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Exclusive Q&A with Alexandre Salem, Global Director of Gaming Partnerships at Huawei

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Exclusive Q&A with Alexandre Salem, Global Director of Gaming Partnerships at Huawei
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We have had an enlightening interview with Alexandre Salem, Global Director of Gaming Partnerships at Huawei.

Here he talks about the Huawei Gaming Ecosystem, how it’s gearing up to challenge the near duopoly Google Playstore and Apple Appstore, and why game developers shouldn’t miss it.

Here is the full text of the interview.

 

Q. Let us begin with a brief introduction to the Huawei Gaming Ecosystem. How does it help to facilitate the ultimate mobile gaming experience for users?

A. AppGallery is the official app distribution platform at Huawei, and the third-largest app marketplace in the world. We’ve designed it as a gateway to some of the latest and most exciting mobile game experiences for consumers.

When we look at the increase in people gaming around the world, it’s clear just how significant a role app marketplaces will have to play. We’re looking at 3.2 billion global gamers by 2023, and from that we’re predicting over two thirds will be on a mobile device.

To drive the global growth that we’re seeing, we provide our developers with the innovative technology they need to create the ultimate gaming experiences for their customers. Developers can integrate with elements of Huawei’s HMS Core for example to harness the unique software and hardware capabilities – all in the name of imagining new gameplay for mobile gamers.

There’s also the choice of integrating with app development tools for different Huawei devices, enabling gamers to switch between a MatePad and a P40, for example, with little effort and an overall seamless and enjoyable experience.

We’re already proud of our reputation for building quality hardware to facilitate a superior gaming experience for users, bringning some really unique gameplay to the table. Take Perfect World Games’ ReEvolve, for example. It’s the first mobile game that you can play on folding screen technology.

We’re also continuously looking to grow the number of mobile games available on AppGallery, with the aim of establishing Huawei as a true powerhouse of mobile gaming. Last year for example we launched a one-stop gaming platform for our more committed gamers called GameCenter, promoting an even richer gaming experience to those interested in exclusive discounts, unique gameplay and an exciting reward scheme. While AppGallery is Huawei’s comprehensive marketplace for all app categories, users who particularly love games can download GameCenter for an end-to-end game service.

 

Q. Could you provide some key stats regarding the number of users, games and developers in the Huawei Gaming Ecosystem currently?

A. AppGallery’s progress is something we’re really excited about. Considering the platform is only three years old in overseas markets, we already have a huge selection of convenient, fun and innovative gaming options to choose from. AppGallery caters to the different interests of its committed mobile gamers, from role-playing, action, MOBA, and MMORPG, to puzzle, turn-based and idle games.

In line with the growth of mobile gaming that we’re seeing more generally, AppGallery is also expanding – there are now 500% more games available on the platform compared to a year ago. Our users are often amongst the first to experience innovative new gameplay from around the world, with launches from the past year including AFK Arena, Asphalt 9: Legends, Clash of Kings and many more.

AppGallery continues to see strong growth in gaming availability, with over 12,000 games available and over 80 million games installed overall. Furthermore, there has been a 100% growth in games revenue in 2020 compared to 2019, and a 120% growth in paying players.

Thanks to the ongoing development of the HMS ecosystem, AppGallery now has 540 million monthly active users. There are 2.7 million registered developers worldwide, 134,000 apps integrated with HMS Core and, in 2020, we saw 384.4 billion app distributions (174 billion more than the previous year) – many of which are attributable to the mobile gaming sector.

 

Q. Huawei AppGallery boldly attempts to challenge the near duopoly of Google Play store and the App Store. What do developers and publishers gain exclusively by choosing AppGallery?

A. Something that sets AppGallery apart from competitors is the close relationship that we have with developers. We work closely with our partners to identify their own aspirations and desires – and not just in the gaming space.

Something that receives a lot of great feedback from developers and mobile users alike is our dedication to technical and marketing support. We implement a “Global + Local” Strategy, designed to help developers utilise our platform. It works both ways, because not only are we supporting smaller developers at the local level, but we’re also providing our diverse global customer base with the most relevant apps and games for them.

We also provide one-stop, full-spectrum operational support for developers worldwide, covering the entire development cycle. From ideation, development, distribution, operation to data analytics for global developers, we’re there to help. And the partnership doesn’t end at launch – we have dedicated teams to provide ongoing business and commercial support.

Building an ecosystem from scratch is something that takes a lot of time – we’ve been working on this for three years and the progress is so exciting. We’ll continue to prioritise our partners, providing them with an opportunity to tap into the competitive mobile market.

Another differentiating benefit we bring to our gaming partners is an in-depth expertise in the Chinese market, the largest in the world in players number and revenue. For the developers interested in penetrating this market, we can bring a suite of tailor-made services to maximize the chances of success.

 

Q. Tell us about the advantages and support that game developers can enjoy as part of the Huawei Ecosystem.

Mobile gaming is a huge market and one that is growing significantly. Something that we advocate for at Huawei is helping developers to get their foot on the ladder and grow within an increasingly competitive space.

