How to Make an iPhone Game? [2024 Guide]

The mobile gaming industry is thriving in parallel to the increasing count of smartphone users. As a result, the revenue generated from the gaming industry in 2021 is approx. $198 billion, 50% of which came from mobile gaming. As of a recent report, the count of mobile gamers has reached $3 billion in 2022. As a result, the revenues are expected to be tenfold, up to 339.95 billion by 2027.

It is expected that by 2025, 42% of the revenue generated from the Apple App Store will be from gaming apps, and 71% of Play Store revenue will be from gaming applications. All these reports and studies portray the potential of the mobile gaming industry and iPhone game development.

If you want to make huge profits as the mobile gaming industry grows then knowing how to make an iPhone game is important.

What are iOS Games?

iOS games have been specifically designed for mobile devices running the Apple iOS operating system, such as the iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch. iPhone games are diverse and can range from simply casual to complex, multi-level experiences. Common genres of iPhone games include puzzles, adventure, strategy, racing, sports, and many more.

Developing an iOS games is a growing trend in the gaming industry, with an estimated 800 million iOS users worldwide.

How to Make an iPhone Game?

Developing an iOS games require a lot of time, knowledge, expertise, effort, experience, and much more. But, anyhow, a decent iOS game can help you make millions. Therefore, here is a quick guide on how to make an iPhone game.

1. Market Research to Make iOS Games

The initial step of the development process includes idealizing your plan for developing the game. Either you come up with a whole new iphone game idea you believe will be loved by gamers, or you can make one inspired by current trending games.

2. Hire iPhone Game Developers

Once you have finalized the type of game you wish to develop. It’s time to hire a team of the best game developers with years of experience and expertise in the field. iPhone Game development companies can help you make an iPhone game quicker and better.

The best way to find an excellent development company to work with is to check out their portfolio and ensure they fit your budget.

3. Tech Stack to Build an iPhone Game

Once you have found the best-suited game development company for your project, it’s time to have discussions. Discussing the tech stack is one of the most crucial parts of this procedure. The performance of a game is partially dependent upon the tech stack used to develop it.

Therefore, it’s your duty to ensure that the development company leverages the latest tech stack while deciding how to make an iPhone game.

4. iOS Game Development

After finalizing everything from the game development company to the tech stack. It’s time to hand over the steering to the professionals in the field. Let the developer do their magic and shape your idea into a reality.

5. Game Testing

Once the game is ready, it’s time to test it and ensure it runs smoothly. There is also a standard quality test of the Apple Store that your game needs to qualify. Passing this test is mandatory, as only then you would be able to launch your game on the App Store.

6. Launch Game on App Store

After everything has fallen into place, it’s time to launch the game on the App Store and make it available for the audience. To get a better reach and downloads, prefer running suitable marketing campaigns for the game.

7. Support and Maintenance

To run smoothly, every game requires proper maintenance and support. It also requires timely updates to keep the audience engaged. Fortunately, most game development companies offer such services in exchange for a few extra bucks.

What Types of iPhone Games Can You Make?

The App Store is packed with millions of games, all of which have been made from scratch ranging from arcade to adventure. In short, you can make any game that you idealize and work upon. Anyhow, it’s wise to go with the trend and make a type of game that is currently trending and played by most gamers.

Here are a few of the different types of iPhone games. Let’s take a look at it.

List of Top 10 iPhone Games

Benefits of Developing an iOS Games

A recent survey shows that 18% of Android users look at the advantages of owning an iOS device and switching to iPhones. A total of 2.2 million applications are available on the App Store, and on average, around 2,540 new applications are launched daily on it. Apart from it, there are a lot of other benefits, as follows –

• Better App Revenue: The first and foremost benefit is that the ROI of iOS applications is relatively better than Android apps.
• Security: Another benefit associated with developing an iOS game is that iOS devices offer better security as it isn’t that easy in iOS devices as of high security.
• Quick Development: The development of an iOS application takes 28% less time when compared to an Android game development.
• Great Audience: Apple has stated that its audience is tech-savvy, therefore, the target audience becomes wider, and the chances of someone trying your game increases
• Quality Assurance: Every application must qualify for the App Store’s high-quality test before launching. Passing this test assures that the application is well-functioning and has zero flaws.
• Well-established Customer Base: There is no doubt that Apple is a pioneer in the application and latest technology. It is one of the reasons why it has such an excellent user base.
• High Market Penetration: Apple’s legacy and brand value can be leveraged to promote the iPhone game and guarantee its success in the industry.
• Secure Transactions: A secure and safe online transaction system can easily integrate into your iOS games. In addition, all iOS apps are secured against hacking and phishing.
• User-friendly Interface: Apple offers best-in-class UI/UX to help increase user engagement and attract more people to your game by opting for an iOS game.

