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Game Dev Tycoon Beginner’s Guide: 8 Tips, Cheats & Strategies to Become a Gaming Giant

Are you looking for a casual game with no in-app purchases, no ads, and is absolutely addicting? Greenheart Games’ new title Game Dev Tycoon is exactly what you are looking for, and so much more! What’s even better is that it is available on both Android and iOS devices. This business simulation game puts you in the shoes of a game developer. Unlike most tycoon games, though, you will need creativity and willingness to experiment if you want to succeed here. You will be starting your own company, designing your own games, and selling them in order to become the best game developer in the world! The game simulates a lot of the development process. It even includes reviews after launching your game! Got a bad review? Research better technology to improve your products. It takes a lot of work to reach the top, so make sure you read our Game Dev tips, cheats and strategy guide to get started on the right track!

1. Before You Begin

Game Dev Tycoon is not your typical tycoon game where you can just tap like mad and turn in profits. Before you start developing a game, you need to think about the topic, genre, and audience. You need to find the right combination of these three aspects if you want your game to succeed. There are a lot of options when it comes to topics, and they will come in a different order each time. The good news is that one bad game will not make you bankrupt. You still have a chance to pick yourself up by running a Game Report. This will tell you if your genre and topic combination was good, or if the game bombed because of it.

2. Understand The Gaming Systems

Aside from having a good topic and genre combination, you also need to think about which platform you will release your game on. There are several gaming systems to choose from, each with its own strengths and weaknesses. Some games are better released on certain platforms. Certain platforms are horrible choices for specific genres. Check out the list below to get a better idea.

PC

The PC is capable of running games that demand a lot of resources. As such, it is perfect for Adventure, Simulation, and Strategy games. Action and RPG games also perform well in this platform. Casual games, on the other hand, are too simple. Users of this platform will lose interest. Pick more mature audiences for PC games since they are the once who will appreciate the complexity of content that this platform can handle.

G64

Since this is the console counterpart of the PC, it can also handle high-resource games. The controllers also make it easier to play games that require a lot of moves. This makes it perfect for Adventure and Strategy games. Action, RPG, and simulation games also perform well. As with the PC, this platform is too powerful to waste on casual games. Choose mature audiences for this platform as well.

TES

This is a decent platform, but it generally markets towards younger players. That is why it is perfect for casual games. Action, RPG, and simulation games also perform well in this platform. Unfortunately, Adventure and Strategy games may be too complicated for its target market.

Master V

This gaming system is for everyone, both young and old. It is mostly good for casual and action games due to its responsive nature. RPG and simulation will do alright, but not as stellar as action games. Adventure and Strategy are too demanding for this limited platform, though.

Gameling

The platform for budding gamers, this gaming system is mostly for casual games. It can also handle action games pretty well. RPG and simulation games are not so good options, but they will still survive. Adventure will almost definitely flop in this gaming system. Strategy games, however, will perform the worst. Make sure you target only young audiences with this simplistic gaming system.

3. Check Out All The Events

As you develop games in your little makeshift office, the world will continue to spin. Events will occasionally happen outside your garage. Reporters might drop by for interviews. Make sure you accept them for publicity’s sake. You may also be asked to invest in various things. Don’t bother investing because they are never successful. Another thing you should watch out for is the console news. If a new console is about to be released, make sure you get a license for it as soon as you can. You will only need to pay for a license once, and you will be able to develop multiple games afterwards. Try to create a lot of games for a specific console while it is trending!

4. Variety Is Important

You might think it is a good idea to stick to a format that works. That is not true in this game. Gamers want variety and if you give them the same topic and genre combination twice in a row, they will get bored. Releasing the same topic and genre twice is like giving them the same game again. If you want to release a sequel, wait until you unlock that option later on. Try out various combinations, take note of the ones that work, then put them on regular rotation to avoid duplication.

5. Try To Stay Afloat

Companies are not always successful, and the same is true for your garage office. You will sometimes flop in your games and lose profit. When that happens, don’t lose hope just yet. Try to stay out of the red zone as much as you can. If you end up there, just work on something that you know will succeed. You can keep pushing risks until you go down to 50k. When you do, your bank will get upset, but they are nice enough to continue lending you money. Of course, that doesn’t mean you can just keep failing.

6. Hold Off On Casual Games

Casual games make a lot of money, but only if you release them on the right gaming system. If you paid attention to our gaming systems list, you will know that casual games should be released on either the TES or Master V. Unfortunately, these are not immediately available when you start out. Wait until you unlock the two platforms before you start investing in casual games. Otherwise, prepare for bad reviews coming your way.

7. Think About The Gamers

Gamers are your customers, and they keep your company alive. You can’t just make whatever you want and ignore the sentiments of your gamers. When you launch a game, don’t dive into the next project right away. Just pick up a few contracts and wait for reviews of your game to come out. Listening to reviews will help you pinpoint what works and what doesn’t. Aside from reviews, you will also be getting reports of bugs in your game. Even in the real world, gamers hate playing a buggy game. Take time to fix those bugs for the sake of your loyal customers!

8. Don’t Forget To Research

As time passes, technologies will evolve, even in your game. That is why it is important for you to research new technologies. You cannot survive on releasing games on the same old platforms over and over. Old gaming systems will eventually become obsolete. That means you will no longer be able to make profit from them. Research new game techniques, engines, genres, and more in order to stay relevant in the industry.

That is everything you need to know in order to become successful in Game Dev Tycoon! Just stick to our list of tips, tricks and hints and you will be the top developer in no time!