaming platform will be website based or app based is one of the most important choices. Both have pros and cons. Mobile games are the most widely played and are generating massive amounts of revenue. On the other hand, mobile games tend to be more simplistic, and some serious gamers don’t consider them real video games.
A website-based gaming platform can host all types of games and as well as games with higher specs. Cloud gaming and Gaming As a Service (GAaS) are both some of the leading trends in gaming. The possible negative of creating a website-based gaming platform is that there are already a lot of other options, making the market fairly crowded.
Unique Feature
Having a unique feature to set your gaming platform apart from the rest of the available gaming platforms that offer similar games can make the difference between your platform getting lost in the noise and standing out from the crowd.
The unique feature will depend on the type of gaming platform, for example, online casinos will require different features than arcade game platforms.
A leading comparison site PlayCasinos.ca categorizes online casinos by features such as fast payouts, new releases, and various payment methods, making it easier to navigate the market. One of the standout features today is fast payout processing. These casinos streamline their internal systems to ensure quicker withdrawals, allowing players to access their winnings with minimal waiting.
Many fast-paying platforms also support a range of payment methods, including e-wallets and cryptocurrencies, enabling near-instant transactions. With reduced pending times, players benefit from the convenience and reliability of rapid cashouts, enhancing the overall gaming experience.
One of the best options is a blog that keeps on top of relevant gaming news. Adding a comment section allows players to communicate with each other and develop a community. This can also be done through a shared server like Discord.
Another option is to develop your own games or provide players with the ability to upload their own games created for the platform. All these options do require an element of external moderation to ensure that quality standards are met.
