When venturing into the concept of how to make a game for iOS, there are many things to consider, but the first and most important thing is to understand the industry and the market. Game development has seen a recent surge in popularity and generated over $ 52.3 billion in revenue. It is important to understand that your iOS game will be joining a diverse catalog of titles. And here becomes necessary to narrow down your market and fields towards a specific genre or niche.
Entering into the development of iOS games gives more advantages as the Apple app stores take up roughly a 64% share of the worldwide consumer base for mobile apps. All these data states that day by day, the industry is growing and has the potential for the mobile game industry and iPhone game development.
So let’s jump into the blog and know how to make an iphone game for your business.
What are iOS Games?
It is basically online video gaming that can be connected to the internet and is specifically designed for iPhone devices. These have gained an immense boost in the past few years as the number of iOS users increased.
iOS games are specially designed for devices that have this operating system, such as iPhones and iPads.It is also easier to develop games for ios as it is a closed source, and all the Apple devices operate in the same base architecture.
Understanding iOS Games development?
The process of creating and designing games specifically for Apple’s iOS operating system is known as iPhone game development. These can be operated on the devices such as iPads, iPhones, and iPods Touches. The process of development includes various stages, such as conceptualization, coding, designing, testing, and deployment of games on the iOS platform.
iOS game development requires a deep understanding of game design principles, user experience (UX), and mobile device capabilities. Game developers use programming languages like Swift or Objective-C, along with development frameworks like SpriteKit, and develop a game with Unity. These frameworks provide tools and libraries for creating interactive graphics, handling user input, managing game physics, and implementing game logic.
How to Make An iPhone Game?
Developing a successful iOS mobile gaming app is never an easy and small task. The development consists of different phases and steps, including technical and non-technical ones. The development process to make an iPhone game looks like this-
1. Market Research & Analysis
The development of the iOS gaming app must be based on strong research and analysis. Go through all the market trends, stats, and user behavior toward different apps. Also, analyze the competitors in the landscape. Evaluate all the requirements in prior, such as features that they are providing in their app and how you can make your one different.
2. Planning & Prototyping
It’s time to design the technologies, features, and functionalities that you want to incorporate in the mobile games once you’ve made your option. When considering a top game development company mostly after this, the team concentrates on developing an app blueprint in the second stage so that the project’s developers can start to work on the project’s prototype. The prototype presents a basic notion of the project. Additionally, if required, alter the prototype as appropriate. Once the prototype has been approved, it could be an expensive and time-consuming effort to execute the change, but it is wise to make the necessary changes before actual development.
3. UI/UX Design & Core Development
After the prototype has been approved, the app’s user interface and user experience are designed. Gamers will be more engaged if the UI/UX is good. The fundamental coding work for the app is being done concurrently with the app’s core development. The essential functionality of the game is ensured by programmers, who also develop the code.
4. Testing and Debugging
This is the final stage of development an app goes through before release. The app is continuously tested by the quality assurance team. Unit tests, component tests, integration tests, performance tests, end-to-end tests, regression tests, sanity tests, system tests, graphics tests, and many other types of tests are carried out. Bugs are identified and fixed at this stage to enhance the user experience.
5. Deployment and After Support
Once all issues have been resolved and the software is functioning flawlessly, it is released to the proper platform—in this case, iOS—and made available to the target market. However, there is still a lot more work to be done to market the app and make it more well-known. Furthermore, timely updates are an essential part of the process.
List of Top iPhone Games Ruling Market
| Game Name | Launch Year | Available On: | No of Downloads | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Age of Apes | 2022 | iOS/ Android | 100 million+ | Age of Apes is a fast-paced strategy and resource management game that puts players in charge of a fledgling society where monkeys are one in power. |
| Ninja Turtles: Legends | 2016 | iOS/ Android | 10 million+ | An action-packed RPG game where you can collect your favorite Ninja Turtles characters and battle your way through the city of New York. |
| Call of Duty | 2019 | iOS/ Android | 300 million+ | Call of Duty is a first-person shooter video game series developed by Infinity Ward, Treyarch, Sledgehammer Games, and Raven Software. The series is published by Activision. |
| Clash of Clans | 2012 | iOS/ Android | 500 million+ | Clash of Clans is a strategy game where you build your own village and attack other players’ villages. |
| Woodoku – Wood Block Puzzles | 2019 | iOS/ Android | 10 million+ | It is a challenging puzzle game where you must fit wooden blocks into a grid. |
Different Types of Games Type You Can Opt For Development of iPhone
The app store is full of millions of games, all of which have been made from scratch ranging from arcade to adventure. The end point is you can prefer working on any of the app type which you idealize. However, it is always good with the trend to get the most players for your game.