Top Game Engines to Make an iPhone Game

Game Engines were introduced to simplify the process of mobile game development. Currently, there are hundreds of such platforms available. But, apparently, only a few offer developers quality features.

Here is a list of best game engines you can benefit from.

1. Unity

It is first and foremost in our list as it covers over half of the gaming industry. Developers can easily build 3D game using its real-time platform feature. It also offers photographic effects to create a realistic appearance in the game.

Next-gen runtime, graphic rendering, and collaboration are a few of the other useful features of Unity. In addition, the game engine has an easy-to-understand user interface and offers tutorials for easy operation.

2. AppGameKit

Another excellent game engine for developing mind-blowing mobile games is AppGameKit. The engine offers a simple interface to the developers by using C++ programming language.

Therefore, any developer, from a beginner to an expert, can easily work on it. Furthermore, it is cross-platform, meaning that any game developed on this particular engine will be compatible with multiple platforms like – Android, Windows, and iOS.

3. CryEngine

This particular game engine is quite famous amongst Apple developers for offering graphical outputs. It is highly preferred for developing a mobile game with exceptional graphics and high visuals.

Secondly, it also offers tools like Flowgraphs to help developers create a more striking atmosphere in-game. CryEngine supports all platforms, meaning you can develop games for multiple platforms.

4. Unreal Engine

This game engine solves the issue of having professionalism in programming to develop a mobile game. It means a developer with basic programming knowledge can easily develop a game using it.

The engine is a hub of unified tools you can leverage to create realistic game visuals. The best is that it offers publishing and creator licenses complimentary. Anyhow, you still might have to pay to get the custom license.

5. Amazon Lumberyard

As the name suggests, this engine belongs to Amazon. This game engine has been helping in-game app development for the past couple of years. It also offers a few AAA features to its users, like visual scripting, VR preview mode, Twitch Integration, etc.

On top of it, the AWS cloud system makes this development platform more secure and safe. The platform is completely free to use alongside Adobe Photoshop.

6. Titanium

The ownership of this game engine belongs to The Appcelerator. This platform is developed in a way to help developers save plenty of time during coding. The engine has a single code interface that excites the developers even more. The reason is that they no longer have to indulge in exploring tools and coding to develop a game.

7. Cocos2D

The last platform in our list is Cocos2D. It is a cross-platform game engine that is grounded to a GUI system. This platform is the original idea of Facebook to develop small-size games of up to 1.5 to 2 MB. It is quite a unique game engine offering various services to developers like – scene editing, debugging, game previewing, community assistance, etc.

Cost to Build an iPhone Game

The cost involved in the process of how to make an iPhone game depends on numerous factors. However, the estimate is around $30K to $50K. Developers’ origin, type of game, and features are a few factors that affect the development cost. For example – An game development company operating in India will charge less as compared to a U.S.-based company.

You can also grab the free consultancy service such companies offer for better insight. Here is a quick look at the iPhone game development cost, country-wise.

Conclusion

The perks of developing an iOS game over an Android game will be pretty obvious now. Hence, if you are looking forward to developing a mobile game, it would be wise to go with iOS devices. Secondly, confirm to work with a team of experienced developers to ensure quality output. Finally, prefer checking the company’s portfolio before making the deal.

FAQ’s

1. What is The Process of iPhone Game Development?

The process of how to make an iPhone game consists of numerous steps, from market research to launching. A quick summary of the same will be as follow –

• Create a unique game idea in your head
• Hire a time of professional game developers
• Discuss the tech stack that would be used to develop a game
• Let the developers come to the driving seat and develop the game
• Test the game and ensure it’s running smoothly
• At last, launch the game with proper marketing

2. How to Develop an iPhone Game in Unity?

Once you have hired a team of game developers for your projects, here are the key steps that you need to follow to make an iPhone game in Unity.

• Setting up Accounts
• Utilizing device functions
• Coding and exposing code
• Working with assets
• Implementing monetization

3. How to Make iOS Games?

The process of making an iOS game can be broken down into several steps:

• Develop Your Concept for the Game – This includes deciding what type of game and features will make your game unique.
• Development Phase – Create artwork, characters, design levels, and other game elements using software tools such as Adobe Photoshop or Flash Professional CS6 and game engine like Unity3D.
• Testing and Debugging the Game – Ensure it is bug-free and ready for release on the App Store.
• Live Game to App Store for Review – Reach millions of iOS users to download and enjoy.

Creating an iOS game is a challenging but rewarding process that requires patience, dedication, and lots of hard work.

4. How Long Does it Take to Make an iPhone Game?

The time consumed in developing an iPhone game depends upon the game engine you are using, features in your game, the type of game, etc. However, the average time required to develop a game is between 3 to 4 months. However, it can vary depending on your expectations from the game.