The Game Trail, a brand new solution designed to show off the greatest iPhone and iPod Touch games on the App Store, was released today by Swedish mobile developer Fabrication Games. The Game Trail is the first ever app discovery system to allow iPhone and iPod Touch owners to watch video of games in action before they buy rather than having to make decisions on a text description and still images.
Games are the most in-demand content on the App Store right now, both in terms of sales volume and revenues. The latest data suggest that there are over 24,000 games available in the App Store with new games added each day. Games represent 16% of the roughly 150,000 apps that are currently available; the second largest category of apps after books. Choice typically benefits the consumer but this huge volume clearly poses a problem for both developers selling their work and individual buyers when it comes to finding the best games for them.
Game shoppers already depend on independent review scores from a host of specialist web sites alongside recommendations on the App Store, but only a handful of these sites are available to browse in an app format on the iPhone or iPod Touch, where the vast majority of app purchases are made. Review scores are an invaluable guide, but they are subjective opinion and can only describe the gameplay. The only way to get a full sense of the game is to see it in action.
The Game Trail is the first recommendation app of its kind and the only one focused exclusively on consumers looking for games. The app employs a proprietary algorithm to rank games according to review scores from multiple independent sources as well as the app’s userbase. The Game Trail’s interface combines this ranking system with a selection of gameplay trailers and video reviews that give gamers the full picture and provide them with the ultimate utility for discovering the best new games suited to their tastes.
The Game Trail will give app shoppers the confidence to make purchases and avoid buyer’s regret with the convenience of:
– Game trailers and video reviews in-app for hundreds of the best iPhone games
– Direct links to purchase the game from the App Store - Fresh content added every day - Independent ranking of content from respected sources and customer reviews
– Helpful game lists including: New, Featured, Top 250, and Genre as well as Search and App Submit features
– Highly accessible: The Game Trail is at your fingertips via iPhone, Facebook and website
“The App Store has created a tremendous opportunity to expand mobile gaming and empower developers, but the sheer amount of content available has become an impediment to discovery,” said Tommy Palm, president of Fabrication Games. “We know that gamers rely on video trailers and unbiased reviews for their purchasing decisions and we have created The Game Trail to be a guide to the best games the iPhone has to offer.”