| Types of Game Type | |
|---|---|
| 1. Battle Royale Games | 2. Sports Game |
| 3. Multiplayer Games | 4. MMO Games |
| 5. Adventure Games | 6. Strategy Games |
| 7. Card Game | 8. Puzzle Games |
| 9. RPG | 10. Arcade Games |
Market Trends Related to the iOS Mobile Games
With the evolution of the internet, mobile games have witnessed a significant change where players can connect, build and play with real-time friends. However, the evolution of the technologies is not taking a pause, and new game development trends are taking it to the next level. When you make an iOS game, you should consider these for the better technological advancement.
1. Metaverse
Today metaverse is altering every industry in the market, and the gaming industry also cannot escape. With the help of the metaverse, one can enter the world of games in real-time. The AR/VR technologies help in walking into new verse with the favorite weapons and destinations with the selected team members with their favorite car, completely transfiguring the experience.
2. IoT
Playing the game on different devices by synchronizing the details and data is the contribution of IoT Technology in the gaming segment. One can play games on a smartphone, tablet, laptop, or desktop without any complicated process.
3. Blockchain
Blockchain technology is playing a role in a range of practices in mobile gaming. For example, it allows players to buy, sell or trade in-game virtual items with the help of cryptocurrencies or non-fungible tokens (NFTs).
4. Cloud Gaming
Vision of the technological advancements in the gaming industry is to minimize device compatibility dependence. Today, most of the popular games require an equally advanced mobile device to operate. Cloud gaming is the concept that brings a vast range of popular games onto less advanced devices so that a wider audience base can leverage the benefits. At the same time, the cloud gaming concept also facilitates the ability to run a single game on multiple systems simultaneously. The best examples of cloud gaming are Google Stadia, NVIDIA GeForce Now, Amazon Luna, etc.
5. Vision Pro
Vision Pro enhances mobile gaming with high-resolution displays, improved graphics processing, HDR, and adaptive refresh rates. These features provide a more immersive and realistic gaming experience, elevating mobile games’ visual quality and responsiveness.
Top Game Engines to Make an iPhone Game
| Game Engines | Ease of Use | Platform Support | Updated Version |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unity | High | Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, Web, Consoles, VR/AR | May 30, 2023 |
| Clickteam Fusion 2.5 | Moderate | Windows,macOS, iOS, Android, Web | March 2023 |
| App Game Kit 2.0 | Moderate | Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android | December 2022 |
| LibGDX | Moderate | Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS, Web | Feburary 2023 |
| jMonkey3 | Moderate | Windows, macOS, Linux | December 2022 |
| Solar 2D | High | Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS, Web | September 2022 |
| Unreal Engine | Moderate | Windows,macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, Web, Consoles, VR/AR | April 2023 |
| Titanium | High | Windows,macOS, Linux, iOS, Android | March 2023 |
| Cocos 2D | High | Windows,macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, Web | December 2022 |
| Cry Engine | Moderate | Windows, macOS, Linux, Consoles, VR/AR | March 2023 |
Challenges and Considerations During the Development of iPhone Games
1. Limited Memory
iOS devices often have limitations for memory and storage. Unlike Android devices, iPhones do not have the ability to identify unnecessary objects and cannot reuse resources that might have been freed by deleting those objects. So at the time of development, one should take care of the balance between possible memory constraints and game performance. So the different versions of the phones require different amounts of memory for the correct functioning of the application. Thus to overcome this, one should get rid of unnecessary functions that might take extra memory and complicate the work.
2. Weak Battery
Games are one of the most energy-consuming tasks that any device can have. The more one wants the game to be colorful and versatile as possible. But the more you diversify and complicate it, the more battery charge will be required. So it is challenging to find the appropriate combination of gaming features. Mobile games should be fun but not over challenging and thus can leave powerful gaming features for PC and consoles. These also cannot be seen on the small screen, so instead of these features can focus on the compatibility of the device and make sure to test the app for the power consumption of the device.
3. Special UI/UX
iOS games are always known for their interface. Thus, a clear and unencumbered design requires a lot of work and experience. A good interface results in retaining the users and also new users to come again and again. Developers should also keep in mind not to put anything extra. Studying the latest trend for iOS can assist in avoiding the same styles when creating interfaces.
