Creating your own idle game, also called an incremental game, is not only an exciting project but also a great way to explore game development. These games, where players make progress through simple actions over time, are very popular and serve as a practical way to learn various skills. Additionally, if you do it right, building an idle game can even become a passive income source, earning money with little ongoing effort.
Making an idle game offers many benefits. It allows you to experiment with game design, coding, and monetization in a manageable scope. In this detailed step-by-step guide, we will walk you through every phase of creating your own idle game. From initial style ideas to choosing the right tools and implementing monetization strategies, this guide aims to give you the knowledge and confidence to bring your game to life.
Idle games are a type of game also called incremental, clicker, or passive games. In these games, you can make progress without needing to play all the time. They typically involve performing simple actions, like clicking on objects or automating tasks, which gradually lead to unlocking new levels, features, or resources. The gameplay is designed to be addictive and satisfying, encouraging players to check back regularly to see their progress and collect rewards.
They are made to keep players coming back for a long time. People often play them in short periods, and they can be fun and easy to get into. Many of these games have minimal rules and straightforward mechanics, making them accessible to a wide audience. Despite their simplicity, they can offer strategic depth, as players often have to decide how to allocate their resources or upgrade their tools for optimal progress. The social aspect, such as sharing progress or competing with friends, also adds to their appeal.
There are numerous idle games available for both platforms. We will introduce some of the best examples to you. Idle games for iOS are mentioned below:
Here are a few examples of the best idle games for Android:
The steps involved in creating your own idle game range from finalizing the core loop of the game to launching it among the masses. The in-betweens include designing the game flow, building the currency, polishing, and testing, among other features. Here’s the information on how to make an idle game.
This step emphasizes the importance of grasping the fundamental gameplay mechanics of the game. These mechanics drive idle games, which typically involve repetitive, incremental actions that players repeat to progress. Examples of idle games with core gameplay loops:
This step involves outlining the core idea and theme of the game. It requires you to establish what the game is about, including its setting, characters, and the overall goal. You lay a solid foundation for the game development process, ensuring that all subsequent design decisions align with your initial vision. Below is an idea of how you can define the game concept:
In this step, you need to focus on planning how the game progresses (the game flow) and creating the visual and interactive elements. This involves designing menus, buttons, screens, and the overall layout to ensure an intuitive and enjoyable player experience. Users interact the most with the game flow and UI of the game. Tools used for UI/UX are:
This step involves selecting the appropriate technology stack that will support your project effectively. This decision is crucial, as it influences the development process, scalability, and maintenance of your application.
Consider factors such as compatibility, community support, and future growth when choosing your game developmetn tools and frameworks. By carefully evaluating options, you can ensure your tech stack aligns with your project goals and aids in smooth development and deployment.
In this step, you’ll develop the foundational economic infrastructure for your game. Creating a robust currency system involves designing the currency’s mechanics, determining its value, and establishing how it interacts within the ecosystem. This ensures that your platform has a functional and sustainable economy, encouraging user engagement and long-term growth.
Creating an upgrade system is a crucial step toward enhancing player engagement and providing a sense of progression. This system typically involves designing mechanisms that allow players to improve their characters, weapons, or abilities as they advance.
Implementing a robust upgrade system requires careful planning to ensure it balances challenge and reward, encourages exploration, and integrates seamlessly with the game’s core mechanics.
This step involves implementing the prestige or reset mechanism in your system or game. This feature allows players or users to reset their progress after reaching a certain point, often in exchange for rewards like increased capabilities or bonuses in future attempts.
The reset mechanism is designed to enhance replayability and user engagement, providing an incentive to improve performance before resetting. When implementing this step, it’s important to clearly define the conditions under which the reset occurs, how the rewards are granted, and how progress is maintained or altered post-reset. Proper integration of the prestige system can significantly boost user motivation and longevity of the application or game.
This is a crucial step in game development, allowing users to store their progress and retrieve it later. Implementing a reliable save and load mechanism ensures data integrity and enhances user experience by providing a seamless way to continue work without loss of information. This system typically involves creating functions to save current data into a file or database and load that data back into the application when needed.
