Before Development, Validate Your Game Concept
Developing a new mobile game is one of the riskiest and most expensive moves a studio can make.
Especially in the free-to-play (F2P) space, where competition is fierce, user expectations are higher than ever, and marketing is crazy expensive, making a wrong bet can mean burning hundreds of thousands of dollars—or more—with nothing to show for it.
That’s why concept validation isn’t just a smart move. It’s essential.
The Harsh Reality of Mobile Game Development
Let’s talk about numbers:
- According to a SuperScale study, 83% of mobile games fail within three years of launch.
- Only 2 to 3 out of 10 soft-launched games ever make it to a global launch.
- According to a study by Go Practice, 2.73% of all mobile games released between 2016-2023 were able to generate at least $100k 12 months after the launch (study did not consider ad revenue).
- According to expert research, some mobile game categories didn’t have success at all in 2024.
- The average development cost of a mobile game can range from $200,000 to $1 million+ just to get to soft launch. And that doesn’t include marketing or post-launch operations.
Let these numbers sink in for a second.
So why do so many games fail? Of course, there are multiple reasons for it. Often, the core concept was never tested before development began, and developers did not realize that there was no demand for the game in the market.
What is Game Concept Validation?
Game concept validation is the process of answering one critical question: Does the market actually want this game?
It involves structured research, creative testing, and early performance analysis that help studios:
- Understand genre trends, market saturation, and size
- Profile the audience they’re building for
- Identify marketability potential (i.e., CPI, IPM)
- Test creative ideas before investing in development
In short, it’s a way to de-risk your next big idea.
Why Studios Skip Validation (and Regret It Later)
Many studios skip concept validation for the same reasons:
- “We’ve got a strong gut feeling about this idea.”
- “We don’t want to waste time on research.”
- “It’s just a prototype. We’ll figure it out later.”
But here’s the truth: every day spent building a game nobody wants is time and money you’ll never get back. And in most cases, these mistakes aren’t visible until soft launch—by which point you’ve already sunk considerable share of the budget.
What You Gain by Validating Early
- Smarter Decisions: Use real data to guide your team’s thinking and align stakeholders.
- Faster Go/No-Go Calls: Kill weak ideas quickly and double down on winners.
- Improved Team Morale: Rally around concepts that show real traction and market potential.
- Better Investor Confidence: Having validated concepts makes it easier to raise funds or get greenlights.
Final Thoughts
In a market where only the top-performing games break through, guesswork just isn’t good enough. Game concept validation isn’t about slowing down—it’s about making sure your time and money are invested in the right idea.
If you’re considering your next game project, ask yourself: Would you rather know it’s a hit before or after you build it?
