Struan Robertson, Product Director for NaturalMotion Games talks about the important elements behind the success of My Horse on iOS.
The slides cover a range of subjects, from monetization of a free-to-play game and product design to AB Testing and the general state of the mobile f2p market.
This talk was presented at the Free to Play Summit in March 2012: http://www.f2p-summit.com/
Long Face, Long Tail - Struan Robertson, F2P Summit 2012
1. Long Face, Long Tail
What we learned about mobile games from My Horse
(C) NaturalMotion Games 2012
2. State of Play
Design and Monetization
Analysis
(C) NaturalMotion Games 2012
3. NaturalMotion Games
Premium Games
Console quality Addictive Play Polish and retention
(C) NaturalMotion Games 2012
4. Bigges
t
sports I new
P on iOS
Oct
2009 Dec
2010 Dec
2010 April
2011 Sep
2011
Backbreaker Backbreaker
2 Jenga
Icebreaker
NFL
Rivals
US
App
Store US
App
Store US
App
Store US
App
Store US
App
Store
Top
10
Hit Top
10
Hit Top
10
Hit Top
10
Hit Top
10
Hit
Over
20
million
downloads
2011 saw opportunities with freemium...
(C) NaturalMotion Games 2012
5. My Horse - iOS
• F2P - launched September 2011
• Realistic visuals - important!
• Nurture + games
• 8m downloads
• 500k DAU
(C) NaturalMotion Games 2012
6. Point 1
Think differently
(C) NaturalMotion Games 2012
14. Being featured = LOTS of users
That was kind of neat. I might go
back and play aga...OOOH LOOK
ANGRY BIRDS IN SPACE!!
There are a lot of other apps out there...
(C) NaturalMotion Games 2012
16. Point 2
Product Design
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17. Product Design
simplicity quality balance
designing for your audience
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18. obvious but often forgotten...
console Mobile
different usage
different design
Don’t build a console game on a mobile!
You know this but you keep doing it!
(C) NaturalMotion Games 2012
19. different play styles and times
undirected play tending
focussed play call backs and timers
(C) NaturalMotion Games 2012
20. Core Loop
Do A Thing
Expand Get A
Your Things
Thing
(C) NaturalMotion Games 2012
21. Cadence
Do A Thing
Measure out
progress with
Oh I need more difficulty + entry
money! requirements
Expand Get A
Your Things
Thing
Collecting feels
great!
(C) NaturalMotion Games 2012
22. Play Sessions and Cadence
maybe several of these,
depends on your game
play session
Do A Do A Do A
Thing
Thing
Thing
Expand Expand Expand
Your Get A Your Get A Your Get A
Thing
Thing
Thing
Things
Things
Things
put down with
call back
possible
monetization point
(C) NaturalMotion Games 2012
25. some engaged users
Man, I am so well Yes. I am also well
engaged in this game. engaged.
grinders socialites payers
DAU viral $
(C) NaturalMotion Games 2012
26. look after your core loop, look after engagement
(C) NaturalMotion Games 2012
27. My Horse Example
Enter a
competition
Do A Thing
Buy a new
Win some Coins
saddle
Expand Get A
Your Things
Thing
(C) NaturalMotion Games 2012
28. Start Simple and Expand
Play
Enter Dress
Competitions
Nurture
Groom
Share
Feed
(C) NaturalMotion Games 2012
29. Layered Gameplay/Discoverability
layered depth discoverability
different competition types hidden animations and play mode
(C) NaturalMotion Games 2012
30. Roaring the Gospel
team immersion key words
cohesive narrative
(C) NaturalMotion Games 2012
31. Design product solutions within the narrative
Must be rewarding
How do we get people to visit
other people’s horses?
Must be real
Lending help
- matches the main narrative
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32. Point 3
Monetization
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33. What are you going to monetize?
Energy/Consumables
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34. What are you going to monetize?
Customisation/Visual
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35. What are you going to monetize?
Power Ups/Boosts
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36. What are you going to monetize?
Shortcuts
Lots more...
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37. You must understand your game
What are your carrots?
•What do users want?
•One step removed?
