Across all windows devices, including PC and smartphones, the United Kingdom developer Rebellion has reached more than 3.5 million downloads in the past twelve months. Despite a great deal of criticism from others in the industry, the developer has brought to life the world of gaming on Windows, with titles including Judge Dredd vs. Zombies and Guns 4 Hire. “A game should be able to sell itself”, according to Valls from Rebellion; although the developer continued by stating how crucial it still was for their games to be marketed the right way. Budding developers out there will know that a lot goes into advertising and marketing mobile apps in today’s ever competitive gaming industry, from determining what app icons will really catch a player’s eye to how to productively monetise your app.
Source: http://www.rebellion.co.uk/games/guns-4-hire
Rebellion has shed some light onto their success and just how important it is to have the right marketing, including the importance of optimising keywords in the App Stores, across both iOS and Android devices, in order to obtain the best exposure possible. Interactivity between players/friends within the game is also a clever marketing technique, with recent studies revealing that many games are frequently shared and show greater growth if they offer the player some kind of social networking or messaging aspect within the game. People are also more likely to download an app if they receive an invitation or request from a friend who is already playing. Rebellion also offered the sound advice of choosing a marketing or advertising company that will assist you in choosing the right “monetisation model that supports a user experience”. Another piece of advice from the highly ranked UK developer is that offering a F2P game that offers worth-while in-app purchases is a great way to monetise your app successfully. Players like to get something for free before converting to paying for a game, and offering an in-app purchase with value can really come through in the end.
Taking advice from a developer who was told they couldn’t make it, Rebellion says that “It sounds cliché, but marketing starts with the game itself. Players have to like it from the beginning”.
After 5+ years in development, we're excited ... 
