Business Plans for Mobile Gaming Companies

The past few months of buzz in the news covering the mobile space has been centered around Android, erectile the iPhone 4, Foursquare and the future of Nokia and Motorola. However, developers and handset manufacturers have been quitely watching the advancements in MeeGo and waiting for the release of Windows Phone 7.

Android and the Apple ecosystem are certainly going to be market leaders, but what will we see from Microsoft’s release of their new mobile operating system.  Those closest to the release say that Microsoft is planning a game changer that will (relatively) seamlessly extend your regular desktop to your phone and back again.

PCMag has a great in-depth preview of the new operating system in their article Hands On: Windows Phone 7 Technical Preview.
Mobile gaming, meningitis
casual gaming and social gaming are definitely buzz words in the news. We’ve all seen the barrage of Facebook updates from friends playing Mafia Wars, Farmville and others. Then, there is the stream of requests to add Foursquare or Gowalla. Followed by increasing talk from friends and coworkers about the latest game they bought on their iPhone – yes, we have heard about Angry Birds before and no, I’m not downloading it.

The point is that mobile gaming market is growing very quickly with the penetration of smartphones, easy integration of location APIs and middleware packages. There is definitely a business opportunity for independent and established game developers. We are also seeing many companies from other industries developing game experiences into their products or to supplement their portfolio to customers.

The one thing that we also see is many companies and independent shops working without a business case.  Does it need to be a formal business case? That depends on whether you are seeking outside funding and your company’s culture, but it is always a good idea to have agreement on the goals and plans for the project.

Here is a good article from Inc Magazine on How To Write a Business Plan for a Mobile Gaming Company. 

If you are working on mobile or fixed gaming, please visit the discussion section of our LinkedIn group or reach out to some of our members in the area. There are a number of members from CCP, Kaneva, AT&T, as well as a number of VCs and others with significant experience in the industry that may be able to offer assistance. Our own Kurt Uhlir previously ran a gaming division, oversaw the IGDA’s mobile group and has developed a number of patented technologies in the area. 

Please remember that the SoTech community can help connect you with others that have experience in the areas you are working today. Let us help.

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