With this in mind, we empower local developers with our on-the-ground support. We now have five global developer centres in Romania, Egypt, Mexico, Malaysia and Russia. We also have three ecosystem labs in Germany, Poland and Russia, as well as over 20 online Huawei Developer Day (HDD) events throughout the year. Developers can also utilise the seven DigiX Lab Innovation laboratories – they’re based in Dublin, Moscow, Düsseldorf, Mexico, Dubai, Johannesburg and Singapore. Here, developers can access real machine debugging, development capability experiences and other tools and guidance.

Our collaboration with developers doesn’t stop when a game is on-boarded in AppGallery. Our goal is to support gaming developers in attracting, converting and retaining as many players as possible. We don’t hesitate to roll up our sleeves alongside our gaming partners to run co-marketing campaigns to boost games discoverability.

 

Q. What are the options for monetization and the advertisement support that publishers can enjoy as part of the Huawei Ecosystem?

A. Something that we’re passionate about at Huawei is aligning our partners’ business development goals with the tools they need to achieve them. There are a variety of different HMS Core Kits that developers can choose to integrate with to harness the unique software and hardware capabilities we have on offer.

This includes the Huawei Ads Kit which empowers developers to create high-quality and personalized ads within their apps. Alongside the easy-to-use Publisher Service, developers can work seamlessly with third-party advertising and tracking platforms to monitor ad success. We also have a range of platforms to encourage our partners to boost their revenue, from the traffic monetization platform − a one-stop platform for developers to earn more − to advertising identifiers and conversion attributions.

In a nutshell, we provide a flexible set of services for gaming developers to fit their business models, whether they monetize through IAP, ads, premium paid games or a mix of those revenue streams.

 

Q. Could you enlighten us on the user data protection measures that Huawei has taken to ensure that the personal information of users is not compromised? This is probably an area where even the biggest companies on the internet have an inconsistent record.

A. AppGallery has a full-cycle security and protection system, including developer real-name verification, a four-step review process, download and installation protection as well as a prevention mechanism for secure app operation. Protecting user privacy and security is something that we take very seriously.

In addition to ensuring that all default apps fully comply with privacy compliance requirements, EMUI provides permit management, notification management, audio/video reminders, location service management and other privacy settings for apps, giving users visibility and control over their permissions.

Huawei has also established local data storage in six regional centres and 15 data centres worldwide. Complying with the localized service distribution and deployment policy, personal information is encrypted and stored in the area to which the user belongs. For example, Huawei stores all European user data in Germany, where rules and regulations call for the highest standards of user privacy.

To further ensure the safety of our users, we have implemented an age rating system globally, which intelligently blocks non-age-appropriate content according to user settings to provide a safe and healthy application environment for underage users.

 

Q. Huawei is betting big on the Internet of Things (IoT). How do you think the IoT is going to make its mark in the gaming sector? 

A. In two years’, time, we expect to see 2.6 billion gamers streaming and competing together on mobile devices. The IoT is another area where we have a reputation for taking the lead and driving an industrial-scale digital transformation. Through our all-scenario, modular solutions, we’ll ensure that our mobile gamers have access to the smoothest possible gameplay experience.

In the next few years, we expect to see gamers having access to an increasing number of smart devices and wanting to play their favourite games in a frictionless manner across those devices. Let’s imagine the following user journey: a gamer might receive a notification on their smart watch reminding them to a play the next shooter game level. They might pass a few levels during the commute to work on a smartphone, and continue playing at home on a tablet, before competing with friends on a smart TV over the weekend. This type of cross-device and cross-platform gameplay will require developers to evolve their game development practices.  It will mean that we need to bring hardware and software making this “omni-channel gaming” possible.

 

Q. Finally, what are Huawei’s major initiatives in the near future to deliver the ultimate mobile gaming experience?

A. Our top priority remains our users – we’ll continue to provide them with access to the best, most relevant mobile games in the world. There are a number of unique ways in which we’re able to do this. For example, we listen to our global customers’ needs through Wishlist – a tool that AppGallery users can use to recommend an app that they’d like to see available on the platform.

We also have staff dedicated to reading users’ feedback in Wishlist and analysing apps with the most votes. This allows us to prioritise the most wanted apps and ensure that consumer appeal is addressed, so that AppGallery is adapting to the fast-changing mobile app landscape.

We are also keeping in mind gamers needs and preferences when we design and launch new hardware on the market. I am extremely excited about our line-up of smartphones, smart TVs, connected watches and other devices and I am intimately convinced that this hardware ecosystem will bring the gaming experience to a new level.

Looking at the growth that the gaming industry has seen this year alone, it’s our mission to ensure that Huawei remains at the forefront of mobile gaming.