Properly designing this feature involves considerations such as file formats, error handling, and ensuring compatibility across different software versions. Overall, a well-implemented save and load system is essential for building user trust and maintaining data consistency throughout the game’s lifecycle. Let’s take a look at the options at your disposal:
This step focuses on refining the game by polishing the details and enhancing the visual feedback. It involves reviewing the overall design, making necessary adjustments for a polished appearance, and ensuring that visual cues effectively communicate with users.
Incorporating clear, intuitive feedback not only improves user experience but also adds a professional touch to the final product. Diligently completing this step helps finalize the project, making it more engaging and visually appealing. Idle games must feel satisfying, for that you need to use:
Monetization is a crucial phase in any project or business. It involves devising strategies to generate revenue from the product or service offered. Effective monetization ensures the sustainability and growth of the business by converting user engagement into financial gains.
This step requires careful planning, understanding the target audience, and selecting the right revenue streams, such as subscriptions, advertising, or product sales. Successfully implementing monetization strategies can lead to increased profitability and long-term success. Popular monetization options in idle games include:
This penultimate phase is crucial for ensuring that your system functions optimally. Testing allows you to identify any issues or areas for improvement. Balancing involves fine-tuning various components to achieve the best possible performance.
Finally, iteration means repeating the process as needed until the desired results are attained. By thoroughly testing, balancing, and continuously iterating, you can optimize your setup and ensure long-term success.
Once you’ve completed all the previous steps, it’s time to launch and promote your game actively. This stage involves sharing your work with your target audience through various channels such as social media, email campaigns, press releases, and partnerships. Famous launch platforms are:
Effective promotion ensures that your efforts reach a wider audience, generate interest, and drive engagement. Remember to monitor the performance of your promotional activities and make adjustments as necessary to maximize your project’s visibility and success. Popular promotion sites are:
Here is a quick description of the steps involved in the idle game development.
| Component | Description | Tools / Examples |
| Game Theme | The overall setting or idea behind your game. | Space Mining, Empire Building, Idle Farm |
| Currency System | The resource(s) players earn and spend. | Coins, XP, Energy, Gems |
| Upgrade Mechanics | Unlockables that improve passive/active income. | Buildings, Workers, Auto-Clickers |
| Core Loop | Earn → Upgrade → Earn More → Prestige | Loop every idle game follows |
| Prestige System | Reset progress in exchange for permanent boosts. | “Rebirth”, “Ascend”, “Start a New World” |
| Progression Curve | Controls how costs and earnings scale over time. | Exponential (e.g., cost = base * 1.15^level) |
| Save System | Stores players progress locally or in the cloud. | LocalStorage, Firebase, PlayerPrefs |
| Game Engine | Platform to build and deploy your game. | Unity (C#), Godot, Phaser (JS), GDevelop |
| Target Platforms | Where players can access your game. | Web, Android, iOS, Steam |
| UI/UX Design | Layout of buttons, resource counters, upgrade trees. | Figma, Adobe XD |
| Monetization Options | How you generate revenue. | Ads, In-app purchases, Cosmetics |
| Promotion Channels | Communities and platforms to share your game. | Reddit, TikTok, Twitter/X, Discord |
In conclusion, building your own idle game is a rewarding project that combines creativity with programming skills. By following the step-by-step guide outlined above, you can develop a game that not only entertains but also enhances your understanding of game design and development. Dive into the process with enthusiasm, experiment freely, and you’ll be surprised at what you can create.
If you need any solutions related to idle games, you can contact BR Softech, a prominent Idle game development company. We can help you through all the steps and will also provide post-launch support.
Ans. An idle game, a.k.a. incremental or clicker game, is a game where the player progresses over time, even with minimal or no interaction. The game often continues generating in-game rewards or resources while the player is offline.
Ans. Yes, most idle games simulate progress while you are away by calculating how much time has passed and awarding resources accordingly when you return.
Ans. The main goal is to optimize your resource generation, unlock upgrades, and progress through increasingly powerful stages. Many games also include prestige or rebirth systems to reset progress for permanent bonuses.
Ans. Most idle games are free-to-play, especially on mobile and web platforms. However, they often include optional in-app purchases or ads for faster progression or cosmetic upgrades.
Ans. A simple indie game might cost $2,000–$10,000, while a polished Web3 game can exceed $50,000. Using free tools and assets can significantly reduce development expenses.
