Filipino Game Developer Beats Pokemon Go For No.1 Downloaded Game in Play Store

Meet the Filipino game developer who topped off Pokemon Go as one of the most played games in the world of smartphones. 29-year old Derrick Alain M. Mapagu, founder and CEO of Most Played Games, created the Flippy Bottle Extreme which became a global hit, topping off the charts as the no.1 downloaded app in the Google Play Store.

Unseating Pokemon Go wasn't an easy task, as the game took the whole world by storm that started a global craze. But what made Flippy Bottle Extreme more successful than Pokemon Go is that it used a strategical approach intended for its target market despite the lack of huge marketing.

The goal of the game is to flip the bottle onto another platform which, despite sounding really easy, is quite hard. And people have embraced the challenge, making it one of the exciting yet frustrating games at the same time to hit the Play Store. Derrick said "I believe it was more of knowing the market than anything else. We have [a] well-versed understanding of the market we are targeting. Knowing your market like you know yourself, knowing what makes them tick, what excites them, what makes them buy, I believe good products market themselves and it was the case in Flippy."

Most Played Games also has a number of different apps out on the market, some of which include Make Tusok the Fishball, Make Tuka Green Archer, Make Pana Blue Eagle, etc. are all Filipino-inspired and influenced.

And although the company has been riding waves of success recently, Derrick hints that it wasn't all rainbows and butterflies. He also had growing pains before he witnessed the fruits of his labor.

But he advises aspiring Filipino game developers to take advantage of the opportunity. He said "Aim high and follow your heart. Find your niche, and work hard to hone your skill and be really, really good at making your type of games. Be true to yourself. Persevere, continue doing your own games and eventually you'll make it," Derrick advised young game developers. "Filipinos are world class talents. You are a world class talent. Believe in yourself and make a difference."