Launching an iPhone game? You have 13,000 rivals...

The latest data from analytics firm Mobclix claims that there are now more than 13,000 games available on Apple's App Store.

That means games account for more than 20 per cent of all apps on the store. Of those, 22.6 per cent are free, and the remaining 77.4 per cent are paid for.

It's proof - although as a PocketGamer.biz reader you probably don't need it - that the App Store is an increasingly tough place to get your game to cut through.

However, it should also be seen by developers as a challenge worth meeting, rather than a reason for gloom. The keys appear to be building pre-release buzz using consumer websites and social media, and then bumping games up the charts post-release via crafty pricing changes.

GamesIndustry.biz says the number of iPhone games has doubled since March this year. Puzzle games are still the most popular genre, accounting for 16.4 per cent of all titles on the store.

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