4. Testing Problems
One of the challenging parts to make an iOS game is testing. Due to the presence of a lot of details and a lot of rules, iOS game developers have to overlook one of the most important points in checking the quality of the game. A frivolous attitude towards testing or ignoring can lead the game to certain loopholes that can spoil the game’s first impression among the users.
Technological Stack for iPhone Game Development
1. Programming Languages
The most popular programming languagesto make an iPhone game are Swift and Objective-C. Swift is a newer language that is designed to be more concise and easier to learn than Objective-C.
2. Development Tools
The most popular development tools for iOS game development are Xcode and AppCode. Xcode is the official IDE from Apple, while AppCode is a third-party IDE that is developed by JetBrains.
3. Frameworks
There are many frameworks that can be used for iPhone game development, including SpriteKit, SceneKit, and Metal. SpriteKit is a 2D framework, SceneKit is a 3D framework, and Metal is a low-level framework that can be used for high-performance graphics.
4. Assets
iOS games typically require many assets, such as images, sounds, and music. These assets can be created using various tools, such as Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, and Audacity.
5. Testing
It is important to test iOS games thoroughly before releasing them to the App Store. This can be done using a variety of tools, such as Xcode’s built-in testing framework and Appium.
What Skill To Look For When Hiring iPhone Game Developers?
Hire a game development company with a team of expert developers who can build creative, engaging, and user-friendly games.
| Skills | Description |
|---|---|
| Technical Skills | C, C#, and C++ programming languages, game engines, and networking |
| Problem-Solving Skills | Resourcefulness and easy adaptability |
| Game Development Skills | Experience working with game development platforms and tools, animation, 3D modeling, and appealing design. |
| Soft Skills | Teamwork, critical thinking, seamless communication, and collaboration. |
Specific Game Developer Skill Set
- Understanding of Core Data
- Experience with Xcode IDE
- Knowledge of source control
- Experience with memory management
- Experience with unit testing
- Expertise in Cocoa Touch and UIKit
- Proficiency in Grand Central Dispatch
- Understanding of code versioning tools, like Git
- Experience of UI/UX design standards
- Knowledge of RESTful APIs
Cost to Build an iPhone Game
Mobile game development costs usually vary according to the different criteria, types, and special options you want to integrate. The average iPhone game development cost may vary from $3000 to $150000. The platform can also be a factor to consider in the cost. Here in this blog, we focus on how to make an iPhone game, so certain features are about 20% more expensive than Android.
Here is the average cost of development of an iPhone game with various factors represented in the table below.
How Can Emizen Tech Help You?
Emizen Tech is a leading iOS app development company with a team of experienced iOS game developers. We can help you with every aspect of process, from concept to launch. Here are some of the ways Emizen Tech can help you with iPhone game development-
| Development | Our team of iOS game developers uses the latest technologies to build your game. We use Swift, Objective-C, or a hybrid framework to create a game that is visually appealing and performs well on iOS devices. |
| QA | Our team focuses on testing each game thoroughly before it is released. Also ensure that game is free of bugs and that it meets the quality standards of the App Store. |
| Marketing | We can also help you market your game and reach your target audience. Our team can create a game trailer, develop a marketing plan, and submit your game to the App Store. |
If you are looking for a reliable and experienced iOS game development company, Emizen Tech is a great option. We can help you create a successful iOS game that will reach your target audience and generate revenue.
Conclusion
So, we hope with the help of the blog it is a bit clear how to make an iPhone game for your business. Hence, if you want to develop an ios game for mobile, you should go for a good company with experienced developers to help you out. Before any implementation does, check the company’s portfolio to be sure that you are going for the best. Or, if you are still facing issues understanding any part of development, you can contact our team of experts to book a free consultation.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
The average casual game takes several weeks to several months, depending upon the complexity of the development. It also includes other factors, such as different features you choose to put in the game.
Yes, you need a Mac to deploy or submit an iOS game to the App Store. Xcode, the fundamental integrated development environment (IDE) for iOS development, is compatible only with Mac OS. Besides the graphical interface, Xcode is used to write iOS apps.
Most commonly, Swift and Objective C are the programming languages used in iOS development to build games for devices like iPhones, macOS, and many others.
Yes, you can port iPhone games to another platform, such as Android or PC. Certain processes take place in the entire porting thus, sometimes, it can take much more time than expected due to the graphic adjustments; thus, optimization and adjustments according to the device can port one game for another. The process can be hard to implement; however, we at Emizentech, as a game development company, can help you with the process smoothly and within the deadline.
There are two things that one should do while developing a game first, confirm your ownership of all the elements in a mobile game second, you should register for copyright registration so that no one has permission to copy or develop your game or parts of it.
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