What Can Online Game Providers Do To Improve Their Competitiveness?

Acquiring new gamers has never been as challenging as it is today. In fact, according to some studies, you might need at least five times more resources to get new gamers than to retain existing ones. And given that Fortune Business Insights expects this industry to grow by a CAGR of about 13.1%, things might get tougher in the coming days.

But you don’t have to stress because there are actually several ways to improve your competitiveness. That’s why you want to read this article. By highlighting critical statistical facts, we will explore sensible ways you can distinguish yourself from the crowd.

Take Advantage of Increased Mobile Usage

A recent Exploding Topics study revealed that over 90% of the world’s population owns smartphones. Of course, it’s given that most of them will use these devices to do almost everything, including gaming. It is no wonder that experts claim that more than 60% of the global internet traffic comes from mobile phones.

It’s no different in gaming. In fact, according to PocketGamer.biz, about 79% of gamers use their phones to play. And as a forward-thinking brand, you don’t want to ignore this trend. That’s why even real money online casinos are developing responsive designs to help ensure seamless gaming experiences even on these smaller devices.

The beauty of responsive designs is that they can automatically adjust to fit multiple screen sizes, so players won’t need to zoom or pinch the websites to engage. This can be very handy in providing better gaming experiences. And now that modern consumers, including gamers, actually love them, many gaming providers have been using them to improve their edge.

Interestingly, responsive designs can encourage up to 74% of users to return because of their mobile-friendliness. Plus, they usually have 11% more conversion rates than non-responsive ones. Conversely, Think with Google suggests that 48% of users get frustrated when they encounter sites not designed with mobile in mind, showing why you can ignore responsive designs in your competitive strategy.

Don’t Ignore Online Security

We live in a time when customer data has become like the new gold. Everyone, including malicious actors, is scrambling for it, explaining why cyberattacks have become common. In online gaming, things are no different, especially now that it is expected to make significant strides in the coming days.

In fact, just recently, Assured released a report which noted a 50% increase in attacks targeting this industry within the past few years. In another place, SecurityBrief UK noticed a 94% increase in game-based web attacks between 2023 and 2024. These statistics are the reason gamers have become more security-conscious.

Many of them will even survey platforms to check their security status before signing up. If they perceive your platform as secure, they will be more likely to sign up, and vice versa. As such, taking advantage of secure protocols like 2FA and SSL encryption can really be handy.

Interestingly, 2FA alone can improve security by minimising exposure to more than 99.9% of targeted attacks. It works by requiring two different methods of identification for accessing a system or account. Players won’t just have to input their usernames and passwords – they will also be required to provide either a code (sent to their mobile phones) or a biometric scan.

To further your appeal to this security-conscious population, consider integrating more robust technologies like artificial intelligence (AI). AI can analyse large amounts of data to identify patterns indicative of cyber threats, automate responses to incidents, and proactively scan networks for weakness.

Don’t Ignore Customer Experience (CX)

Did you know that, according to Zendesk, 90% of businesses have made CX their primary focus? With gamers becoming so aware, you want to ensure they are receiving worthwhile experiences that can encourage return visits. Remember, we have already hinted at how acquiring new customers is challenging.

So, you don’t want to risk losing customers because you might need to do a lot more to acquire new ones. That’s why gaming companies are introducing experiences like personalisation, immediate feedback, seamless payments, etc.

Personalisation, for instance, can improve retention rates by 44%. Who does not want to receive game recommendations that look exactly like them? With thousands of titles launching every now and then, experiences that allow us to discover suggestions that match our tastes quickly are usually welcome.

Immediate feedback can also be handy and help present your brand as customer-centric. It allows you to address concerns proactively, leading to increased satisfaction and loyalty. Seamlessness in payments is also a great strategy to keep players connected because it reduces friction during checkout.

Looking at the statistics, Testlio suggests that implementing effective payments can raise retention rates by 15-20%. At the very least, ensure there are few or no payment failures, the methods are working well across different channels, and there are no delays in disbursing funds.

What is Our Last Word?

The gaming industry is not as we knew it a few years ago. Players have become more discerning, and companies have become more innovative. This presents a great challenge for companies targeting new audiences.

But by implementing responsive designs, you can be sure to appeal to the increasing mobile gaming population. Paying attention to online security by integrating features like 2FA and SSL encryption can help attract security-conscious individuals. And lastly, prioritise customer experience to ensure players receive worthwhile encounters that encourage them to return.