Android Games/applications Marketing Notes

Pokémon Go

STRENGTHS:

-  It’s a free to play game for android and IOS devices. -  The idea of a reality location interests people and have motivatedplayers to go from one place to another in search for Pokémon’s and poke balls. -  Me playing Pokémon go all the time have observed other people going out in groups in search for Pokémon’s and this have created a bond between people. I would say it has brought people together and a way to connect with each other. -  It has received a wide positive response. As said by Oscar Dayus(Pocket Gamer) "the very personal nature of catching Pokémon in your own neighborhood made me smile more than any game has for years".” Easy to relate to. The 1990s fad is back. The player is interested in new and more Pokémon’s and evolving them to make them better and more powerful.

WEAKNESSES:

There have been certain crashes and technical issues. - There were quite a few server problems as well.
- One of the critics received by this game is by mess on all levels", with one of the reasons being the constant Miguel Concepcion GameSpot) said despite him enjoying the game's strong social appeal and visual design, the game's "initial iteration is a buggy server problems. -The app was criticized for using sensitive locations such as cemeteries and memorials as sites to catch Pokémon’s. -The game has not been launched in all countries and there are still some countries who do not have access to this app. -Players in rural areas often complain about the lack of Pokémon stops and gyms in their area and prior to that Niantic established a support page allowing players to request new Poke stops and gym but the page was later removed. This game has been criticized for game accessibility issues by players with physical disabilities as people who have difficulty in moving, Game play is limited. The same Pokémon’s come again and again which makes it a bit boring. Players want to capture a new and a better Pokémon each time and in every level.

OPPORTUNITIES:
- One opportunity that I can think of is that they can come up with

a strategy to keep interest of the players. For example, it can connect with friends in the way that it can tell which of your friends are playing Pokémon go at the moment and where are they currently playing. So friends can connect and collect Pokémon’s together. There can be a chat forum and a way to add friends just like Facebook. It can also become a social network. This is how the Players will keep connected.

THREATS:

If something new is not explored, Players might stop playing Pokémon go and this app might face a decline within a few months. The Players might get bored by collecting the same Pokémon’s each time and getting Poke balls from the same Poke stops. Players need something new all the time and if there is nothing new like at this moment, the excitement level of Pokémon go might drop to a high level.

GAMELOFT AND ROVIO

Angry Birds has sold over 42 million copies in all its different forms, from the paid versions on the iPad and iPhone, to the free versions that can be found on Android phones. Rovio has even developed Mac and PC versions of their hit game, which started out only on mobile devices, and it will be coming to the Nintendo 3DS and Wii U sometime in 2012. Nearly the exact opposite in size and scope to Rovio is Gameloft, a mega-corporation established in 1999 with over 4,000 employees to Rovio’s 55, subsidiaries in many countries around the world, and the financial backing of an additional behemoth in the development business, Ubisoft.
Strengths and Weaknesses
Rovio, for the moment, seems to be focusing resources on ports of its cash cow Angry Birds, while Gameloft is churning out new games, many based on established franchises. This leads to its next great strength. In addition to having its own deep pockets in-house (Gameloft reported a combined revenue of $147m in 2008) Rovio, on the other hand, has demonstrated with the success of Angry Birds that it has a potent competency in doing a lot with a little, and has secured financial backing in the tune of $42m for its future projects.

    Brand-recognition plays a part in the sales figures of both companies, and is again here Gameloft has the advantage.  Angry Birds is very recognizable, and with it comes a brand image that consumers will consider when making future Rovio purchases. The key here is for Rovio to continue developing games that will keep gamers enthralled, because Gameloft again has the upper hand with exclusive licenses to hit Ubisoft titles. Already established and popular franchises such as Assassin’s Creed and Tom Clancy, and with those popular franchises comes instant the assumption of quality. Gameloft has been awarded numerous times for its games as well, further cementing that assumption of quality. Rovio, on the other hand, is depending almost exclusively on the notoriety of Angry Birds to sell future titles.  This narrow product line my only hurt Rovio in the beginning as they continue to develop games, and if they developed two or three more titles that are received in the fashion of Angry Brids, Rovio could easily surpass Gameloft as the industry leader in terms of sales.

Opportunities and Threats
Rovio’s weaker product line, shallower pockets and relative lack of brand recognition are its greatest weaknesses, and its greatest weaknesses are Gameloft’s biggest strengths. However Rovio’s biggest strength are its opportunities. Rovio is a new company that in the 5 years its been around has surpassed many market leaders who were established years before to earn a place at the head of the line with the likes of EA and Gameloft. They have tremendous opportunities for expansion and growth and with a lower overhead cost than some of the biggest developers they have proven they can deliver successful products. They have little choice but to grow, however the future is uncertain. Rovio could be sold by the owners to another company, or could enter an alliance or joint-venture with rival companies like Gameloft

Gameloft may have deep pockets, but the money in those pockets is more or less spoken for by established franchises and licenses, while Rovio has little choice but to invest heavily in new IP. New IP leads to innovation on a larger scale than that which comes with established licenses and the play-patterns that come along with them. Rovio should use this as a chance to take more share from competitive rivals by offering different games with different play patterns and styles than what is already offered by other, more established companies working with established brands. The opportunities Angry Birds has given Rovio is the biggest threat to Gameloft’s success as more revenue is lost to Rovio’s new games. However, a larger threat seems to be on Rovio in trying to establish itself as a brand that is known to release quality games. This threat will ease if Rovio can continue to create best-selling games. A major threat to both companies is the entry of new competitors rising up through the ranks in the same way that Rovio did. With more and more companies getting invested in the mobile games market, competition will certainly be fierce as these companies strive to hold their market position.