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5 Mantras For a Successful iGaming Startup The iGaming industry as a whole is extending its reach to all corners of the globe, thus giving it good investment potential

By Nitesh Salvi

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Online gaming is quickly becoming popular. It has broken the stereotype of being a mundane pastime without potential. The iGaming industry as a whole is extending its reach to all corners of the globe, thus giving it good investment potential. But what does it take to make an online gaming company a success? What brings in that wow factor for gamers to get them hooked to the game? Here are five mantras for you to consider if you're venturing into the iGaming business.

Know your audience

No two games are exactly alike and that's the way it should be. For instance, if you ask people what their favorite games are, you're likely to get varying answers. This is because every game requires a specific skillset and set up to play. Some may be interested in highly complex action games, while others may just like to relax and play online poker. Hence, the most basic and essential factor for driving growth lies in how well you know your audience. The more you focus on a specific demographic, the better your chances of creating a sought-after game. This will also help you set targeted marketing strategies for the acquisition and retention of users.

Focus on design and technology

An easy to use UI and UX is always the key to gaining more consumers online. It makes gameplay convenient and enriches the overall gaming experience. It's vital to focus on your gaming technology and develop a platform that ensures fair, safe, and secure gameplay. In other words, UX designers are a bridge between engineers and users. So, make the programme easy to use and understand, and as intuitive as possible. You want the user to be able to grasp the game by themselves, to overcome challenges on their own, making the game feel great and seamless.

Add real-time rewards and players

It is more than just essential to create winning opportunities and rewards in your game. Incentives that reward success can be intrinsic outcomes of the game, whether they are embedded in the game or external.

Another aspect of successful games is the ability for players to play with and against real people from around the world. For example, an action-packed game that mixes story, drama and humor, under a secure ecosystem makes it the go-to option for serious gamers. This is not limited to action games alone. There are innovative game companies that have theme-based poker series every month with tournaments paying out big money. Poker players from around the country can come together online and win from guaranteed prize-pools, free tournament tickets, and other rewards that include phones, cars, etc. These features are bound to attract users in today's world.

Top-notch customer support

Whether your game is simple or has a deep storyline, people will always have queries, issues, and would want to connect to someone from the company to resolve them, especially if your online game involves real money. This is due to the obvious fear around where their money is going, what they're getting in return, or in case there is a delay in them receiving a service, they will need assurance that everything is going to be fine. This is where having a professional and readily available customer support team helps an online gaming company to win hearts and minds.

Build a competitive edge

A competitive edge can be achieved in various ways. However, hiring the right group of people who understand your game and your audience is the best way to go. It's worth noting that people who share your vision will help your game succeed as they can contribute tremendously to the marketing and advertising decisions. In simple terms, they know the when, what, where and how to get the cash registers ringing. This will help your company pack a punch when it comes to staying ahead of the competition.

All things considered, in this day and age, the way to succeed is to help the game's intended design resonate with the players. It should be a good distraction from the external environment while also relating to them on a personal level. Cheesy graphics and technical glitches will take you nowhere. Gaming company startups should remember that they have to keep their eye on every element, just like any seasoned player to succeed in the game.

Nitesh Salvi

Co-founder and CEO, Pocket52

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