Android game developers will as of today be able to reach millions of new users as Flexion, the games marketing company adds Xiaomi’s official proprietary app store, GetApps, to its suite of alternative marketplaces.

Flexion already offers game developers distribution and marketing services giving them easy access to alternative app stores and allowing them to build revenue and audiences quickly. The partnership with Xiaomi will bring significant opportunities to games in the Flexion portfolio.

“Xiaomi is among the top mobile device suppliers in many markets, such as India and Europe,” says Jens Lauritzson, Flexion’s CEO. “They have a truely global reach. Importantly for our game developers, many of Xiaomi’s smartphones focus on young people, especially geeks and gamers, which creates an ideal user base for game developers.”

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Flexion’s strategy is to grow the distribution channels it offers developers, so they are no longer reliant on just limited choices. Existing clients see an average 10% boost in revenue through the platforms that Flexion helps them reach. Developers get an additional revenue stream with no upfront costs and very little effort.

The partnership with Xiaomi is a logical next step in Flexion’s strategy. Xiaomi is one of the world’s leading smartphone companies. According to Canalys, the company’s market share in terms of smartphone shipments ranked No. 3 globally in the first quarter of 2023. In March 2023, the MAU of MIUI reached approximately 595 million globally. GetApps already connects developers with millions of users and continues to grow, seeing notable successes in the most lucrative regions. Xiaomi’s International Internet Business Department announced its “Go Global” strategy for the year of 2023 at MWC in Barcelona, which also marked the expansion of GetApps towards more markets worldwide.

“We’re glad to be partnering with Flexion and delighted to welcome new games into Xiaomi’s GetApps. We think their attitude to the games market is spot on.” says Chan Liu, General Manager, International Internet Business Department, Xiaomi. “Our cooperation integrates the advantages of Flexion’s deep understanding of the market and Xiaomi’s system-level support as a smartphone OEM, which aims to create an ecosystem for the game industry and bring true values to developers and Xiaomi users worldwide.”

Flexion has already soft launched Gods & Glory from DECA Games on Xiaomi and is now fully integrated with the Xiaomi platform and distribution service. Using the Xiaomi distribution service will benefit developers as payout rates that facilitated through are generally higher than in other app distribution platforms, says Jens.

The time has never been better for developers to think about a multiple store approach. Earning revenue from a single app store with traditional user acquisition is becoming more difficult, as privacy and competition concerns start to bite. The European Union’s Digital Marketing Act (DMA), for example, will force tech giants to allow alternative app stores into their ecosystems. A game that is on multiple app distribution platforms will get more exposure no matter what market users prefer.

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“We’re predicting a spike in alternative store audiences as consumers find better value through more competitive offers in new stores such as GetApps,” says Jens. “We’re giving developers a newfound freedom, making it far easier to launch, scale and profit from their games.”

“We will help Xiaomi grow its offering by bringing great games to the channel,” he goes on. “Flexion has the technology to do this, together with people who have the necessary expertise and experience. The platform grows and the games grow both in terms of audience and revenue. Everyone wins with Flexion’s approach.”