•Energy...
core loop critical
(C) NaturalMotion Games 2012
38. Understand your customers, understand sales
Present your shop well
The most important button in the game
I REALLY WANT TO
PRESS THAT BUTTON
(C) NaturalMotion Games 2012
39. Lovely Wrapping
Messaging Images Rewards
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40. First Purchase
Crucial to encourage spending!
New users (funnel) Non Spenders (sales)
(C) NaturalMotion Games 2012
41. Point 4
Post Game Analysis
(C) NaturalMotion Games 2012
42. Continued Development
New features
Engineering Analytics
New content
Balancing
Product Manager
Seasonal
Art/Design Stakeholders
(C) NaturalMotion Games 2012
43. Basic Dashboard of stats
ARPU – Average Revenue Per User
ARPPU – Average Revenue Per Paying User
% of Paying Users
ARPDAU – Average Revenue Per Daily Active User
Jan Feb March Apr May June Retention (7-Day & 30-Day)
delve into this data to drive questions
(C) NaturalMotion Games 2012
44. Questions
Example: data says we don’t sell many energy biscuits...
Hey Number Dude, what happens to
ARPDAU if we halve the cost of the
energy biscuits?
Your mother.
Sounds great! Run the
tests then!
Product Manager Analytics
Sigh.
(C) NaturalMotion Games 2012
45. A/B Tests
New user comes in
Bucket A Bucket B
“Bucket C”
1/2 Price Normal Price
Everyone else
Biscuits Biscuits
Fill in parallel!
(C) NaturalMotion Games 2012
48. A/B Test Pitfalls
Push data
Which needle?
Time and country - makes a difference
Test other options
Ignoring creativity
(C) NaturalMotion Games 2012
50. time to be unique!
make sure yours is sticky
Don’t build a console game on a mobile!
know your core loop
look after your core loop, look after your engaged users
monetize your carrots
understand sales techniques
ask questions of your data
(C) NaturalMotion Games 2012
51. We’re Hiring!
www.naturalmotiongames.com
Engineers
Product Managers
Designers
Artists
Oxford | London | SF
Thanks!
@StruManchu
(C) NaturalMotion Games 2012
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Use cadence to look for pinch points\n\nDecide how you want to use these.\n- Rewarding\n- Holding the player up\n
Use cadence to look for pinch points\n\nDecide how you want to use these.\n- Rewarding\n- Holding the player up\n
Use cadence to look for pinch points\n\nDecide how you want to use these.\n- Rewarding\n- Holding the player up\n
Play Session\n- Session length (about 5 - 10 minutes)\n- How many times through the loop?\n- Different ways of spending your energy\n- How frequently\n- What happens when they’re away?\n
Play Session\n- Session length (about 5 - 10 minutes)\n- How many times through the loop?\n- Different ways of spending your energy\n- How frequently\n- What happens when they’re away?\n
Play Session\n- Session length (about 5 - 10 minutes)\n- How many times through the loop?\n- Different ways of spending your energy\n- How frequently\n- What happens when they’re away?\n
Play Session\n- Session length (about 5 - 10 minutes)\n- How many times through the loop?\n- Different ways of spending your energy\n- How frequently\n- What happens when they’re away?\n
Play Session\n- Session length (about 5 - 10 minutes)\n- How many times through the loop?\n- Different ways of spending your energy\n- How frequently\n- What happens when they’re away?\n
Play Session\n- Session length (about 5 - 10 minutes)\n- How many times through the loop?\n- Different ways of spending your energy\n- How frequently\n- What happens when they’re away?\n
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One example of a thing people do in My Horse\n\nVirtuous circle -> buying a better saddle = better competition results\n
One example of a thing people do in My Horse\n\nVirtuous circle -> buying a better saddle = better competition results\n
One example of a thing people do in My Horse\n\nVirtuous circle -> buying a better saddle = better competition results\n
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Once you understand your carrots, you need to understand how to present them\n
Once you understand your carrots, you need to understand how to present them\n
Once you understand your carrots, you need to understand how to present them\n
Once you understand your carrots, you need to understand how to present them\n
Once you understand your carrots, you need to understand how to present them\n
Once you understand your carrots, you need to understand how to present them\n
Once you understand your carrots, you need to understand how to present them\n