The gaming industry has seen phenomenal growth in the past few decades. Big names like Xbox, Sony PlayStation, and Nintendo continue to dominate the market. However, while the average person will think about PC and console games, mobile games constitute a large part of it too.
Almost half of the gaming industry’s revenue comes from mobile games. This trend is expected to grow in the coming years, as Statista projects a global revenue of $160.6 billion by 2025. It’s no wonder that the demand for mobile game developers is rising.
Mobile game development still requires plenty of programming skills, but it is a lot easier to get into the field now than before. This is because developers have access to a wide range of tools and technologies to help them create applications quickly and efficiently. For example, we previously discussed how mobile developers now have clear approaches to addressing security.
Another such tool is MongoDB, which offers developers a cloud-based platform with built-in data services. This makes it easier to create and manage applications, as users don’t have to worry about the underlying infrastructure. With MongoDB Cloud, they can scale their application easily and quickly and get access to advanced features such as analytics and machine learning.
MongoDB Cloud can be used to create mobile games in several ways. The first thing to understand about MongoDB basics is that the platform stores data as JSON documents. This makes it easy to store and query data, as developers can quickly access the information they need. It is especially useful for creating games with dynamic content where new levels and features can be easily added.
MongoDB CTO Mark Porter delved into this further, explaining, “…combining them [JSON] with streaming standards and huge economical object stores on the cloud providers allows easier integration of systems than ever before.”
He added, “We’re really focusing on making it easier to move data between MongoDB clusters and data lakes but also into and out of MongoDB.”
Scalability is another critical factor in mobile games because they often have millions of users. MongoDB Cloud is designed to scale up as needed and can handle millions of requests per second, making it ideal for creating games with large user bases and high levels of engagement. For instance, a Xiamen-based game studio called G-bits leveraged MongoDB’s non-relational data structure to be able to scale to 10 million players.
Another thing to note is that MongoDB integrates well with other game engines, such as Unity and Unreal. This allows developers to easily add MongoDB-powered features, such as leaderboards and achievements, to their games.
Finally, MongoDB Cloud provides access to advanced analytics and machine learning tools. These technologies have been a game-changer for improving user experience and monetization, especially at a time when competition is fierce in the mobile gaming market, and customer personalization is in high demand.
They allow developers to gain insights into user behavior, track KPIs, and optimize their games for better performance. Nowadays, any company or developer not utilizing analytics and machine learning is likely to be left behind.
MongoDB Atlas and MongoDB Realm
As reported by Datanami, under the MongoDB Cloud umbrella are two services that mobile game developers will find beneficial: MongoDB Atlas and MongoDB Realm.
MongoDB Atlas is a cloud database service that allows developers to create and manage databases in the cloud easily. It provides secure access and scalability for applications, making it ideal for mobile games with large numbers of users.
Meanwhile, MongoDB Realm is a mobile platform designed specifically for developing mobile apps, including games. It integrates with MongoDB Atlas to provide data synchronization and scalability, allowing developers to build complex apps with dynamic content. It also provides an SDK that simplifies the process of creating interactive gaming experiences.
Whichever service a developer chooses to use, MongoDB Cloud can help them create a successful gaming experience. With its powerful tools and services, it provides developers with the necessary resources to build high-performing, engaging games.