What drives players to keep playing hyper-casual games?
Undoubtedly, there is always a motivation behind every action we take, and this holds true even for playing games. Are you surprised? Take a moment to reflect. Do you play games merely for the fun of it, or as a means to unwind and de-stress after a long day, or simply as a way to pass the time? The answer lies within you. The emergence of hyper-casual games is revolutionizing the gaming industry, and it’s no wonder why. But what exactly drives players to keep coming back to these games?
Hyper-casual games
Hyper-casual games are video games for mobile devices that are designed to be simple, easy to play, and usually free to play. These games often have straightforward user layouts that don’t require much explanation. In fact, you do not really need to be a professional gamer because understanding the game layout is pretty easy. However, despite their ease of use, hyper-casual games can be incredibly addictive, leading to frequent instances of players losing track of time while playing. Also, these games are accessible and can be played on-the-go, and as such, it comes as no surprise that they have grown in popularity over the past few years.
These games have seen an exponential growth since they were introduced to the market only a few years back. Today, hyper-casual games increase the mobile market’s overall growth. According to this research, the hyper-casual market currently generates $2–2.5 billion in revenue and roughly 17 billion installations per year. Can you believe it? These numbers are mind-boggling and demonstrate the incredible popularity and success of hyper-casual games.
NewZoo revealed in May 2022 that downloads of hypercasual games increased considerably between 2018 and 2020, accounting for more than 30% of total downloads among the top 100 globally in 2021. This impressive figure is a testament to the immense popularity of hypercasual games, with simple yet addictive gameplay and minimalistic design that continue to captivate players. It is clear that hypercasual games have cemented their place in the gaming industry, and their influence is only set to grow in the years to come.
Casual vs hyper-casual games
Hyper casual games have been explained above, and although they have some similarities to casual games, they are not the same game at all. What makes them different?
Basically, the addition of the word “hyper” to casual goes to show that these games are more hyper than the regular casual games. You’ll find out the difference in a minute. First let’s paint a clear picture.
Casual games are like talking with a group of friends. They are usually easy to play, and you can enjoy them without getting too involved. They are simply ideal for passing the time, and they can be played at your own pace, probably as a form of relaxation. Now think of games like Word Cookies or Candy Crush — they’re fun, but they won’t necessarily keep you up all night.
On the other hand, hyper-casual games are like jumping into a wild party game that everyone is obsessed with. These games are made to be straightforward, user-friendly, and engaging. They are like a shot of adrenaline to your gaming experience — you can pick them up and start playing right away, and before you know it, you’ve been playing for hours. Addictive much? Yes! Hyper-casual games are perfect for those moments when you need a quick burst of excitement, like when you’re on the bus or waiting in line. Games like Flappy Bird or Temple Run are great examples of hyper-casual games that will keep you coming back for more.
Having established that, let’s see some of the differences between these forms of games:
- Complexity: The gameplay mechanics and storylines of casual games are more complicated than those of hypercasual games. For hypercasual games, there aren’t many instructions needed because they are designed to be uncomplicated.
- Time commitment: The goals of hypercasual games are simple, and they do not require a great deal of concentration or time; therefore despite being engaging, game time is brief. You can easily play these games while waiting on a friend or commuting. Casual games, on the other hand, often have longer levels that require more time commitment.
- Replayability: Due to their easy-to-learn and addictive gameplay, hypercasual games frequently have a high rating for replayability. Casual games may also have replay value, but it often stems from the game’s storyline or additional levels.
- Skillfulness: Casual games require a certain level of skill and strategy to win, much like playing a game of chess. Contrarily, hypercasual games are similar to playing a game of rock-paper-scissors where anyone can play and win.
- Audience: While hypercasual games typically draw a younger, predominately male audience, casual games typically attract a diverse group of players with a range of interests and preferences.
Speaking of hyper-casual games, WAM is the perfect example of a hyper-casual gaming platform. It is the world’s first internationally-validated hyper-casual gaming platform that provides users with a variety of arcade-style casual games. With WAM, you can engage in highly entertaining skill-based tournaments and compete against other players to earn exciting rewards such as WAM tokens, status upgrades, and digital assets like NFTs. WAM is easily accessible through the App Store and Google Play, as well as on your mobile phone’s preferred browser.
Discover the thrill of Hypercasual games: what drives players to keep playing?
Hypercasual games offer a unique combination of entertainment and engagement that make them appealing to players of all ages and skill levels.
Asides being fun to play and easy to understand, some other reasons why players are driven to keep playing hyper-casual games include:
- Since the gameplay mechanics in hypercasual games are simple, players of all ages and skill levels can enjoy them. Considering the fact that they are made to be simple to pick up and play, you don’t have to have prior gaming experience to play anyone can quickly get a hang of it and start winning.
- In order to add a competitive and thrilling element to the gameplay, these games frequently foster a feeling of community where players can compete for bragging rights and show off their high scores to friends.
- Hypercasual games are addictive because they feature leaderboards or multiplayer modes, which encourage players to keep playing in order to improve their performance and surpass their friends or other players. They are ideal for brief play sessions because they have short levels or stages that can be played on-the-go from anywhere and at anytime.
- You won’t get bored playing these games. There are a variety of new games to try out, from arcade games to puzzle games, so you can occasionally embark on new adventures.
- The feeling of accomplishment a player derives when they pass a difficult level or beat a high score is incredibly satisfying and keeps players trying out new levels to improve or beat their friends high scores.
The motivation behind hypercasual games is driven by their simplicity, social and competitive features, accessibility, and the feeling of accomplishment they offer to players.
Next time you find yourself playing a hyper-casual game (preferably on WAM as there’s a plethora of fun options), take a moment to reflect on why you keep coming back to it. Is it the simplicity of the gameplay? The addictive nature of the game? Or simply the desire to pass the time? Well, whatever your motivation may be, one thing is for sure: hyper-casual games are here to stay, and they will continue to captivate players for years to come.
Daniel Tamas is the CEO and co-founder of WAM app, the world’s first hyper-casual gaming platform and internationally validated play-to-earn social gaming platform, reaching 1st place in the Top Charts of the App Stores. He’s also an entrepreneur, investor and founder of various companies, but most importantly a Frenchie lover and a hot sauce enthusiast.
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