9 Reasons Why You Should Work in the Mobile Gaming Industry
It’s worth over $138 billion and there’s a strong push for inclusivity – so there’s no better time to join the mobile gaming industry than today. Here’s what Kwalee’s VP of Marketing has to say about a career in games.
Fresh out of college and got your mind set on finding a job in the gaming industry? Then you might want to take a look at our article about how to apply for a games job the right wayinstead. But if you’re on the fence about it, you should look at how the mobile games market is performing. This article will offer some context on what makes the mobile gaming industry the best place to work. (And why now’s the best time to join the fun.)
Why should you choose the mobile gaming industry?
1) It’s one of the fastest-growing sectors right now
Ad revenue is expected to rise to US$222 billion by 2027 (based on a report released by Business Wire) which is a staggering 61% increase on the revenue figure for 2020. This is hard proof that loads of people across all seven continents play mobile games regularly.
2) The people you work with are amazing
In games, you get to meet some of the brightest and most enthusiastic innovators in the world who come from all walks of life. Most have yet to hit thirty, and many brands offer something new across all disciplines, whether it’s game dev, publishing, data science, animation, production or marketing. Only a handful of industries have this kind of buzz.
Being a relatively new sector, you’ll find passionate people leading the way when it comes to mobile game development, product and marketing. The industry has a vibrant vibe you can’t find anywhere else.
3) The push for inclusivity and diversity is strong
49% of mobile gamers are women and 65% of women aged 10-65 in the USA play games on their smartphones, according to research from Google Play. Organisations such as Women In Games are championing the mission to ensure equality for women across the industry.
The mobile gaming industry is investing heavily in equity, diversity and inclusion to ensure that it’s a business that welcomes everyone. New initiatives like ‘Do I Look Like A Gamer?’ are going to great lengths to ensure everyone is welcome to work in games.
4) There are billions and billions of players…
14.4 billion mobile games were installed globally across Apple’s App Store and Google’s Play store in the first quarter of 2022. That works out at nearly two game installs for every person on planet earth in three months!
5) …who spend billions and billions of dollars
Mobile gamers spent $41.2 billion on in-app purchases in mobile games in the first half of 2022 alone, just shy of the $42 billion a certain Mr. Musk spent buying Twitter. So far, the players appear to have got a better deal…
6) You could develop the next chart-topping success
Kwalee’s Draw it has been installed over 100 million times, and King’s Candy Crush has generated over $8.6 billion since its launch in 2012. These chart-topping games are often invented by in-house teams, and some game developers offer extra bonuses for employees who invent hit games. Kwalee hosts weekly ‘Creative Wednesdays’ as an open forum for all team members to share and pitch their new game ideas, with hit games coming from team members across the business.
7) The games market is booming for job seekers
Anyone can find their dream job in mobile games – from game artists to data scientists via development, software engineering, legal and marketing. There are over a thousand games jobs available out there, most of which are advertised on GamesIndustry.biz right now and Kwalee has many open roles on its careers page to choose from.
8) Happy work, happy life
Most mobile game companies had adopted some form of hybrid work long before COVID-19 made it ‘a thing’. From casual work wear to bringing your pet to the office (as well as great salaries, bonus schemes and share options for some roles), there are loads of perks of working in the sector.
9) Because you’re worth it
The average UK salary in the gaming industry is approximately £47,000 (~$58,253) according to 2022 research by Skill Search. The same research showed that for the second year running, average salaries for women in the UK gaming industry slightly overtook their male counterparts in junior and mid-level roles and have caught up significantly in more senior positions.
Is there more?
Of course, there are far too many benefits of working in the gaming industry to list in a single article. If you’re looking for an opportunity to work in games, now’s your time – scouring Kwalee’s open roles is a great place to start. We’re expanding our Hybrid Casual, Casual and PC and Console games departments and producing plenty more chart-topping games – our mission is to make more fun games to entertain the world, so come and join the fun!
We have many job roles available for everyone, including remote opportunities! Head over to our jobs page and see what’s in store at Kwalee for passionate folks like yourself. You can also reach out to us and our recruitment team on LinkedIn to ask about roles that fit you. Follow us on social media (TikTok | Twitter | YouTube | Instagram | Facebook) to get the latest news on our recruitment efforts.