It goes without saying that some video games have enjoyed more success than others. In fact, this is true for all sub-niches of the gaming industry. Perform a quick comparison of niches such as new sweepstakes casinos, sports betting sites, play-to-earn games, mobile games, and practically any other niche, and you’ll see that this is true. However, if you look closely at the games/platforms that have experienced significantly more success than others, you’ll see repeated ingredients thrown into the mix.
Based on this, it’s fair to say that there are certain elements that drastically improve a video game’s chances of becoming a huge hit. So, what are the ingredients that guarantee success for a game and enjoyment for its players?
Let’s find out!
Challenging
First and foremost, the top-performing video games are always challenging. Of course, this can come in different forms. For example, some games are intellectually challenging, while others are challenging in terms of the skills needed to succeed. However, games that require critical thinking, problem-solving, and some kind of analysis, while challenging a user’s skills at the same time, always perform well.
Combined, these elements make us engage with the game, and these challenges keep us coming back for more. At the other end of the scale, games that are not challenging, while they might have a short burst in popularity, will ultimately fizzle out.
Progressive
Breaking things down even further now, almost all of the most successful video games are progressive in nature. As for what this means, these games follow a gradually tougher format. They may start easy, which helps you to learn the game and master a few basic skills, but from this point on, the top games always grow in difficulty, asking more of the player and requiring better skills if they are to reach the latter stages of the game.
This progressive nature of popular video games has been a fundamental pillar of success since the video gaming industry began. Even some of the oldest video games, such as Pokémon, Super Mario Bros, Sonic, and many others that enjoyed success, all utilized the element of progression to keep users involved.
Diverse
The final ingredient is one that you may have guessed at the beginning, yet its role in guaranteeing a hit video gaming must still be explained. Of course, diversity is the spice of life, as they say. Therefore, it’s no surprise that all popular games are incredibly diverse. This creates the element of surprise while ensuring that there is always a different challenge for a player to try, no matter how regularly they play the game.
In fact, if you look at the best-selling video games of all time, you’ll see that Tetris and Super Mario Bros are still in the top 10, despite being nowhere near as stimulating or modern as others. How have they done this?
It is simple—no two gaming sessions are ever the same!