Gaming

New SuperScale eBook Launched to Help Mobile Game Developers Maximise Organic Success

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SuperScale has released its latest ebook “From organic success to long-term revenue,” which addresses the concerns and opportunities identified in SuperScale’s landmark study, “Good Games Don’t Die”. The new SuperScale ebook builds on the signature whitepaper, providing mobile game developers with actionable insights and strategies to implement when a game gains organic traction.

Organic strategies such as celebrity endorsement, streamer coverage and TikTok virality can quickly catapult a game to the top of the charts, but it can be a challenge to maintain popularity. As discovered in the Good Games Don’t Die Report, 76% of launched games hit peak revenue and 47% of games die in year 1. The ebook provides developers with advice to further maximize the long-term revenue of games that have generated organic successes to date.

Previous findings also revealed that over a quarter (26%) of developers do not measure the lifetime value (LTV) and return on ad spend (ROAS) for their games. The ebook offers insights for developers exploring LTV and ROAS for the first time, alongside the significance of factors such as seasonality and marketing to seasoned game-makers. As discovered in the Good Games Don’t Die report, only 41% of developers use Ad mediation platforms. Inside the ebook, SuperScale specialists explain this process, offering advice about picking the right network, and the bidding and waterfall optimisation processes.

Ivan Trancik, CEO and Founder of SuperScale, said: “The findings from the Good Games Don’t Die white paper have been read far and wide by the industry. We’ve delved into the data to deliver an ebook that addresses the opportunities some developers are not currently exploring. In today’s mobile gaming landscape, every revenue-making opportunity counts, so we’re giving developers the insights to take their organic success to the next level.”

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Gaming

Gaming Corps boosts Smash4Cash™ offering with release of RAMPAGE!

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Gaming Corps – a publicly-listed game development company based in Sweden – is giving players the chance to swing wildly and bring the riches home in new game RAMPAGE!

Players can put their luck to the test and crack open ball after ball, revealing marvellous prizes hidden within.

RAMPAGE! is the second game in Gaming Corps’ Smash4Cash™ series, following the release of Piggy Smash in January. The Smah4Cash™ mechanic is designed to make the game experience even more unique and bring an even greater chance for players to make the most of bonus rounds.

Each time a player wagers on RAMPAGE! they make an attempt to smash a single active ball laid out in the middle of the game screen. There are two racks, with one on each side of the active ball, each holding four balls.

If the ball is smashed, the player will be rewarded with an instant prize, and one of several features may also be awarded. After a ball is smashed, it will be replaced with a new ball that drops from the rack, becoming active.

A ball being smashed may activate the MULTIPLIER feature, which will apply to the payout of the next ball that will be smashed. The next ball is automatically made active and is a guaranteed smash.

What’s more for players is the RAMPAGE feature could also be activated. The game will enter RAMPAGE MODE, where the Hammer automatically attempts to smash balls until it fails. A minimum of two balls will be smashed in this feature.

Even more winnings can be claimed if the MULTIPLIER RAMPAGE feature is triggered, combining both the MULTIPLIER and RAMPAGE features. During this feature, all smashed balls will have their payouts multiplied by the awarded multiplier at the start of the feature.

That’s not all, as players can also win a random prize if the INSTANT WIN feature is triggered. The game will award a random prize of 10x, 25x, 100x or 1000x the bet.

Connor Blinman, Head of Games at Gaming Corps said: “Our Smash4Cash™ mechanic is giving players even more opportunities to make the most of our thrilling games, and following the successful release of Piggy Smash, I’m very thankful to our team for smashing it out the park with our latest game to use the mechanic, RAMPAGE!

“This won’t be the last you will be hearing from us with releases like this, and I really look forward to seeing how we can make our games even stronger through the use of this mechanic in the coming months.”

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Gaming

THE BATTLE OF POLYTOPIA ARRIVES ON APPLE ARCADE

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The award-winning 4x strategy game The Battle of Polytopia has joined Apple Arcade as a ‘plus’ version with all tribes and skins unlocked.

In The Battle of Polytopia, tribes offer new units, technology, and buildings for players to enjoy as they seek to gain the highest score or defeat their opponent in the turn-based game. Apple Arcade users can have instant access to all 16 Polytopia tribes without needing to buy them separately as DLC.

The game has already been enjoyed by more than 20 million users on mobile, Steam and Switch and has a string of high-profile fans including Deepmind´s CEO Demis Hassabis and MrBeast. The standard version of the game will remain available on the App Store.

Christian Lövstedt, General Manager for The Battle of Polytopia, commented:

“The Apple Arcade release of The Battle of Polytopia will make the game available for even more players to enjoy. Whether it’s the unique insect abilities of the Cymanti, or the icy powers of the Polaris, the special tribes of Polytopia each offer a new spin on gameplay. By making all 16 tribes available, players can enjoy everything Polytopia has to offer from the very start.”

As initially announced by Apple Arcade, The Battle of Polytopia joins Bloons TD Battles 2+ and Crayola Adventures as new additions to the subscription service.

 

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